Somalia, the Somali Democratic Republic, comprising the former Italian Somaliland, is located on the coast of the eastern projection of the African continent commonly referred to as the Horn. It has an area of 178,201 sq. mi. (461,657 sq. km.) and a population of 11.53 million. Capital: Mogadishu. The economy is pastoral and agricultural. Livestock, bananas, and hides are exported. ,The area of Somaliland Protectorate was known to the Egyptians at least 1,500 years B.C., and had occupied by the Arabs and Portuguese before the British sea captains obtained trading and anchorage rights in 1827. The land of sandy clay and sporadic rainfall acquired a strategic importance with the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. After negotiation treaties with the tribes, Britain declared the area a protectorate in 1888. Italy acquired Italian Somaliland in 1895 by purchase from the sultan of Zanzibar. Britain occupied Italian Somaliland in 1941 and administered it until April 1, 1950, when it was returned to Italy as a U.N. trusteeship. The British Somaliland protectorate became independent on July 26, 1960. Five days later it joined with Italian Somaliland to form the Somali Republic. The country was under a revolutionary military regime installed October 21, 1969. After 11 years of civil war rebel forces fought their way into the capital. A.M. Muhammad became president in August 1991 gut interfactional fighting continued. A UN-sponsored truce was signed in March 1992 and a peace plan and pact was signed January 15, 1993. The northern Somali National Movements (SNM) declared a secession of the northwestern Somaliland Republic on May 17, 1991 which is not recognized by the Somali Democratic Republic.,, Monetary System:,,, ,1 Scellino = 1 Shilling = 100 Centesimi,, ,1 Shilin = 1 Shilling = 100 Centi,,