Somalia as a case study
The
Somali Democratic Republic (often called Somalia) is modest in size. It
is named after its people, the Somali - a largely pastoral people who
are Muslims and speak the Somali language. Somalia is Africa's leading
country in cultural and linguistic homogeneity of its people.
The country's population is slightly over 8.5 million, and is composed
of various clans within the same Somali ethnic group. While most
African countries are bogged down in tribalism, Somalia's stigma is
that of clanism. The country's post-independence history has been
largely plagued by inter-clan rivalry for power.
The economy of Somalia is overwhelmingly pastoral, and the majority of
its people derive their livelihood from cattle, goats, sheep and
camels. Livestock and their products account for over 70 percent of the
country's exports. Plantation agriculture (mainly of bananas and
sugar-cane) is practised in some areas in the south.
National Movements and New States in Africa