Part 3/12:

The Historical Context of Somaliland

To fully grasp Somaliland’s story, it is essential to understand its historical context. Modern-day Somalia was once divided into two colonial territories: Italian Somaliland in the east and British Somaliland in the northwest. British Somaliland gained independence in 1960, soon merging with Italian Somaliland to form the Somali Republic—commonly known today as Somalia.

Retrospectively, this union was problematic; Somaliland had a significantly smaller population and consequently felt neglected by the central government based in the South. Notably, Somaliland's first constitution, passed in 1961, garnered overwhelming support only from the Southern population.