How Somalia is divided: states, regions and districts

The levels today

Under the federal system, Somalia has three levels below the national government (Wikipedia: Administrative divisions of Somalia; Ministry of Planning: federal member states):

1. Federal member states, plus the Banadir Regional Administration for Mogadishu, which belongs to no state.
2. Regions (gobol, plural gobollo): 18 in the pre-1991 map.
3. Districts (degmo, plural degmooyin). Wikipedia counts 72 in the official map; the UN's common operational datasets list district-level population for every region (OCHA / HDX, Somalia population data).

The Federal Parliament decides the final number and borders of member states. In December 2014 it passed a law setting up the Boundary and Federalization Commission to draw state borders and settle disputes between states (Wikipedia; Provisional Constitution, 2012).

Federal member states

The federal government counts these member states (Wikipedia: Administrative divisions of Somalia):

• Puntland, founded 1998
• Galmudug
• Jubaland
• South West State, established November 2014 (Raxanreeb, 2014)
• Hirshabelle, formed October 2016 (Garowe Online)
• North Eastern State, which in 2025 replaced the SSC-Khatumo administration recognised in 2023
• Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991; the federal government counts it as part of Somalia, while Somaliland runs its own government (Somaliland, 1991 to 2026)

Banadir covers Mogadishu. For how the member states work see federal member states.

The 18 regions

In 1982 Somalia reorganised its eight provinces into 16 regions. In June 1984 Awdal was split from Woqooyi Galbeed and Sool from Nugaal, giving the 18 regions still used on most maps (Wikipedia: Administrative divisions of Somalia; Statoids). Middle Juba, Lower Juba, Gedo, Bay and Bakool were created under President Siad Barre in 1974–75, and Banadir shrank to the city of Mogadishu (Wikipedia: Administrative divisions of Somalia).

The 18: Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, Sool, Bari, Nugaal, Mudug, Galgaduud, Hiiraan, Middle Shabelle, Banadir (Mogadishu), Lower Shabelle, Bay, Bakool, Gedo, Middle Juba and Lower Juba.

Since 1991 several administrations have made new regions inside these. Examples: Somaliland's Saaxil and Gabiley (Gabiley), and Puntland's Gardafuul around Caluula, approved in 2013 (Garowe Online, 2013), and Haylan around Dhahar (Wikipedia: Dhahar).

How the map changed before 1991

• 1931: Italian Somaliland had seven commissariats: Alto Giuba, Alto Uebi-Scebeli, Basso Giuba, Basso Uebi-Scebeli, Migiurtinia, Mogadiscio and Mudugh (Wikipedia).
• 1936 to 1941: after Italy's war on Ethiopia, the Somalia Governorate of Italian East Africa had ten commissariats, adding Somali-inhabited parts of Ethiopia: Ogaden (capital Uarder) and Uebi Gestro (capital Callafo), plus Nogal (capital Eil) (Wikipedia). See fascist rule and the war, 1923 to 1941.
• 1950 to 1960: the UN Trust Territory under Italian administration had six regions (Alto Giuba, Basso Giuba, Benadir, Hiiraan, Migiurtinia, Mudugh); British Somaliland had two (Burao and Hargeisa) (Wikipedia).
• 1960 to 1964: the Somali Republic kept the 12 districts of the two former territories. In 1964 a Northeastern (Burao) Province was made from Burao, Erigavo and Las Anod, and a Northwestern (Hargeisa) Province from Berbera, Borama and Hargeisa (Wikipedia).
• 1968: the capital of Lower Juba moved from Kismaayo to Jamaame (Wikipedia). See Jamaame.

Administrations declared since 2000

Before the current member states, several administrations were declared, including Maakhir (2007–2009), Himan and Heeb (2008–2015), Azania (2011–2013) and a Central Regions State (Wikipedia: Administrative divisions of Somalia).

Sources

• Wikipedia: Administrative divisions of Somalia
• Statoids: regions of Somalia
• Ministry of Planning: federal member states
• OCHA / HDX: Somalia population data by region and district
• Provisional Constitution of Somalia, 2012