British Somaliland

BRITISH SOMALILAND The British Somaliland protectorate extends along the Gulf of Aden for about 40o m. from the Lahadu Wells, near Jibuti, in the west, to Bandar Ziyada in 49° E., 18o m. W. of Cape Guardafui, and stretches from the coast inland for a breadth varying from 8o to 220 miles. The protectorate is bounded west by French Somali land, south-west by Abyssinian territory, and south-east and east by Italian Somaliland.

Topography.

Between the Harrar plateau and Cape Guarda fui the coast ranges maintain a mean altitude of from 4,000 to 5,00o ft., and fall generally in steep escarpments down to the sandy lowlands skirting the Gulf of Aden. At some points the cliffs, fur rowed by deep ravines, approach close to the sea; elsewhere the hills leave a considerable maritime plain between their base and shore line. South of Berbera are two ranges, nearly parallel with the coast. The inner and loftier range is that of Golis, about 9,500 ft. high, its crest covered with mountain cedar. The country between the two ranges is known as Guban. South of the Golis the ground falls gradually to the central plateau known as the Haud, a waterless but not unfertile district. The Haud (only the northern part of which is British territory—the rest is Abyssinian) consists partly of thorn jungle, the baud of the Somali, partly of rolling grass plains, called ban, and partly of semi-desert country called aror.

The average annual rainfall at Berbera is about 8 in., and more than half of this amount has fallen in one day. The mean annual rainfall is greater on the slopes of the ranges, by which the mois ture-bearing clouds are intercepted. These slopes are the home of aromatic flora which yields myrrh and fiankincense. The chief domestic animals are the camel and the ass, both of prime stock. The camels make excellent mounts, swift and hardy. The Somali have also large numbers of oxen, sheep and goats. They possess a hardy breed of ponies, for which the Dolbahanta country is famed.

Towns and Trade.

Berbera (q.v.), the capital and chief sea port, is in regular communication by mail boat with Aden. About

45 m. W. of Berbera is the exposed port of Bulhar. Close to the French frontier stands the seaport of Zaila (q.v.). East of Berbera are Las Korai, Karam, Hais and other small seaports. Inland the most important settlement is Hargeisa (i.e., little Harrar), 6o m. S.S.W. of Bulhar, a centre for caravans from Shoa and Ogaden. Sheikh, Burao and Bohotle are all on the caravan route from Ogaden to Berbera. Transport is either by camel or motor car; no other means of conveyance are used. There is a motor road from Berbera to Hargeisa (13o m.) and another motor road via Sheikh and Burao to Enigavo in the east (30o miles).

Gums and resins are collected for export, fibre is obtained from the aloe plant, ostriches are reared for their feathers, and millet is cultivated, but the chief wealth of the people consists in their livestock. A large number of sheep and goats and smaller numbers of cattle are exported, and on occasion thousands of camels (as during the World War, for the Egyptian Expeditionary Force). The most valuable export is that of skins, the Somali goat and sheep skins being of very high quality; they go chiefly to the United States. The imports are mainly sheeting and longcloth, dates, rice and sugar. Formerly American sheeting had a practical monopoly; since 1923 it has had to meet Japanese competition. A carrying trade of fair size used to be done with Abyssinia via Zaila; it has been largely superseded by the railway from Jibuti, French Somaliland, to Addis Ababa. In 1899-190o, when the French railway had just been begun, the value of trade in British Somaliland was 1751,000 ; by 1902-03 it was £487,000. Twenty years later the value of transit trade with Abyssinia via Zaila, which cannot compete with the railway beyond Harrar, was only 133,00o, but the total trade had reached £561,000. In 1927 imports were valued at i427,000 and exports at 1357,cm. The mineral resources of the country are undeveloped ; it is known to contain oil fields, coal and mica in the coastal region.