Somaliland

Region of Somali-speaking peoples situated in eastern Africa between the Gulf of Aden to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the southeast. It includes the former regions of British Somaliland (established 1887), Italian Somaliland (established 1889–90), and French Somaliland (established 1888). British and Italian Somaliland became independent as Somalia in 1960. French Somaliland became independent as Djibouti in 1977. Part of Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from Somalia in 1991.

An independent Republic of Somaliland was declared by Abdel-Rahman Ahmed Ali, leader of the Somali National Movement in 1991. It comprised much of the territory of former British Somaliland. It failed to secure international recognition, but continued as a breakaway state while civil war engulfed much of the rest of Somalia. In 1994 Muhammad Ibrahim Egal replaced Ahmed Ali as its president. A referendum was held in 2001 in which 97% of voters supported a new constitution confirming the region's unilateral secession.

Between the 7th and 12th centuries, the coastal cities of Baraawe, Berbera, Marka, Mogadishu, and Seylac were founded by Muslim traders from Arabia, with sultanates emerging. The north was occupied by nomadic Somalis who adopted Islam and fought in the sultanates' armies.