Somalia
[ soh-mah-lee-uh, -mahl-yuh ]
/ soʊˈmɑ li ə, -ˈmɑl yə /
noun
an independent republic on the E coast of Africa, formed from the former British Somaliland and the former Italian Somaliland. 246,198 sq. mi. (637,653 sq. km). Capital: Mogadishu.
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Official name Somali Democratic Republic.
OTHER WORDS FROM Somalia
So·ma·li·an, adjective, nounpro-So·ma·li·a, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for somalian
In 2011, the Somalian community in Minnesota suffered a measles outbreak.
During the deployment, he was involved with a humanitarian rescue of 85 Somalian and Ethiopian refugees whose boat capsized.
“His response was diplomatic, but cautious,” Somalian Najma Abdi said.
British Dictionary definitions for somalian (1 of 2)
Somalian
/ (səʊˈmɑːlɪən) /
adjective
of or relating to Somalia or its inhabitants
noun
a native or inhabitant of Somalia
British Dictionary definitions for somalian (2 of 2)
Somalia
/ (səʊˈmɑːlɪə) /
noun
a republic in NE Africa, on the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden: the north became a British protectorate in 1884; the east and south were established as an Italian protectorate in 1889; gained independence and united as Somalia (or the Somali Republic) in 1960. In 1991 the former British Somaliland region in the north unilaterally declared itself independent as the Republic of Somaliland, and Puntland and other areas are also operating effectively as separate states, but this has not been recognized officially. Official languages: Arabic and Somali. Official religion: (Sunni) Muslim. Currency: Somali shilling. Capital: Mogadishu. Pop: 10 251 568 (2013 est). Area: 637 541 sq km (246 154 sq miles)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Cultural definitions for somalian
Somalia
[ (soh-mah-lee-uh, soh-mahl-yuh) ]
Republic in extreme eastern Africa, directly south of the Arabian Peninsula across the Gulf of Aden, bordered by Ethiopia and Kenya to the west. Mogadishu is the capital and largest city.
notes for Somalia
Britain, France, and Italy established protectorates in the area in the late 1880s. Somalia gained independence in 1960.
notes for Somalia
Civil war and famine have recently ravaged the country. In 1992, the United States embarked on a humanitarian intervention designed to ensure delivery of food supplies to the population. After American troops were drawn into a conflict between local warlords and suffered casualties, the United States withdrew from Somalia in 1994. The country currently lacks any central government.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.