Somalia at its true size
Somalia covers 637,657 km², number 43 of 194 countries by area. Home to 19,654,739 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 637,657 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 19,654,739 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 31 per km² |
| Capital | Mogadishu |
| Local time in Mogadishu | |
| Time zone | UTC+3 IANA |
| Currency | Somali shilling (SOS) Wikidata |
| Languages | Arabic, Somali |
| Traffic | On the right |
| Region | Eastern Africa, Africa |
| Status | Independent state |
| Coast | Has a coastline |
| Calling code | +252 |
| Codes | SO · SOM · 706 |
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Where Somalia ranks
Among the independent states, in 38 rankings. Each links to its table.
People
- Population#67 of 19420 million people#24 of 54 in Africa
- Population density#149 of 19431 people per km²#39 of 54 in Africa
- Urban population#123 of 19255% urban#21 of 54 in Africa
- Fertility rate#2 of 1926.01 births per woman#2 of 54 in Africa
- Population growth#8 of 192+3.34% a year#3 of 54 in Africa
- Birth rate#3 of 19242.3 births per 1,000 people#3 of 54 in Africa
- Death rate#41 of 1929.7 deaths per 1,000 people#6 of 54 in Africa
- Children under 15#2 of 19246.6% under 15#2 of 54 in Africa
- People over 65#180 of 1922.6% aged 65 and over#46 of 54 in Africa
- Net migration#55 of 192+0.6 per 1,000 people#5 of 54 in Africa
- Refugees abroad#8 of 19045.39 refugees abroad per 1,000 people#5 of 54 in Africa
Health & education
Economy
- GNI per capita#179 of 185$640 a person#47 of 52 in Africa
- Internet users#169 of 18428% online#39 of 52 in Africa
- GDP per capita (PPP)#182 of 184$1,643 a person#50 of 52 in Africa
- GDP growth#102 of 187+3.0% a year#41 of 52 in Africa
- Unemployment#8 of 17818.9% of the labour force#8 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in agriculture#60 of 17830.0% of jobs#37 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in industry#108 of 17817.8% of jobs#20 of 53 in Africa
- Jobs in services#109 of 17852.2% of jobs#16 of 53 in Africa
- Foreign investment#29 of 1846.4% of GDP#8 of 52 in Africa
- Exports#106 of 16829.2% of GDP#26 of 49 in Africa
- Military spending#85 of 1551.5% of GDP#23 of 50 in Africa
- Mobile subscriptions#179 of 19154 subscriptions per 100 people#48 of 54 in Africa
Energy & environment
- CO₂ per person#182 of 1850.05 tonnes a person#53 of 53 in Africa
- Forest area#159 of 1928% forest#44 of 54 in Africa
- Renewable energy#2 of 19095.4% renewable#2 of 54 in Africa
- Access to electricity#171 of 19254.4% with electricity#35 of 54 in Africa
- Air pollution (PM2.5)#95 of 19118.5 µg/m³#41 of 54 in Africa
- Protected land#188 of 1910.0% of the land protected#53 of 54 in Africa
- Arable land#165 of 1901.8% of the land arable#46 of 54 in Africa
- Water stress#61 of 17624.5% of its available fresh water#13 of 53 in Africa
- Precipitation#155 of 180282 mm a year#44 of 54 in Africa
Governance & safety
Countries of a similar size
Every country within 25% of Somalia’s area, lit up on the map →
- France0.99×Somalia and France are almost exactly the same size.
- South Sudan0.99×Somalia and South Sudan are almost exactly the same size.
- Afghanistan0.98×Somalia and Afghanistan are almost exactly the same size.
- Central African Republic1.02×Somalia and Central African Republic are almost exactly the same size.
- Ukraine1.06×Somalia is 6% larger than Ukraine.
- Myanmar0.94×Somalia is 6% smaller than Myanmar.
How many times does Somalia fit into…
- Russia: about 27 times
- Canada: about 16 times
- United States: about 15 times
The land itself
Rivers, summits and lakes Somalia shares with the rest of the world. Turn on “Rivers & lakes” and “Physical names” in the atlas to see them on the map.
Rivers
- Jubba1,658 km
Summits
- Shimbiris2,460 m
Rivers are listed by the published length of their whole course, not the part inside Somalia. Figures from Wikidata, features from Natural Earth.
Neighbours
Questions about Somalia
- How big is Somalia?
- Somalia covers 637,657 km², which makes it number 43 of 194 countries by area. About 19,654,739 people live there (2025), 31 per km².
- Is Somalia bigger than France?
- Somalia and France are almost exactly the same size. Somalia: 637,657 km²; France: 643,801 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort Somalia?
- Somalia lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
- Which countries border Somalia?
- Somalia shares a land border with Ethiopia, Kenya.