The Republic of Somalia

The National Flag of Somalia

Somalia, during the Scramble for Africa, managed to hold off the Europeans for a very long time, with the Dervish tribes being very successful. However, they could not hold out forever, and eventually, the British and Italians gained control over the territory of Somalia, in the horn of Africa. Italy claimed the territory that now makes up the central and southern parts of Somalia, and created Italian Somaliland, using the Italian Kingdom tricolour.

Britain claimed the northern part of the territory, and created British Somaliland, and installed a blue ensign, with the Somaliland coat of arms in the fly.

After WWII, Britain initially held both territories, but soon handed back Italian Somaliland to Italy to hold in trusteeship from the UN in 1949, under the proviso that the territory should be granted independence within 10 years. Eventually, Italian Somaliland gained its independence, July 1st, 1960, and a 5 days before, British Somaliland had gained its independence.

Both territories had voted for unification in a greater Somalia, and French Somaliland voted to remain part of the French Empire, and eventually they gained their independence as the nation of Djibouti.

By 1968, the nation was under the control of the military, who, with help from the Soviets, and later from the Americans, built one of the largest armies in Africa. They followed a policy of trying to unify the Somali people in the Horn of Africa in one larger Somalia, and engaged in conflicts with its neighbours.

By the late 1970's, as support for the military from the 2 superpowers began to decline, the military government became increasingly authoritarian, and by the late 1980's, support had collapsed. This led to the Somali civil war that broke out in 1991, and the northern territories that used to be British Somaliland broke away, and declared independence as Somaliland.

That civil war has led to Somalia descending into chaos, where it has remained ever since, with conflict breaking out between the government, various regional war lords, and now, with Islamist insurgents. 

The flag of Somalia was created in 1954 by Mohammed Awale Liban, and it was intended to represent the pan-African Somali communities. However, upon independence, it was adopted as the flag for the new Somalia. The flag itself is a very simple light blue field representing the Indian ocean, defaced with a single, 4 pointed, white star. Each point representing the territories where the Somali people live.

Somaliland, the northern part of Somalia, declared its independence from Somalia in 1991, and is considered relatively stable, even though it is not a recognised state. The first flag for Somaliland was very similar to the Japanese flag, but being a green disc on white, rather than red. Round the disc, the Shahadah.

In 1996, a new flag was brought in. A horizontal tricolour taking the pan-Arab colours of green, white, red and black. The flag has 3 stripes of green, white, and red. In the centre, is a black, 5 pointed star. On the top green stripe, is the Shahadah.

Whilst Somaliland has created a stable environment, it is still, internationally, seen as part of Somalia. Even though the Somali government has no control in its northern territories.