Not your average tourist destination, Somalia is strictly a place for the most seasoned of travellers. Travel is possible in the northern districts of the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland, but travellers should avoid visiting other areas.
The anarchic turmoil of the country hides a country with a hugely varied landscape of mountains, deserts, tropical forests, undiscovered beaches and coral reefs along the Gulf of Aden. Sadly, much of it is being destroyed through unregulated logging, droughts and civil war and the future doesn't bode well for this war-torn country.
Somalia developed from a string of Arab sultanates along the northeast coast of Africa. As Arab influence waned, the British, French and Italians established protectorates on the Somali coast during the late-19th century. These were the subjects of various treaties, forged amid frequent border clashes between the colonial powers and the neighbouring Ethiopians, and between the European powers themselves.
Modern Somalia was created on 1 July 1960 from British and Italian Somalilands. Inherited tribal rivalries and territorial disputes have dominated the country's subsequent history. Years of fighting between rival warlords and an inability to deal with famine and disease have led to the deaths of up to 1 million people. The area is still extremely volatile, with attacks taking place, especially in the capital of Mogadishu.
Travel Warning: The US state department and British Foreign Office advise against all travel to Somalia, including Somaliland, due to ongoing violence and instability in the region. British nationals in Somalia are urged to leave.