Editing Somaliland (section)

== Demographics ==
{{Historical populations|1899|28=|22=|23=|24=|25=|26=|27=|29=|20=6200000|30=|title=Historical population|align=right|shading=off|footnote=Source: Various<ref>{{Cite book|last=Drake-Brockman|first=Ralph Evelyn|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NhUUAAAAIAAJ|title=British Somaliland|date=1912|publisher=Hurst & Blackett|page=18|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Somaliland MDG Report, 2010|url=https://www.undp.org/content/dam/somalia/docs/MDGs/Somaliland%20MDG%20Report%20First%20draft%20(2).pdf|access-date=18 August 2021|archive-date=6 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506004957/https://www1.undp.org/content/dam/somalia/docs/MDGs/Somaliland%20MDG%20Report%20First%20draft%20(2).pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Ambroso|first=Guido|date=August 2002|title=Pastoral society and transnational refugees: population movements in Somaliland and eastern Ethiopia 1988 – 2000|url=https://www.unhcr.org/3d5d0f3a4.pdf|website=UNHCR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/57a08d21e5274a31e000167a/Post-ConflictEducationDevelopment_in_Somaliland.pdf|title=Post-Conflict Education Development in Somaliland}}</ref><ref name="horndiplo"/>|21=|19=2024|246000|9=|1960|650000|||||10=|18=5700000|11=1997|12=2000000|13=2006|14=3500000|15=2013|16=4500000|17=2021|estyear=2021}}

There has not been an official census conducted in Somaliland since the [[Somalia]] census in 1975, while the results from a 1986 census were never released into public domain.<ref>{{cite web |title=POPULATION ESTIMATION SURVEY 2014 |url=https://www.nbs.gov.so/population-estimation-survey-2014/ |access-date=8 March 2022 |website=NBS |publisher=Somalia NSB |archive-date=8 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308045540/https://www.nbs.gov.so/population-estimation-survey-2014/ }}</ref> A population estimate was conducted by [[UNFPA]] in 2014 primarily for the purpose of distributing United Nations funding among the regions and to offer a reliable population estimate in lieu of a census. This population estimate puts the combined population of the regions of Somaliland at 3.5&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web |title=UNFPA Population Estimate |url=https://www.nbs.gov.so/docs/PESS_Somal_population.pdf |access-date=8 March 2022 |publisher=UNFPA |archive-date=8 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308045538/https://www.nbs.gov.so/docs/PESS_Somal_population.pdf }}</ref> The Somaliland government estimates that there are 6,200,000 residents as of 2024,<ref name="horndiplo"/> an increase from a 2021 government estimate of 5,700,000.<ref name="hiiraan.com"/>

The last British population estimate on the basis of clan in Somaliland occurred before independence in 1960,<ref>{{cite journal |title=SOMALILAND: DEMOCRATISATION AND ITS DISCONTENTS 28 July 2003 |journal=International Crisis Group |date=2003 |page=2 |url=https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/28746/066%20somaliland%20democratization_.pdf |access-date=5 March 2022}}</ref> according to which, out of some 650,000 ethnic Somalis belonging to three major clans residing in the protectorate, the [[Isaaq]], [[Darod]] and [[Dir (clan)|Dir]] made up 66%, 19% and 16% of the population, respectively.<ref>{{cite thesis |degree=PhD |last1=Dominik Balthasar |title=STATE-MAKING IN SOMALIA AND SOMALILAND Understanding War, Nationalism and State Trajectories as Processes of Institutional and Socio-Cognitive Standardization |date=2012 |url=https://saxafimedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/State-Making-In-Somalia-And-Somaliland.pdf |access-date=5 March 2022 |archive-date=25 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230125063105/https://saxafimedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/State-Making-In-Somalia-And-Somaliland.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Berouk Mesfin |title=The political development of Somaliland and its conflict with Puntland |website=Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich |date=2009 |url=https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/111689/p200.pdf |access-date=5 March 2022}}</ref>

[[File:Somaliland clans.jpg|thumb|Map of British Somaliland indicating clan territories and respective populations.]]
[[File:Map of Somaliland Protectorate.jpg|thumb|Map of the British Somaliland Protectorate.]]

