The Capital of the World's Most Functional Unrecognised State — Somaliland's de facto capital has been self-governing since 1991, issues its own currency and passports, holds regular elections, and has remained peaceful while the rest of Somalia descended into chaos
Hargeisa is the capital of Somaliland — a self-declared republic that broke from Somalia in 1991 and has governed itself with relative stability ever since. It is one of the most unusual travel destinations on Earth: a city of around 1.2 million people that is unrecognised by any United Nations member state, yet functions entirely as an independent country. Somaliland has its own currency (the Somaliland shilling), passports (not accepted at most borders), elected government, police, and military. The contrast with the rest of Somalia — where the internationally recognised Federal Government…
The Somali clans of the northwestern Horn of Africa — particularly the Isaaq clan confederation — were under British Somaliland Protectorate rule from 1884 until 1960, when British Somaliland briefly became independent (for three days) before unifying with Italian Somalia to form the Somali Republic. The union was politically and economically disadvantageous for the north: the southern-dominated central government in Mogadishu marginalised northern Somalilanders in government positions, economic development, and military appointments. In 1988, the government of President Siad Barre launched a…