Chapter 7

The Somali Republic is located on the Somali Peninsula in the easternmost part of the African continent, covering an area of nearly 640,000 square kilometers with a population of 10.4 million (an estimated figure, as there is no way to conduct a census). To the north, it borders the Gulf of Aden, to the east, the Indian Ocean, to the west, Kenya and Ethiopia, and to the northwest, Djibouti. Most of the region has a tropical desert climate, while the southwestern part has a tropical savanna climate, characterized by year-round high temperatures, aridity, and scarce rainfall. The coastline stretches for 3,200 kilometers, making it strategically very important and a focal point of contention among major powers.

The country is divided into two major ethnic groups: the Samale and the Sab. The Samale group consists of four major clans: Dir, Isaaq, Hawiye, and Darod. Most of them are nomads, spread across Somalia. The Sab group is made up of the Digil and Rahanweyn clans, with a smaller population concentrated in the fertile areas between the Shabelle and Juba rivers in southern Somalia, leading a semi-nomadic and agricultural lifestyle. Besides the Samale and Sab groups, Somalia also has some smaller ethnic groups, mainly Bantu and Swahili people who have been assimilated into Somali culture. The official languages of Somalia are Somali and Arabic, while English and Italian are also widely used. Islam is the state religion, and the predominant sect is Sufism.

Since the fall of the Siad Barre regime in 1991, Somalia has been in a state of anarchy, with the country divided among warlords. Various factions have engaged in intermittent fighting, and through a series of splits and alliances, a four-way division has emerged, with Somaliland, Puntland, Rahanweyn, and the Aideed faction in Mogadishu each controlling a portion of the country.

The international community has attempted to mediate the Somali conflict 12 times without success. After the signing of the Transitional Charter, the political environment in Somalia began to show signs of improvement. However, despite the popularity of the Transitional Federal Government's leaders among the Somali people, the government has been unable to establish itself in the capital, Mogadishu, due to ongoing factional conflicts, and can only operate from Jowhar and Baidoa. The political and military landscape dominated by local factions has not fundamentally changed.

Currently, there are three main forces in the country: the Transitional Government, the warlord alliance, and the religious militias. Although the Transitional Government, established in October 2004, maintains control over much of the country, neither the warlord alliance nor the religious militias support it. Mogadishu has become a focal point of contention among various factions, with frequent violent incidents forcing the Transitional Government to relocate its operations outside the capital. The intricate and complex interests of the various clans make it difficult to resolve the ongoing political strife, leaving the weak Transitional Government unable to control the warlord-dominated country.

According to the 2004 economic review, Somalia has a population of 10.4 million, with a natural growth rate of 2.2%, and the vast majority are Somalis. The country is divided into the Samale and Sab groups. The Samale group, which makes up over 80% of the population, consists of the Darod, Hawiye, Isaaq, and Dir clans. The Sab group is divided into the Digil and Rahanweyn clans. These six major clans are further divided into dozens of sub-clans.

However, these clans are not of much concern to Li Lan, as he is currently in the northeastern corner of Somalia, the area with the highest concentration of Somali pirates. To the north is the Gulf of Aden, a region of global significance. About 300 kilometers from his location is Bosaso, one of the few major cities in Somalia.

The majority of Somalia's population is concentrated around cities, and there are few small towns outside the clan territories. Li Lan's location is on the very edge of the Bosaso area, so remote that even the wealthy Somalis with camel herds rarely venture here. This is why Li Lan has not been discovered in the few days he has been here. If he were in China, he would not only be under constant satellite surveillance, but even normal human movement would be hard to go unnoticed, making it almost miraculous to remain undetected.

Through his gradual understanding over the past few days, Li Lan has gained some basic knowledge of the country.

The economy is primarily based on livestock, making Somalia one of the countries with the highest per capita livestock ownership in the world. About 80% of the population relies on livestock and semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral activities. The main livestock are sheep and cattle, and Somalia is also the country with the most camels in the world. Most of the farming is nomadic or semi-nomadic. Cultivated land is mainly concentrated in the southern Juba and Shabelle river basins, where crops such as bananas, sugarcane, cotton, sorghum, and corn are grown. The country is also known for its production of frankincense, myrrh, and gum arabic, making it one of the world's largest producers of spices.

The industrial sector includes food processing, tobacco, leather, textiles, sugar refining, building materials, and fish and meat canning. The country also mines beryl, gypsum, and uranium, with unexploited reserves of iron, manganese, niobium, lead, zinc, and tin. Livestock and their products account for over 80% of export value, with bananas being the second-largest export, followed by leather, frankincense, myrrh, and fish.

