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As Somalia 's capital city , many important national institutions are based in Mogadishu . It is the seat of the Federal Government of Somalia established in August 2012 , with the Somalia Federal Parliament serving as the government 's legislative branch . Yusuf Hussein Jimaale has been the Mayor of Mogadishu since October 2015 . Villa Somalia is the official residential palace and principal workplace of the President of Somalia , Hassan Sheikh Mohamud . In May 2012 , the First Somali Bank was established in the capital , which organized Mogadishu 's first ever Technology , Entertainment , Design ( TEDx ) conference . The establishment of a local construction yard has also galvanized the city 's real @-@ estate sector . Arba 'a Rukun Mosque is one of the oldest Islamic places of worship in the capital , built circa 667 ( 1268 / 9 AD ) . The Mosque of Islamic Solidarity in Mogadishu is the largest masjid in the Horn region . Mogadishu Cathedral was built in 1928 by the colonial authorities in Italian Somaliland in a Norman Gothic style , and served as the traditional seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mogadiscio . The National Museum of Somalia is based in Mogadishu and holds many culturally important artefacts . The National Library of Somalia is undergoing a $ 1 million Somali federal government funded renovation , including a new library complex .
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Mogadishu is home to a number of scholastic and media institutions . As part of the municipality 's urban renewal program , 100 schools across the capital are scheduled to be refurbished and reopened . The Somali National University ( SNU ) was established in the 1950s , and professors from the university later founded the non @-@ governmental Mogadishu University ( MU ) . Benadir University ( BU ) was established in 2002 with the intention of training doctors . Various national sporting bodies have their headquarters in Mogadishu , including the Somali Football Federation and the Somali Olympic Committee . Mogadishu Stadium was constructed in 1978 during the Siad Barre administration , with the assistance of Chinese engineers . It hosts football matches with teams from the Somalia League and the Somalia Cup . Additionally , the Port of Mogadishu serves as a major national seaport and is the largest harbour in Somalia . Mogadishu International Airport , the capital 's main airport , is the hub of the relaunched national carrier Somali Airlines .
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= = Etymology = =
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The origins of the name Mogadishu ( Muqdisho ) has many theories but it is most likely derived from a morphology of the Persian words Maq 'ad @-@ i @-@ Shah For a long time , it was thought to be derived from the Persian Maq 'ad @-@ i @-@ Shah ( مقعد شاه ) , which means " the seat of the Shah " ( a reflection of the city 's early Persian influence ) . It is known locally as Xamar ( English : Hamar ) .
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= = History = =
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= = = Early history = = =
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Tradition and old records assert that southern Somalia , including the Mogadishu area , was inhabited very early by hunter @-@ gatherers of Khoisan descent . Although most of these early inhabitants are believed to have been either overwhelmed , driven away or , in some cases , assimilated by later migrants to the area , physical traces of their occupation survive in certain ethnic minority groups inhabiting modern @-@ day Jubaland and other parts of the south . The latter descendants include relict populations such as the Eile , Aweer , the Wa @-@ Ribi , and especially the Wa @-@ Boni . By the time of the arrival of peoples from the Cushitic Rahanweyn ( Digil and Mirifle ) clan confederacy , who would go on to establish a local aristocracy , other Cushitic groups affiliated with the Oromo ( Wardai ) and Ajuuraan ( Ma 'adanle ) had already formed settlements of their own in the sub @-@ region .
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The ancient city of Sarapion is believed to have been the predecessor state of Mogadishu . It is mentioned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , a Greek travel document dating from the first century AD , as one of a series of commercial ports on the Somali littoral . According to the Periplus , maritime trade already connected peoples in the Mogadishu area with other communities along the Indian Ocean coast .
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The Sultanate of Mogadishu later developed with the immigration of Emozeidi Arabs , a community whose earliest presence dates back to the 9th or 10th century . This evolved into the Muzaffar dynasty , a joint Somali @-@ Arab federation of rulers , and Mogadishu became closely linked with the powerful Somali Ajuran Sultanate . Following his visit to the city , the 12th century Syrian historian Yaqut al @-@ Hamawi wrote that it was inhabited by dark @-@ skinned Berbers , the ancestors of the modern Somalis .