The largest clan family in Somaliland is the [[Isaaq]],<ref name="8ju5Q">{{cite web |author1=Research Directorate, Immigration |author2=Refugee Board, Canada |name-list-style=amp | date=1 September 1996 | title=Somaliland: Information on the current situation of the Isaaq clan and on the areas in which they live | url=http://www.refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?docid=3ae6ac0350 | id=SML24647.E | publisher=Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019232322/http://www.refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?docid=3ae6ac0350 | archive-date=19 October 2013 | access-date=27 August 2015}}</ref> currently making up 80% of Somaliland's population.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 January 1998 |title=Somalia: Somali government policy towards the Isaaq clan |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df0bbc14.html |website=Refworld |publisher=[[United States Citizenship and Immigration Services|United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services]] |quote=the Isaaq who make up 80 percent of the former British Somaliland}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Wiafe-Amoako |first=Francis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_SRqDwAAQBAJ&dq=isaaq+80%25&pg=PA238 |title=Africa 2018–2019 |date=4 October 2018 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-4758-4179-4 |page=238 |language=en |quote=[...] Isaaq clans representing 80% of the population of former British Somaliland reached an agreement with other clans.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hesse |first=Brian J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=he_bAAAAQBAJ&dq=somalia:+State+Collapse,+Terrorism+and+Piracy+isaaq+80%25&pg=PT124 |title=Somalia: State Collapse, Terrorism and Piracy |date=13 September 2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-98591-4 |language=en |quote=[...] whereas 80% of Somaliland's citizens are from the Isaaq clan.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 October 2017 |title=A look at Somaliland between clan politics, regional turmoil and November elections |url=https://newint.org/columns/country/2017/10/01/somaliland |access-date=17 March 2023 |website=New Internationalist |language=en |quote=The Isaaq make up 80% of the population, making Somaliland considerably more homogenous than Somalia}}</ref> The populations of the five largest cities in Somaliland – [[Hargeisa]], [[Burao]], [[Berbera]], [[Erigavo]] and [[Gabiley]] – are predominantly Isaaq.<ref name="oJ4M5">{{cite book|author=Philip Briggs|title=Somaliland: With Addis Ababa & Eastern Ethiopia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M6NI2FejIuwC&pg=PA137|year=2012|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|isbn=978-1-84162-371-9|page=137}}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=M6NI2FejIuwC&dq=erigavo+isaaq+clan+population&pg=PA137 Somaliland: With Addis Ababa & Eastern Ethiopia] By Philip Briggs. Google Books.</ref> The second largest clan is the [[Gadabuursi|Gadabursi]] of the [[Dir clan]]<ref name="GKIqD">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=me4YBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA67|title=Bright spots demonstrate community successes in African agriculture|last=Vries|first=F. W. T. Penning de|date=1 January 2005|publisher=IWMI|isbn=978-92-9090-618-6|page=67|language=en|quote=Gadabursi, the second largest clan in Somaliland, was peacefully elected as president.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=House (U.S.) |first=Freedom |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-tI2NuQLLuYC&dq=somaliland+second+largest+clan&pg=PA855 |title=Freedom in the World 2008: The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties |date=2008 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-0-7425-6306-3 |page=855 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Vries |first=F. W. T. Penning de |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=me4YBQAAQBAJ&dq=somaliland+second+largest+clan&pg=PA67 |title=Bright spots demonstrate community successes in African agriculture |date=2005 |publisher=IWMI |isbn=978-92-9090-618-6 |page=67 |language=en}}</ref> followed by the [[Harti]] of the [[Darod]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kluijver |first1=Robert |date=2020 |title=The State in Somaliland |url=https://www.academia.edu/44590322 |journal=Sciences Po Paris |page=4 |access-date=13 March 2022}}</ref> Other small clans are often not accounted for in such estimates, however, clans including Gabooye, Gahayle, Jibrahil, Magaadle, Fiqishini, and Akisho settle in Somaliland.