Imports include machinery, vehicles, food, and daily necessities. The country has only one railway, built in the 1970s with Chinese aid, and road transport is the primary mode of land transportation.

Somalia is one of the least developed countries in the world, with an economy heavily reliant on livestock and a weak industrial base. In the early 1970s, due to overly aggressive nationalization policies and natural disasters, the economy faced severe difficulties. In the 1980s, with support from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the country adjusted its economic policies, emphasizing agricultural development, gradual economic liberalization, trade liberalization, and encouragement of foreign and private investment. It also lifted price controls on agricultural products, devalued the Somali shilling, auctioned dollars, and reduced fiscal spending, leading to a temporary economic improvement.

After 1991, due to prolonged internal conflicts, industrial and agricultural production and infrastructure were severely damaged, leading to a complete economic collapse. Today, there are hardly any factories in Somalia, and the country's industrial sector, which had already collapsed during the turmoil, has not recovered. Even the only railway has been abandoned, and the society, if not for the widespread presence of firearms and a few vehicles, would resemble a feudal era.

Somalia is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of fisheries, with an estimated annual catch of 250,000 tons. However, due to outdated fishing methods and limited market demand, the actual annual catch is only about 20,000 tons. The lack of a strong central government has led to severe poaching by foreign fishing vessels in Somali waters. Some Somali factions have also sold fishing licenses to foreign fishing companies.

Due to piracy, many Somali fishermen are unable to go to sea, not because of the pirates, but because of the international forces combating piracy. Any Somali fishing boat that goes to sea faces various obstacles, and many fishermen are wrongly labeled as pirates, with some even having their boats destroyed.

Thus, despite its rich fisheries, the fishing industry in Somali waters and its exclusive economic zone is largely controlled by other countries.

Livestock is the mainstay of Somalia's economy, accounting for about 40% of the GDP. The country primarily raises cattle, sheep, and camels (it is the world's largest camel-raising country, with an estimated 6.7 million camels in 2012). In 2012, livestock products accounted for 85% of export earnings.

Transportation is underdeveloped, with road transport being the primary mode, and there are no operational railways.

Roads: The total length of major roads is 15,215 kilometers, of which 2,880 kilometers are paved. Most roads, except those in Somaliland, are in poor condition due to lack of maintenance. Inland transportation mainly relies on vehicles and camels.

Water Transport: Maritime transport is of great importance, with major ports including Mogadishu and Kismayo in the south, and Berbera and Bosaso in the north. Due to ongoing conflicts in the south, the northern ports handle most of the maritime traffic. However, due to outdated port facilities, the throughput is limited.

Air Transport: There are 61 airports of various sizes, most of which are rudimentary and unpaved. Mogadishu and Berbera have international airports capable of handling large aircraft. In 2001, the national airline, Somali Airlines, was re-established, but it is not allowed to operate in Somaliland and Puntland. In March 2001, Ethiopian Airlines began a bi-weekly flight from Addis Ababa to Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. Additionally, UN planes frequently land in Somalia to deliver aid.

Telecommunications: In 2012, Somalia had 1,200 internet users, and the ownership rate of fixed and mobile phones was 1.5 per 1,000 people.

Due to ongoing civil war, the security situation in Somalia has deteriorated, prices have soared, essential goods are scarce, and the lives of residents are not secure. The healthcare system is among the worst in Africa. In 2012, Mogadishu had only one public hospital and 62 private clinics, with severe shortages of medical supplies. Only about one-third of the population had access to healthcare, and over 75% lacked safe drinking water. According to the UN Development Programme, in 2012, the average life expectancy in Somalia was 47 years, the malnutrition rate among children under five was 25.8%, and the infant mortality rate was as high as 25%.

Even with the Red Alert base at his disposal, Li Lan found the information about Somalia provided by his assistant to be extremely troubling. The situation was not just backward; it was almost unbearable.

As Li Lan was planning the future in his mind, a door appeared in the iron fence surrounding the magnetic reactor, and a notification in his mind indicated that the reactor had been completed.

The assistant's notification interrupted Li Lan's worries about the future.

He glanced at the general beside him, realizing that half an hour had passed. The large thigh bone the general had been licking with relish had disappeared, and he could see the general's tongue occasionally sweeping across his lips, still savoring the taste.

Seeing the general's somewhat dazed and contented look, Li Lan's lips curled slightly, thinking, "The future doesn't seem so terrifying after all."

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