Mogadishu | Capital of Somalia, Horn of Africa, Indian Ocean port

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<span class="toc-extra-link selected link-gray-900 mt-15"> Introduction </span> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mogadishu/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Mogadishu">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mogadishu/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/30/241530-050-75F5943B/Locator-map-Mogadishu.jpg" data-href="/media/1/387504/281960" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/30/241530-004-E49EF0D3/Locator-map-Mogadishu.jpg" alt="Mogadishu, Somalia" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/85/123585-004-7C941845/Mogadishu-Som.jpg" data-href="/media/1/387504/117141" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/85/123585-004-7C941845/Mogadishu-Som.jpg" alt="Mogadishu" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/181104-050-F0A8BA60/street-line-Mogadishu-Somalia-clans-January-19-1993.jpg" data-href="/media/1/387504/213524" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/181104-004-FE2F503E/street-line-Mogadishu-Somalia-clans-January-19-1993.jpg" alt="Mogadishu, Somalia" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle 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Industrial Revolution England" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/inventors-and-inventions-of-the-industrial-revolution" >Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/which-waters-do-you-pass-through-when-you-sail-the-seven-seas"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/97/196697-131-0155C802/Sailboat-landscape.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Sailboat against a beautiful landscape" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/which-waters-do-you-pass-through-when-you-sail-the-seven-seas" >Which Waters Do You Pass Through When You “Sail the Seven Seas”?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/the-assassination-of-leon-trotsky"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/35/28235-131-19392D4F/Leon-Trotsky.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Leon Trotsky" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/the-assassination-of-leon-trotsky" >The Assassination of Leon Trotsky</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/holi-festival-of-colors"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/57/244757-131-EBAFDFE0/Hindu-Holi-Festival-Mathura-Uttar-Pradesh-India.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Hindu Holi Festival celebrations with colored water, powder and colorful flower petals thrown over celebrants at a Hindu temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India on March 24, 2021." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/holi-festival-of-colors" >Holi: Festival of Colors</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/timeline-of-the-american-civil-rights-movement"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/17/177117-131-A08C82B6/African-Americans-front-voting-rights-White-House-1965.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="African Americans demonstrating for voting rights in front of the White House as police and others watch, March 12, 1965. 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Somalia</a> <span></span> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <span class="link-blue">(more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div><div class="topic-header"> <div class="d-flex align-items-top justify-content-between"> <div class="d-flex flex-column"> <div> <div> <h1>Mogadishu</h1></div> </div> <div class="topic-identifier font-16 font-md-20">national capital, Somalia</div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-flex flex-row"> <div class="mr-10 mb-15"> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 px-sm-5 px-md-10 js-inline-ai-ask-button"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="d-block md-topic-tools qa-action-buttons mb-15" data-topic-id="387504"> <button class="js-tooltip btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border pr-10 border-2 text-nowrap" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.african-cities.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/ACRC_Mogadishu_City-Scoping-Study.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">African Cities Research Consortium - Mogadishu, Somalia</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/somalia/mogadishu.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">GlobalSecurity.org - Mogadishu, Somalia</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Mogadishu/345968" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mogadishu - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Mogadishu/275883" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mogadishu - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 d-none mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10 px-sm-5 px-md-10 js-header-ai-ask-button"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: Maqdishu, Mogadiscio, Muqdisho, Xamar</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written and fact-checked by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-02-11T00:00:00CST" >Feb 11, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mogadishu/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 module-spacing js-inline-ai-ask-button p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Somali: </dt> <dd>Muqdisho</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Italian: </dt> <dd>Mogadiscio</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Arabic: </dt> <dd>Maqdishu</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Mogadishu"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/387504/714b61139eea538201c6227bf491d914" rel="nofollow">US aid freeze paralyzes NGOs working to help millions of internally displaced people in Somalia</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 11, 2025, 10:13 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref160998"></span>Mogadishu</strong>, capital, largest city, and a major port of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Somalia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Somalia</a>, located just north of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Equator" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Equator</a> on the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Indian-Ocean" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Indian Ocean</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="117141" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/85/123585-004-7C941845/Mogadishu-Som.