Is Somaliland A Country?

Somaliland is a self-declared independent region in the north of Somalia. It declared independence from Somalia in 1991, following the collapse of Somalia’s central government.

Somaliland has its own government, military, currency, and constitution. It holds elections and operates separately from the Federal Government of Somalia, which it does not recognize as having authority over its territory.

For many years, no country officially recognized Somaliland as independent, and the United Nations continued to treat it as part of Somalia. However, in December 2025, Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent state, marking a major change in its international status.

Many residents of Somaliland strongly identify with their region’s independence and point to its relative stability compared to much of Somalia. Supporters argue that recognition reflects the reality on the ground. At the same time, the long lack of recognition has limited Somaliland’s access to foreign aid, investment, and formal diplomatic relations.

Whether Somaliland is considered a country depends on how statehood is defined. It meets many practical criteria for being a state, but most of the world has not formally recognized it. Even with Israel’s recognition, Somaliland’s status remains one of the world’s unresolved geopolitical questions.