Somaliland in addition has an estimated 600,000<ref name="Profile Somaliland">{{Cite journal |date=January 2017 |title=Member Profile Somaliland: Government of Somaliland |url=https://unpo.org/downloads/2343.pdf |journal=[[Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization]] |page=4}}</ref> to a million<ref name="not a nation">{{Cite web |date=20 July 2018 |title=When is a nation not a nation? Somaliland's dream of independence |url=http://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/jul/20/when-is-a-nation-not-a-nation-somalilands-dream-of-independence |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref> strong diaspora, mainly residing in Western Europe, the Middle East, North America, and several other African countries.<ref name="Profile Somaliland" /><ref name="not a nation" />

=== Clan groups ===
[[File:Somalia tribes1977.jpg|thumb|[[Isaaq]] clan-family and other [[Somali clan]]s]]
The [[Gadabuursi|Gadabursi]] subclan of the [[Dir (clan)|Dir]] are the predominant clan of the [[Awdal]] region,<ref name="45ZQY">Samatar, Abdi I. (2001) "Somali Reconstruction and Local Initiative: Amoud University," {{URL|1=http://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/bildhaan/vol1/iss1/9|2=Bildhaan: An International Journal of Somali Studies: Vol. 1, Article 9}}, p. 132.</ref><ref name="GVllJ">{{cite book |last1=Battera |first1=Federico |others=Walter Dostal, Wolfgang Kraus (ed.) |title=Shattering Tradition: Custom, Law and the Individual in the Muslim Mediterranean |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z4AAAwAAQBAJ&q=gadabuursi+awdal&pg=PA296|access-date=18 March 2010 |year=2005 |publisher=I.B. Taurus |location=London |isbn=1-85043-634-7 |page=296 |chapter=Chapter 9: The Collapse of the State and the Resurgence of Customary Law in Northern Somalia |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pos3wAofV4UC&pg=PA278 |quote=Awdal is mainly inhabited by the Gadabuursi confederation of clans.}}</ref> where there is also a sizeable minority of the [[Issa (clan)|Issa]] subclan of the [[Dir (clan)|Dir]] who mainly inhabit the [[Zeila District]].<ref name="Janzen von Vitzthum Somali Studies International Association 2001 p. 132">{{cite book | last1 = Janzen | first1 = J. | last2 = von Vitzthum | first2 = S. | author3 = Somali Studies International Association | title = What are Somalia's Development Perspectives?: Science Between Resignation and Hope?: Proceedings of the 6th SSIA Congress, Berlin 6–9 December 1996 | publisher = Das Arabische Buch | series = Proceedings of the ... SSIA-Congress | year = 2001 | isbn = 978-3-86093-230-8 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=DZJPm2j2iz4C&pg=PA132 | access-date = 20 July 2018 | page = 132 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180720102419/https://books.google.com/books?id=DZJPm2j2iz4C&pg=PA132 | archive-date = 20 July 2018 | url-status = live | df = dmy-all}}</ref>

The [[Habr Awal]] subclan of the [[Isaaq]] form the majority of the population living in both the northern and western portions of the [[Maroodi Jeex]] region, including the cities and towns of northern [[Hargeisa]], [[Berbera]], [[Gabiley]], [[Da'ar buduq|Madheera]], [[Wajaale]], [[Arabsiyo]], [[Bulhar]] and [[Kalabaydh]]. The [[Habr Awal]] also have a strong presence in the [[Sahil, Somaliland|Saaxil]] region as well, principally around the city of [[Berbera]] and the town of [[Sheikh, Somalia|Sheikh]].

