Jump to content

Sanaag

Coordinates: 10°46′45″N 48°11′9″E / 10.77917°N 48.18583°E / 10.77917; 48.18583
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Awale-Abdi (talk | contribs) at 13:42, 20 May 2017 (Removed unsourced content from the demographics section and added sourced content.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Sanaag
سناج
Region
Overview of the Cal Madow mountains in Sanaag
Overview of the Cal Madow mountains in Sanaag
Location in Somaliland.
Location in Somaliland.
Country Somaliland
CapitalErigavo
Time zoneUTC+3 (EAT)

Sanaag (Template:Lang-so, Template:Lang-ar ) is an administrative region (gobol) in northeastern Somaliland,.[1] Sanaag has a long coastline facing the Gulf of Aden to the north, and is bordered by the Somali regions of Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sool and Bari. Its capital city is Erigavo, and the most important towns in the region are Erigavo, El Afweyn and Badhan.

History

Ruins in Las Khorey.

The Sanaag region and northeastern Somaliland in general is home to numerous archaeological sites, with rock art, ancient ruins, buildings and cairns found at numerous sites like Gudmo Biyo Cas, Heis, Maydh, Haylan, Qa’ableh, Qombo'ul and El Ayo to name a few.[2] However, many of these old structures have yet to be properly explored, a process which would help shed further light on local history and facilitate their preservation for posterity.[3]

Demographics

The Sanaag region is mainly inhabited by people from the Somali ethnic group from Habar Yoonis, Habar Jeclo and Warsangeli backgrounds. A source points out that both the Harti Darod clans as well as the Isaaq clans are all relatively the same size within the region despite also positing that the Isaaq subclans dominate the region's capital city (Erigavo).[4]


Geography

Camel in Almadow Forest, Somalia

Climate

Sanaag has four zones: the coastal area, the mountain range, the gypsum karsts plateau and the Sool Haud plateau. The latter is rich in pasture and has better water quality. Except for the elevated area of Erigavo district where rainfall records indicate an annual average of up to 800 mm(see "Cal Madow" topic), rainfall generally does not exceed 150 mm in most of the region.

Environment

A severe drought in the region in the early part of the 21st century caused an 80% or greater loss of livestock, though two good rainy seasons in 2004–2005 helped restore the area. Over a 15-year period of analysis, from 1988–2003, there was a 52% loss of forest and a 40% loss of grassland, and a 370% increase in bare land. Soil erosion due to weather and human activities and clearing of wood and brush for such uses as charcoal and fuel are issues leading to a degradation of the environment.[5]

Economy

In recent history, the Sanaag region normally maintained a diverse economy, producing and then exporting to other regions, it produced livestock, frankincense, and leather for export, this was happening while the region lacked basic infrastructure, but sadly, after the outbreak of civil war the region’s economy collapsed from loss of markets and dilapidated infrastructure has never helped, and lack of investment. Now the region only supports one main economy, livestock rearing. The Somali livestock ban imposed by Gulf countries in which was Sanaag’s largest market has virtually destroyed the economy in the region, reducing purchasing power and forcing pastoralists in the region to survive on subsistence activities.[6]

Territorial dispute

Main article: Puntland–Somaliland dispute
Somaliland border dispute with Puntland. As of July 1, 2007, 2/3 of the disputed territory declared the state of Maakhir.

Sanaag is a disputed region, claimed as sovereign territory by the two autonomous Somaliland and Puntland macro-regions of Somalia.

The dispute between Somaliland and Puntland stems from 1998, when Puntland formed and declared the region as part of its territory.[7] Prior to that, it had been claimed but with no control over the region by Somaliland since the 1991 events of the Somali Civil War. In 1994, the historic USP political party was reinstated by Awad Ahmed Asharo, former party Chairmain of the main Warsangeli clan. With the support of Sanaag pro-union civil society, local admin and politicians, USP was subsequently recognized by UNISOM as the legitimate representative of Sanaag.[8]

Beginning in 1998, after Puntland was formed, Sanaag was one of the regions of Puntland, with Sanaag elected politician given the Speaker of the House position in a power sharing agreement. Thus, both the police and army of Puntland were already established in the region based on the desires of the local population for their security and the territorial integrity of Somalia. The separatist Somaliland administration, however, still claimed the territory as part of the original but colonial boundary of British Somaliland. Fighting between the two forces led to casualties and captured prisoners, who were later exchanged.

The dispute with the TFG stems from the passage of the new Charter in November 2004. However, this was not a pragmatic issue until the military successes of the government in the 2006–2007 war in Somalia. Assertions of sovereignty in January 2007 by the TFG leadership sparked riots in Somaliland for reunification with the south.[9]

On July 1, 2007, the state of Maakhir was declared in the area. It claimed autonomy from both Puntland and Somaliland,[10] but was eventually incorporated into Puntland in January 2009.[11]

Recently the elders from this region and nearby region of Sool which is also disputed have issued joint statement submitted to various agencies declaring their position on unity of Somalia and rejecting notion of Somaliland secessionist agenda, however some of native to both regions are in Somaliland administration.[12]

Althought Somaliland has 100% control over Sanaag & Sool as well as Isaaq sub-clans having large pressence within those 2 regions respectivelly.

Districts

According to the federal government of central government of Somalia and U.N sources. There are 3 major districts in Sanaag following the largest to the smallest in order below.

Major cities and towns in Sanaag

Notable Sanaagians

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Regions of Somalia Archived October 23, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Mire, Sada (2015-04-14). "Mapping the Archaeology of Somaliland: Religion, Art, Script, Time, Urbanism, Trade and Empire". African Archaeological Review. 32 (1): 111–136. doi:10.1007/s10437-015-9184-9. ISSN 0263-0338.
  3. ^ Michael Hodd, East African Handbook, (Trade & Travel Publications: 1994), p.640.
  4. ^ Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "Refworld | Report on the Fact-finding Mission to Somalia and Kenya (27 October - 7 November 1997)". Refworld. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  5. ^ "Environmental Study of Degradation in the Sool Plateau and Gebi Valley: Sanaag Region of Northern Somalia" (PDF). Horn Relief. February 2006. Retrieved 6 February 2007.
  6. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2012-01-28. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^ "Remarks on the 1998 Charter of Puntland State of Somalia". Somalia Watch. 12 August 2000. Retrieved 18 January 2007.
  8. ^ "USP and the means of its political weight - Historical Understanding". Somalia Watch. February 1994. Retrieved 19 February 2009.
  9. ^ "Pro-government rally take place in northwest Somalia". Shabelle Media Network. 17 January 2007. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2007. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ The Formation of The Maakhir State of Somalia[permanent dead link‍]
  11. ^ Worldstatesmen - Maakhir Archived May 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ [1][permanent dead link‍]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sanaag Region.

10°46′45″N 48°11′9″E / 10.77917°N 48.18583°E / 10.77917; 48.18583

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Sanaag&oldid=781317134"