Somalia

All demographic indicators on this page are based on UN mid 2025 estimates unless stated otherwise.

Somalia population (live estimate)

Real-time estimate based on UN demographic growth models.

19,654,000

Annual growth: 3.280%.

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Official population estimates

World population
19,654,000
Median age
15.6
Population growth rate (%)
3.280 ▲ Population is growing

This map shows first-level administrative regions (ADM1).

Key Facts

  • Capital: Muqdisho (Mogadishu)
  • Official language: Arabic
  • Region: Eastern Africa
  • Continent: Africa

Languages

A brief overview of the linguistic situation in the country.

Official language
Somali, Arabic
Minority language
14
Working / administrative language
2

Somalia’s two official languages are Somali and Arabic. Somali is spoken throughout the country and has standardized forms used in education and media. Arabic is prominent in religious and cultural contexts. English and Italian are also used, especially in urban and administrative environments.

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Religions

A brief overview of the religious composition of the country.

Dominant religion
Islam
Largest share
99.8%
Number of religions
7

The Somali population is ethnically and linguistically homogeneous, with variations largely based on clan and region. Urban centers such as Mogadishu, Hargeisa, and Bosaso show high exposure to multiple languages due to trade and diaspora connections.

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Cities

A brief overview of the major cities and urban structure of the country.

Largest city
Muqdisho (Mogadishu)
Number of cities
53

The cities shown here represent major urban centres with populations over 50,000, as defined by the UN Degree of Urbanisation (DEGURBA) methodology. Smaller towns and rural settlements are not included.

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