The [[Arap]] subclan of the [[Isaaq]] predominantly live in the southern portion of the [[Maroodi Jeex]] region including the capital city of [[Hargeisa]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite book|last=Renders, Marleen.|title=Consider Somaliland: state-building with traditional leaders and institutions|date=2012|publisher=BRILL|isbn=978-90-04-22254-0|location=Leiden|page=xxi|oclc=775301944}}</ref> Additionally, they form the majority of communities living in the [[Hawd Region|Hawd]] region including [[Baligubadle]].<ref name="auto1"/> The Arap are also well represented in [[Sahil, Somaliland|Sahil]] and [[Togdheer]] regions.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hF5fvwEACAAJ|title=Somaliland: The Strains of Success|date=2015|publisher=International Crisis Group|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Ghani|first1=Mohamed Hassan|last2=Abdi|first2=Suad Ibrahim|last3=Duale|first3=Ali Ege|last4=Hersi|first4=Mohamed Farah|date=30 November 2010|title=Democracy in Somaliland: Challenges and Opportunities|url=https://www.africaportal.org/documents/17687/Democracy-In-Somaliland.pdf|access-date=10 July 2020|website=Academy of Peace and Development|page=76|archive-date=26 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221126053345/https://www.africaportal.org/documents/17687/Democracy-In-Somaliland.pdf}}</ref>

The [[Garhajis]] subclan of the [[Isaaq]] have a sizeable presence among the population inhabiting the southern and eastern portions of [[Maroodi Jeex]] region including Southern [[Hargeisa]] and [[Salahlay]]. The [[Garhajis]] are also represented well in western [[Togdheer]] region, mainly in [[Oodweyne]] and [[Burao]], as well as [[Sheikh, Somaliland|Sheekh]] and [[Berbera]] in [[Sahil, Somaliland|Sahil]] region. The [[Garhajis]] also have a significant presence in the western and central areas of [[Sanaag]] region as well, including the regional capital [[Erigavo]] as well as [[Maydh]].<ref name="yxjjR">{{Cite news|url=http://www.refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&docid=3ae6a5bf0&skip=0&query=Erigavo%20clans&coi=SOM|title=Refworld {{!}} Report on the Fact-finding Mission to Somalia and Kenya (27 October – 7 November 1997)|last=Refugees|first=United Nations High Commissioner for|work=Refworld|access-date=17 November 2017|language=en}}</ref>

The [[Habr Je'lo]] subclan of the [[Isaaq]] have a large presence in the western parts of [[Sool]], eastern [[Togdheer]] region and western [[Sanaag]] as well,<ref name="CvJ2E">{{cite web |author=Barakat, Connolly, Hardman, Lewis, Lineker, Menkhaus, Rzeszut and Shanks |date=2014 |publisher=[[UNICEF]] |url=https://www.york.ac.uk/media/prdu/documents/publications/Beyond%20Fragility-a%20conflict%20and%20education%20analysis%20of%20the%20Somali%20context.pdf |title=Beyond Fragility: A Conflict and Education Analysis of the Somali Context |access-date=17 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830073753/https://www.york.ac.uk/media/prdu/documents/publications/Beyond%20Fragility-a%20conflict%20and%20education%20analysis%20of%20the%20Somali%20context.pdf |archive-date=30 August 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Habr Je'lo]] form a majority of the population living in [[Burao]] as well as in the [[Togdheer]] region, western [[Sanaag]], including the towns of [[Garadag]], [[Xiis]] and [[Ceel Afweyn]] and the [[Aynabo District]] in [[Sool]]. The clan also has a significant presence in the [[Sahil, Somaliland|Sahil]] region, particularly in the towns of [[Karin, Sahil|Karin]] and [[El-Darad]], and also inhabit the regional capital [[Berbera]].<ref name="7vuNz">{{cite report |title=EASO Country of Origin Information Report: Somalia Security Situation |date=2016 |url=https://www.ecoi.net/file_upload/1226_1457606427_easo-somalia-security-feb-2016.pdf |publisher=European Asylum Support Office |access-date=24 August 2021 |archive-date=15 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615215650/http://www.ecoi.net/file_upload/1226_1457606427_easo-somalia-security-feb-2016.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="O2vRa">{{Cite web|date=27 March 2018|title=[Gacan Ku Dhiigle:-] Maayar Ciddin Oo Maleeshiyo Hubeysan U Adeegsaday Beelaha Habar Jeclo Ee Gobolka Saaxil Iyo Dilkii Taliye Caseyr Oo Aaritaankiisii..|url=http://karinnews.net/mobile/articles/24496/Gacan-Ku-Dhiigle-Maayar-Ciddin-Oo-Maleeshiyo-Hubeysan-U-Adeegsaday-Beelaha-Habar-Jeclo-Ee-Gobolka-Saaxil-Iyo-Dilkii-Taliye-Caseyr-Oo-Aaritaankiisii|access-date=27 March 2021|website=karinnews.net|language=English|archive-date=15 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515024911/https://karinnews.net/mobile/articles/24496/Gacan-Ku-Dhiigle-Maayar-Ciddin-Oo-Maleeshiyo-Hubeysan-U-Adeegsaday-Beelaha-Habar-Jeclo-Ee-Gobolka-Saaxil-Iyo-Dilkii-Taliye-Caseyr-Oo-Aaritaankiisii}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Kluijver|first=Robert|title=KYD3 – Politics in Berbera|url=https://robertk.space/somali-studies/kyd3-politics-in-berbera/|access-date=2 January 2022|website=Politics and Art from the Edge|language=en-US}}</ref>

