# Berbera and Saaxil (Sahil) region

> Saaxil (Sahil): Somaliland region on the Gulf of Aden with Berbera as its capital, formed out of Woqooyi Galbeed.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/regions/sahil/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Where it is

Saaxil is a region in northern Somaliland with a long coastline on the [Gulf of Aden](/en/relations/yemen/). It borders [Awdal](/en/regions/awdal/) to the north-west, Maroodi Jeex to the south-west, Togdheer to the south and [Sanaag](/en/regions/sanaag/) to the east. Its capital is the port city of Berbera ([Wikipedia: Sahil, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland)). Before 1991 its land was part of the [Woqooyi Galbeed](/en/regions/woqooyi-galbeed/) region, with some areas in [Togdheer](/en/regions/togdheer/) ([Wikipedia: Sahil, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland)). For the wider picture see [Somaliland, 1991 to 2026](/en/states/somaliland-1991-to-2026/).

The name comes from the Arabic *sāḥil*, "coast", long used for the northern Somali coast ([Wikipedia: Sahil, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland)).

## How the region took shape

- **British rule:** the area was Berbera District, one of six districts of the [British Somaliland Protectorate](/en/history/british-somaliland-1884-1960/) ([Wikipedia: Sahil, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland)).
- **1960:** the [State of Somaliland](/en/states/state-of-somaliland-1960/) joined the former [Italian Somaliland](/en/relations/italy/) to form the [Somali Republic](/en/states/somali-republic-1960-1969/) ([Wikipedia: Sahil, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland)).
- **By 1964:** Berbera, Borama and Hargeisa districts were merged into the Woqooyi Galbeed region ([Wikipedia: Sahil, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland)).
- **1968 to 1982:** parts of the district were moved into Togdheer; Awdal was cut out of western Woqooyi Galbeed in June 1984 ([Wikipedia: Sahil, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland)).
- **After 1991:** Somaliland set up Sahil region. In 1998 Sheikh district was moved into it from Togdheer, and the Local Autonomy Act of 2002 listed it as one of Somaliland's six regions ([Wikipedia: Sahil, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland); [Somaliland Law: local government law](http://www.somalilandlaw.com/body_local_government_law.htm)).
- **2008 and 2020:** Somaliland redrew its regions on 22 March 2008, changing Sahil's area; a new regions and districts law that came into force on 4 January 2020 restored it ([Wikipedia: Sahil, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland); [Somaliland regions and districts law 2019](http://www.somalilandlaw.com/Xeerka__wkb__Gobolada_iyo_Degmooyinka_2019SLLaw.pdf)).

## Districts

Sources differ on the number of districts. The Wikipedia article on the region lists two, Berbera and Sheekh ([Wikipedia: Sahil, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland)). Somaliland's 2019 regions and districts law divides Saaxil into eight districts, with Berbera as regional capital and Sheekh as a district capital ([Wikipedia: Sheikh, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheikh,_Somaliland); [Somaliland regions and districts law 2019](http://www.somalilandlaw.com/Xeerka__wkb__Gobolada_iyo_Degmooyinka_2019SLLaw.pdf)). See the page on [Sheekh](/en/regions/sheikh/).

## People

Somaliland's Ministry of National Planning gave the region 149,244 people in 1997 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland), citing the [Somaliland Ministry of Planning](http://slministryofplanning.org/images/REGIONS/Sahil.pdf)). Most people are from the Isse Musse branch of the Isaaq. Smaller groups are the Garhajis, mainly the Habar Yonis, the Habar Je'lo and the Arap, all part of the wider Isaaq ([Wikipedia: Sahil, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland)).

## Work and money

Berbera's port is the region's main source of work and trade. Livestock exports to the Gulf pass through it, and the port was rebuilt and expanded by DP World under an agreement signed in 2016 ([Wikipedia: Berbera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berbera)). See also [livestock exports](/en/economy/livestock-exports/).

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Sahil, Somaliland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahil,_Somaliland)
- [Wikidata Q281589](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q281589)
- [Somaliland Law: regions and districts law, 2019](http://www.somalilandlaw.com/Xeerka__wkb__Gobolada_iyo_Degmooyinka_2019SLLaw.pdf)
- [Somaliland Ministry of Planning: Sahil region](http://slministryofplanning.org/images/REGIONS/Sahil.pdf)
- [Wikipedia: Berbera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berbera)

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