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For many years , Mogadishu stood as the pre @-@ eminent city in the Bilad @-@ ul @-@ Barbar ( بلاد البربر ) , meaning " Land of the Berbers , " which was the medieval Arabic term for the Somali coast . By the time of the Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta 's appearance on the Somali coast in 1331 , the city was at the zenith of its prosperity . He described Mogadishu as " an exceedingly large city " with many rich merchants , which was famous for the high quality fabric that it exported to destinations including Egypt . Batutta added that the city was ruled by a Somali Sultan , Abu Bakr ibn Sayx ' Umar , who was originally from Barbara in northern Somalia and spoke both Somali ( referred to by Battuta as Mogadishan , the Benadir dialect of Somali ) and Arabic with equal fluency . The Sultan also had a retinue of wazirs ( ministers ) , legal experts , commanders , royal eunuchs , and other officials at his service .
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Additionally , there appears to have been a strong Persian presence in both Mogadishu and Zeila for a time . A Shi 'a influence can still be seen in some areas , as in the southern Somalia veneration of Fatimah , the Prophet Muhammad 's daughter . This fact is also reflected in the etymology of the city 's name , which derives from the Persian Maq 'ad @-@ i @-@ Shah ( مقعد شاه ) and means " the seat of the Shah . "
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The Portuguese would subsequently attempt to occupy the city , but never managed to take it . In his journal of an expedition to the region in 1497 @-@ 1499 , the explorer João de Sá , who accompanied Vasco da Gama on the voyage , wrote that Magadoxo ( Mogadishu ) was controlled by Moors . A big town surrounded by four towers , it had houses several storeys high and large palaces in its center . De Sá and his men bombarded the city before continuing southwards along the seaboard . The Hawiye Somali , however , were later successful in defeating the Ajuran State and bringing about the end of Muzaffar rule .
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= = = Sultanates ( 1800s – 1900s ) = = =
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By 1892 , Mogadishu was under the joint control of the Somali Sultanate of the Geledi and the Omani Sultanate of Zanzibar . The Geledi Sultans were at the height of their power . They dominated the southern ivory trade , and also held sway over the Jubba and Shebelle valleys in the hinterland . The Omani Sultans ' authority in Mogadishu , however , was largely nominal . When Imam Azzan bin Qais of Oman sought to build a fort in the city , he was thus obligated to request permission from Sultan Ahmed Yusuf of Geledi . This Fort of Garessa was eventually constructed in 1870 . The Sultan of Zanzibar later leased and then sold the infrastructure that he had built to the Italians , but not the land itself , which was Somali owned .
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= = = Italian Somaliland ( late 1800s @-@ 1960 ) = = =
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In 1905 , Italy made Mogadishu the capital of the newly established Italian Somaliland . The Italians subsequently referred to the city as Mogadiscio . After World War I , the surrounding territory came under Italian control with some resistance .
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Thousands of Italians settled in Mogadishu and founded small manufacturing companies . They also developed some agricultural areas in the south near the capital , such as Janale and the Villaggio duca degli Abruzzi ( present @-@ day Jowhar ) . In the 1930s , new buildings and avenues were built . A 114 km ( 71 mi ) narrow @-@ gauge railway was laid from Mogadishu to Jowhar . An asphalted road , the Strada Imperiale , was also constructed and intended to link Mogadishu to Addis Ababa .
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In 1940 , the Italo @-@ Somali population numbered 22 @,@ 000 , accounting for over 44 % of the city 's population of 50 @,@ 000 residents . Mogadishu remained the capital of Italian Somaliland throughout the latter polity 's existence . In World War II it was captured by British forces in February 1941 .
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After World War II Mogadishu was made the capital of the Trust Territory of Somaliland , an Italian administered fiduciary political entity under the ONU mandate , for ten years ( 1950 – 1960 ) .
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= = = Somali Republic ( 1960 – 1990 ) = = =
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British Somaliland became independent on 26 June 1960 as the State of Somaliland , and the Trust Territory of Somalia ( the former Italian Somaliland ) followed suit five days later . On 1 July 1960 , the two territories united to form the Somali Republic , with Mogadishu serving as the nation 's capital . A government was formed by Abdullahi Issa and other members of the trusteeship and protectorate governments , with Haji Bashir Ismail Yusuf as President of the Somali National Assembly , Aden Abdullah Osman Daar as President of the Somali Republic , and Abdirashid Ali Shermarke as Prime Minister ( later to become President from 1967 to 1969 ) . On 20 July 1961 and through a popular referendum , the people of Somalia ratified a new constitution , which was first drafted in 1960 . In 1967 , Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal became Prime Minister , a position to which he was appointed by Shermarke .
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On 15 October 1969 , while paying a visit to the northern town of Las Anod , Somalia 's then President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke was assassinated by one of his own bodyguards . His assassination was quickly followed by a military coup d 'état on 21 October 1969 ( the day after his funeral ) , in which the Somali Army seized power without encountering armed opposition — essentially a bloodless takeover . The putsch was spearheaded by Major General Mohamed Siad Barre , who at the time commanded the army .