[[File:Somali People.jpg|thumb|Issa man and woman in traditional attire (1844)]]
Eastern [[Sool]] region residents mainly hail from the [[Dhulbahante]], a subdivision of the [[Harti (Darod)|Harti]] confederation of [[Darod]] sub-clans, and are concentrated at majority of [[Sool]] region districts.<ref name="tZpTn">{{cite journal|title=Report on the Fact-finding Mission to Somalia and Kenya|journal=Danish Immigration Service|page=7|url=http://www.refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&docid=3ae6a5bf0&skip=0&query=Erigavo%20clans&coi=SOM|access-date=16 November 2017}}</ref> The Dhulbahante clans also settle in the [[Buuhoodle District]] in the [[Togdheer]] region,<ref name="JbXm8">{{cite book|last1=Hoehne|first1=Markus V.|title=Borders & Borderlands as resources in the Horn of Africa|page=113|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fZiSxrTGHMkC&q=buuhoodle+district&pg=PA113|access-date=14 November 2017|isbn=978-1-84701-018-6|year=2010|publisher=Boydell & Brewer }}</ref><ref name="lDf4p">{{cite book|last1=Gebrewold|first1=Belachew|title=Anatomy of Violence: Understanding the systems of conflict and violence in Africa|publisher=Ashgate Publishing Ltd|page=130|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VLPW6RBUshQC&q=sanaag+region+clans&pg=PA130|access-date=14 November 2017|isbn=978-1-4094-9921-3|date=28 March 2013}}</ref> and the southern and eastern parts of [[Erigavo District]] in [[Sanaag]].<ref name="IneasDl7h">{{cite web|title=EASO Country of Origin Information Report Somalia Security Situation|url=https://www.ecoi.net/file_upload/1226_1457606427_easo-somalia-security-feb-2016.pdf|access-date=17 November 2017|archive-date=15 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615215650/http://www.ecoi.net/file_upload/1226_1457606427_easo-somalia-security-feb-2016.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Warsangali]], another Harti Darod sub-clan, live in the eastern parts of [[Sanaag]], with their population being mainly concentrated in [[Las Khorey|Las Qorey]] district.<ref name="IneasDl7h" />