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/387504/117141"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/85/123585-004-7C941845/Mogadishu-Som.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/85/123585-004-7C941845/Mogadishu-Som.jpg?w=300" alt="Mogadishu" data-width="550" data-height="268" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/85/123585-004-7C941845/Mogadishu-Som.jpg" data-href="/media/1/387504/117141">Mogadishu</a><span>Mogadishu, Somalia.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">One of the earliest <span id="ref902256"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Arab" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Arab</a> settlements on the East African coast, its origins date to the 10th century. It declined in the 16th century after a period of <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="extensive" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/extensive" data-type="EB">extensive</a> trade with the Arab states, but it had commercial relations with the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Portugal" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Portuguese</a> and the imams of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Muscat" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Muscat</a> before coming under the control of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/sultan-Islamic-title" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">sultan</a> of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sultanate-of-Zanzibar" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Zanzibar</a> in 1871.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The port was leased to the <span id="ref902260"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Italy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Italians</a> in 1892 and sold to them in 1905 under pressure from the British, who had established a protectorate over the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Sultanate-of-Zanzibar" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Sultanate of Zanzibar</a>. Subsequently the capital of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Italian-Somaliland" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Italian Somaliland</a> and of the Somalia trust territory, Mogadishu became the capital of independent Somalia in 1960. Old buildings and mosques in the Islamic style were blended harmoniously with the modern architecture of the Somalia National University (founded 1954; university status, 1959) and of the hospital. The city also developed schools of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/sharia" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Islamic law</a>, teacher training, industrial arts, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/public-health" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">public health</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/veterinary-medicine" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">veterinary science</a> and became the seat of the National Museum (housed in the former palace of the sultan of Zanzibar).</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/capital-cities-of-the-world-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/05/124605-131-977A8DEB/Cathedral-Plaza-de-Armas-Lima-Peru.jpg" alt="Catedral at night on Plaza de Armas (also known as plaza mayor) Lima, Peru." class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">World Capitals Quiz</div> </div> </a><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="213524" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/181104-050-F0A8BA60/street-line-Mogadishu-Somalia-clans-January-19-1993.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/387504/213524"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/181104-050-F0A8BA60/street-line-Mogadishu-Somalia-clans-January-19-1993.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/181104-050-F0A8BA60/street-line-Mogadishu-Somalia-clans-January-19-1993.jpg?w=300" alt="Mogadishu, Somalia" data-width="1527" data-height="819" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/181104-050-F0A8BA60/street-line-Mogadishu-Somalia-clans-January-19-1993.jpg" data-href="/media/1/387504/213524">Mogadishu, Somalia</a><span>Abandoned street in Mogadishu, Somalia, that was the dividing line between warring clans, January 19, 1993.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Mogadishu’s port was extended in the late 1960s. There is an international airport 5 miles (8 km) west of Mogadishu. During the 1980s and ’90s, civil war in Somalia caused widespread destruction. The <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="mayhem" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mayhem" data-type="MW">mayhem</a> spurred a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">United States</a>-led <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Somalia-intervention" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">military operation</a> in 1992–93 mounted as part of a wider international humanitarian and peacekeeping effort. Beginning in the summer of 1992 and ending in the spring of 1995, the intervention included the so-called <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battle-of-Mogadishu" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Battle of Mogadishu</a> on October 3–4, 1993, in which 18 U.S. soldiers and hundreds of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Somali-people" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Somali</a> militia fighters and civilians were killed. Mogadishu remained the site of fierce fighting among warring clans into the 21st century. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Islam" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Islamic</a> militias gained control of Mogadishu in 2006, and although hailed by some for restoring order to the city, they were also criticized for their harsh rule. Pop. (2005 est.) urban agglom., 1,320,000.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature font-12">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/Amy-Tikkanen/6393">Amy Tikkanen</a>.</span><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-simplify-root"></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":387504,"pageLength":334,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.36"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.36' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"C","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Mogadishu | Capital of Somalia, Horn of Africa, Indian Ocean port | Britannica