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Alongside Barre , the Supreme Revolutionary Council ( SRC ) that assumed power after President Sharmarke 's assassination was led by Lieutenant Colonel Salaad Gabeyre Kediye and Chief of Police Jama Korshel . Kediye officially held the title of " Father of the Revolution , " and Barre shortly afterwards became the head of the SRC . The SRC subsequently renamed the country the Somali Democratic Republic , arrested members of the former civilian government , banned political parties , dissolved the parliament and the Supreme Court , and suspended the constitution .
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The revolutionary army established various large @-@ scale public works programmes , including the Mogadishu Stadium . In addition to a nationalization programme of industry and land , the Mogadishu @-@ based new regime 's foreign policy placed an emphasis on Somalia 's traditional and religious links with the Arab world , eventually joining the Arab League in 1974 .
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After fallout from the unsuccessful Ogaden campaign of the late 1970s , the Barre administration began arresting government and military officials under suspicion of participation in the abortive 1978 coup d 'état . Most of the people who had allegedly helped plot the putsch were summarily executed . However , several officials managed to escape abroad and started to form the first of various dissident groups dedicated to ousting Barre 's regime by force .
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= = = Civil war = = =
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By the late 1980s , Barre 's regime had become increasingly unpopular . The authorities became ever more totalitarian , and resistance movements , encouraged by Ethiopia 's communist Derg administration , sprang up across the country . This eventually led in 1991 to the outbreak of the civil war , the toppling of Barre 's government , and the disbandment of the Somali National Army . Many of the opposition groups subsequently began competing for influence in the power vacuum that followed the ouster of Barre 's regime . Armed factions led by United Somali Congress commanders General Mohamed Farah Aidid and Ali Mahdi Mohamed , in particular , clashed as each sought to exert authority over the capital .
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UN Security Council Resolution 733 and UN Security Council Resolution 746 led to the creation of UNOSOM I , the first stabilization mission in Somalia after the dissolution of the central government . United Nations Security Council Resolution 794 was unanimously passed on 3 December 1992 , which approved a coalition of United Nations peacekeepers led by the United States . Forming the Unified Task Force ( UNITAF ) , the alliance was tasked with assuring security until humanitarian efforts were transferred to the UN . Landing in 1993 , the UN peacekeeping coalition started the two @-@ year United Nations Operation in Somalia II ( UNOSOM II ) primarily in the south .
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Some of the militias that were then competing for power interpreted the UN troops ' presence as a threat to their hegemony . Consequently , several gun battles took place in Mogadishu between local gunmen and peacekeepers . Among these was the Battle of Mogadishu of 1993 , a successful attempt by US troops to apprehend two high @-@ ranking lieutenants of faction leader Aidid . The UN soldiers eventually withdrew altogether from the country on 3 March 1995 , having incurred more significant casualties .
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In 2006 , the Islamic Courts Union ( ICU ) , an Islamist organization , assumed control of much of the southern part of the country and promptly imposed Shari 'a law . The new Transitional Federal Government ( TFG ) , established two years earlier , sought to re @-@ establish its authority . With the assistance of Ethiopian troops , AMISOM peacekeepers and air support by the United States , it managed to drive out the rival ICU and solidify its rule . On 8 January 2007 , as the Battle of Ras Kamboni raged , TFG President and founder Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed , a former colonel in the Somali Army , entered Mogadishu for the first time since being elected to office . The government then relocated to Villa Somalia in Mogadishu from its interim location in Baidoa , marking the first time since the fall of the Barre regime in 1991 that the federal government controlled most of the country .
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Following this defeat , the Islamic Courts Union splintered into several different factions . Some of the more radical elements , including Al @-@ Shabaab , regrouped to continue their insurgency against the TFG and oppose the Ethiopian military 's presence in Somalia . Throughout 2007 and 2008 , Al @-@ Shabaab scored military victories , seizing control of key towns and ports in both central and southern Somalia . At the end of 2008 , the group had captured Baidoa but not Mogadishu . By January 2009 , Al @-@ Shabaab and other militias had managed to force the Ethiopian troops to retreat , leaving behind an under @-@ equipped African Union peacekeeping force to assist the Transitional Federal Government 's troops .