=== Languages ===
{{main|Languages of Somaliland}}
Many people in Somaliland speak at least two of the three national languages: [[Somali language|Somali]], Arabic and English, although the rate of bilingualism is lower in rural areas. Article 6 of the Constitution of 2001 designates the official language of Somaliland to be Somali,<ref name="const" /> though Arabic is a mandatory subject in school and is used in mosques around the region and English is spoken and taught in schools.<ref name="B6x0e">{{cite web|url=http://www.somalilandgov.com/cprofile.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20010302083933/http://www.somalilandgov.com/cprofile.htm|title=Somaliland Republic: Country Profile|date=2 March 2001|archive-date=2 March 2001}}</ref>

The Somali language is the mother tongue of the [[Somali people]], the nation's most populous ethnic group. It is a member of the [[Cushitic languages|Cushitic]] branch of the [[Afro-Asiatic languages|Afro-Asiatic]] language family, and its nearest relatives are the [[Oromo language|Oromo]], [[Afar language|Afar]] and [[Saho language|Saho]] languages.<ref name="MF5h5">I. M. Lewis (1998) ''Peoples of the Horn of Africa: Somali, Afar and Saho'', Red Sea Press, p. 11, {{ISBN|1-56902-104-X}}.</ref> Somali is the best documented of the Cushitic languages,<ref name="dOMDZ">{{Harvnb|Lecarme|Maury|1987|p=22}}.</ref> with academic studies of it dating from before 1900.

[[Northern Somali]] is the main dialect spoken in the country, in contrast to [[Benadiri Somali]] which is the main dialect spoken in Somalia.<ref name="YRXon">{{cite web|last1=Blench|first1=Roger|year=2006|title=The Afro-Asiatic Languages: Classification and Reference List|url=http://rogerblench.info/Language/Afroasiatic/General/AALIST.pdf|page=3}}</ref>

{{Largest cities of Somaliland}}

=== Religion ===
{{See also|Islam in Somaliland|Christianity in Somaliland}}
[[File:Korantafel im Überseemuseum 03.JPG|thumb|upright|Traditional Somali [[Qur'an]]ic tablet]]
With few exceptions, Somalis in Somaliland and elsewhere are [[Muslim]]s, the majority belonging to the [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] branch of [[Islam]] and the [[Shafi'i]] school of [[Islamic jurisprudence]].<ref name="Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi">Mohamed Diriye Abdullahi, ''Culture and Customs of Somalia'', (Greenwood Press: 2001), p.1</ref> As with southern Somali coastal towns such as [[Mogadishu]] and [[Merca]], there is also a presence of [[Sufi Islam|Sufism]], Islamic mysticism; particularly the Arab Rifa'iya [[Tariqa|tariiqa]].<ref name="Lewissaisom">I. M. Lewis, ''Saints and Somalis: popular Islam in a clan-based society'', (The Red Sea Press: 1998), p.11.</ref> Through the influence of the diaspora from Yemen and the [[Gulf Cooperation Council|Gulf states]], stricter [[Wahhabism]] also has a noticeable presence.<ref name="Rgilp">{{cite news|title=Somaliland: Going it alone|url=https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21674835-functional-part-dysfunctional-country-going-it-alone|access-date=18 October 2015|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|date=17 October 2015}}</ref> Though traces of pre-Islamic traditional religion exist in Somaliland, Islam is dominant to the Somali sense of national identity. Many of the Somali social norms come from their religion. For example, most Somali women wear a [[hijab]] when they are in public. In addition, religious Somalis abstain from pork and [[alcohol (drug)|alcohol]], and also try to avoid receiving or paying any form of interest ([[usury]]). Muslims generally congregate on Friday afternoons for a sermon and group prayer.<ref name="somarel">{{cite web|url=https://mepc.org/journal/political-islam-somalia|title=Political Islam in Somalia|date=March 2002 |language=en|access-date=18 February 2020}}</ref>

