Somalia (Somali: Soomaaliya ; Arabic: الصومال ‎ transliteration: aṣ-Ṣūmāl ), officially the Somali Republic (Somali: Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya , Arabic: جمهورية الصومال ‎ transliteration: Jumhūriyyat aṣ-Ṣūmāl ) and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic , is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya on its southwest, the Gulf of Aden with Yemen on its north, the Indian Ocean at its east, and Ethiopia to the west.

Italian Somaliland gained its independence from Italy on 1 July 1960. On the same day, it united with British Somaliland, which gained independence on 26 June 1960, to form the Somali republic. The Somali state currently exists largely in a de jure capacity; Somalia has a weak but largely recognised central government authority, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), but this is only the latest in a string of ineffectual, externally recognized governing authorities.

De facto control of the north of the country resides in the local authorities; of these Puntland, Northland State, Maakhir, Galmudug, acknowledge the authority of the TFG and maintain their declaration of autonomy within a federated Somalia. Territories south of Galmudug are in generally in the hands of the Islamic Courts Union and Al-Shabab, including the major port cities of Kismayo and Merka. The TFG has lost effective control of the country and now holds on to Baidoa, the seat of the Parliament, and a few areas of Mogadishu which are both under constant attack. On the other hand, Somaliland in the north, with its capital in Hargeisa, has declared independence and does not recognise the TFG as the governing authority. Its independence is unrecognized internationally due to opposition from the TFG and other African countries which fear secessionist movements.