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British Somaliland

American  

noun

  1. a former British protectorate in eastern Africa, on the Gulf of Aden: now the northern part of Somalia.


British Somaliland British  

noun

  1. a former British protectorate (1884–1960) in E Africa, on the Gulf of Aden: united with Italian Somaliland in 1960 to form Somalia (or the Somali Republic); in 1991 the self-styled republic of Somaliland, covering the same area as the former British Somaliland, declared itself independent and continues to function largely as a separate entity, though without international recognition

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It was a British protectorate - known as British Somaliland - until it merged with Italian Somaliland in 1960 to form the Somali Republic.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

Ismail was born in 1937 in Hargeisa, the capital of what was then British Somaliland.

From Seattle Times • May 16, 2023

Mussolini decided to expand his African holdings and in August 1940 occupied British Somaliland, threatening the British in Egypt.

From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022

A seaman from British Somaliland residing in Cardiff, Mattan was wrongfully convicted of the murder of Lily Volpert, a Jewish shopkeeper and moneylender, in the predominantly immigrant community of Tiger Bay.

From New York Times • Dec. 13, 2021

The beloved Guardian would appreciate your Assembly giving consideration to this matter, to see if there is any way that a pioneer could go from England to British Somaliland, to firmly establish the Faith there.

From Unfolding Destiny by Shoghi Effendi

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