Under the [[Constitution of Somaliland]], Islam is the [[state religion]], and no laws may violate the principles of [[Sharia]]. The promotion of any religion other than Islam is illegal, and the state promotes Islamic tenets and discourages behaviour contrary to {{qi|Islamic morals}}.<ref name="B96uF">{{cite web|url=http://www.somalilandlaw.com/somaliland_constitution.htm|title=Somaliland Constitution|access-date=28 March 2016}}</ref>

Somaliland has very few Christians. In 1913, during the early part of the colonial era, there were virtually no Christians in the Somali territories, with about 100–200 followers coming from the schools and orphanages of the handful of [[Catholicism|Catholic]] missions in the British Somaliland protectorate.<ref name="bI7vl">Charles George Herbermann, ''The Catholic encyclopedia: an international work of reference on the constitution, doctrine, discipline, and history of the Catholic church'', Volume 14, (Robert Appleton company: 1913), p.139.</ref> The small number of Christians in the region today mostly come from similar Catholic institutions in [[Aden]], [[Djibouti]], and [[Berbera]].<ref name="Dc5dg">{{CathEncy|wstitle=Somaliland}}</ref>

Somaliland falls within the Episcopal Area of the Horn of Africa as part of Somalia, under the [[Anglican Diocese of Egypt]]. However, there are no current congregations in the territory.<ref name="N7KJd">Webpage of [http://dioceseofegypt.org/explore/horn-of-africa/ the Episcopal Area of the Horn of Africa] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190625230200/http://dioceseofegypt.org/explore/horn-of-africa/ |date=25 June 2019 }}</ref> The [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Mogadiscio]] is designated to serve the area as part of Somalia. However, since 1990 there has been no Bishop of Mogadishu, and the Bishop of Djibouti acts as Apostolic Administrator.<ref name="9EmMX">{{cite web|url=http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/moga0.htm|title=Diocese of Mogadishu, Somalia|access-date=28 March 2016}}</ref> The [[Adventist Mission]] also indicates that there are no Adventist members.<ref name="3GFXo">{{cite web|url=http://www.adventistmission.org/article.php?id=1364|title=Global Mission's Top 10 Places to Pray for – REGION: NORTH Africa – Somalia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001035012/http://www.adventistmission.org/article.php?id=1364|archive-date=1 October 2011}}</ref>

=== Health ===
{{See also|Healthcare in Somaliland}}
[[File:Edna Adan Hospital.jpg|thumb|upright=1|[[Edna Adan Maternity Hospital]] in Hargeisa]]
While 40.5% of households in Somaliland have access to improved water sources, almost a third of households lie at least an hour away from their primary source of drinking water. 1 in 11 children die before their first birthday, and 1 in 9 die before their fifth birthday.<ref name="etJLq">{{cite web |title=Children in Somaliland |url=https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/1252260/1930_1386764449_som-resources-childrensomaliland.pdf |publisher=UNICEF |date=2012 |access-date=18 June 2020}}</ref>

The UNICEF multiple indicator cluster survey (MICS) in 2006 found that 94.8% of women in Somaliland had undergone some form of [[female genital mutilation]];<ref name="reuters.com">{{cite news |title=Village by village, the quest to stop female genital cutting in Somaliland |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-somaliland-women-fgm/village-by-village-the-quest-to-stop-female-genital-cutting-in-somaliland-idUSKCN1VJ0C8 |access-date=26 July 2020 |work=Reuters |date=29 August 2019}}</ref> in 2018 the Somaliland government issued a fatwa condemning the two most severe forms of FGM, but no laws are present to punish those responsible for the practice.<ref name="reuters.com" />

=== Education ===
{{Main|Education in Somaliland}}

Somaliland has an urban literacy rate of 59% and a rural literacy rate of 47%, according to a 2015 [[World Bank]] assessment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Poverty Global Practice, Africa Region |date=June 2015 |title=Somaliland: Poverty Assessment |url=https://microdata.worldbank.org/index.php/catalog/2818/download/39898 |access-date=2 January 2024 |publisher=World Bank |type=Report |format=PDF}}</ref>