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Between 31 May and 9 June 2008 , representatives of Somalia 's federal government and the moderate Alliance for the Re @-@ liberation of Somalia ( ARS ) group of Islamist rebels participated in peace talks in Djibouti brokered by the UN . The conference ended with a signed agreement calling for the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops in exchange for the cessation of armed confrontation . Parliament was subsequently expanded to 550 seats to accommodate ARS members , which then elected a new president . With the help of a small team of African Union troops , the coalition government also began a counteroffensive in February 2009 to retake control of the southern half of the country . To solidify its control of southern Somalia , the TFG formed an alliance with the Islamic Courts Union , other members of the Alliance for the Re @-@ liberation of Somalia , and Ahlu Sunna Waljama 'a , a moderate Sufi militia .
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In November 2010 , a new technocratic government was elected to office , which enacted numerous reforms , especially in the security sector . By August 2011 , the new administration and its AMISOM allies had managed to capture all of Mogadishu from the Al @-@ Shabaab militants . Mogadishu has subsequently experienced a period of intense reconstruction spearheaded by the Somali diaspora , the municipal authorities , and Turkey , a historic ally of Somalia .
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= = = Reconstruction = = =
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In August 2011 , militant group al Shabaab made a strategic withdrawal from Mogadishu to return to hit @-@ and @-@ run tactics . Mayor Mohamed Nur recognized the opportunity as critical to stabilizing and rebuilding the city by any means necessary . Working closely with the UN , USAID , and DRC , Nur 's administration also started large @-@ scale rehabilitation of roads and general infrastructure , with residents closely cooperating with the civil and police authorities to tighten up on security . Nur recognized the opportunity to transform Mogadishu although resources were limited . Working closely with urban strategist Mitchell Sipus , the Benadir government sought to design and deploy a data @-@ driven approach to post @-@ war reconstruction .
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With the passing of a new Constitution in 2012 and the subsequent election of an inaugural President in the new Federal Government , the mayorship continued to oversee Mogadishu 's ongoing post @-@ conflict reconstruction . Building off the initial pilot , the Benadir administration launched a city @-@ wide street naming , house numbering and postal codes project . Officially called the House Numbering and Post Code System , it is a joint initiative of the municipal authorities and Somali business community representatives . According to Nur , the initiative also aims to help the authorities firm up on security and resolve housing ownership disputes . As of 2016 , there are postal codes for 176 localities and sub @-@ localities , including the Mogadishu metropolitan area .
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= = Geography = =
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Mogadishu is situated on the Indian Ocean coast of the Horn of Africa , in the Banaadir administrative region ( gobol ) in southeastern Somalia . The region itself is coextensive with the city and is much smaller than the historical province of Benadir . The city is administratively divided into the districts of Abdiaziz , Bondhere , Daynile , Dharkenley , Hamar @-@ Jajab , Hamar @-@ Weyne , Heliwa , Hodan , Howl @-@ Wadag , Karan , Shangani , Shibis , Waberi , Wadajir , Wardhigley and Yaqshid . Features of the city include the Hamarwein old town , the Bakaara Market , and Gezira Beach . The sandy beaches of Mogadishu have vibrant coral reefs , and are prime real estate for the first tourist resorts in many years .
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The Shebelle River ( Webiga Shabelle ) rises in central Ethiopia and comes within 30 kilometers ( 19 mi ) of the Indian Ocean near Mogadishu before turning southwestward . Usually dry during February and March , the river provides water essential for the cultivation of sugarcane , cotton , and bananas .
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= = = Climate = = =
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For a city situated so near the equator , Mogadishu has a relatively dry climate . It is classified as hot and semi @-@ arid ( Köppen climate classification BSh ) , as with much of southeastern Somalia . By contrast , towns in northern Somalia generally have a hot arid climate ( Köppen BWh ) .
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Mogadishu is located in or near the tropical thorn woodland biome of the Holdridge global bioclimatic scheme . The mean temperature in the city year round is 27 ° C , with an average maximum of 30 ° C and an average minimum of 24 ° C. Mean temperature readings per month vary by 3 ° C ( 5 @.@ 4 ° F ) , corresponding with a hyperoceanic and subtype truly hyperoceanic continentality type . Precipitation per year averages 429 @.@ 2 millimetres ( 16 @.@ 9 in ) . There are 47 wet days annually , which are associated with a 12 % daily probability of rainfall . The city has an average of 3 @,@ 066 hours of sunshine per year , with 8 @.@ 4 hours of sunlight per day . Mean daylight hours and minutes per day are 8h 24 ' . The annual percentage of sunny versus cloudy daylight hours is 70 and 30 , respectively . Average sun altitude at solar noon on the 21st day of the month is 75 .
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= = Government = =
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= = = Federal = = =
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The Transitional Federal Government ( TFG ) was the internationally recognized central government of Somalia between 2004 and 2012 . Based in Mogadishu , it constituted the executive branch of government .
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The Federal Government of Somalia was established on 20 August 2012 , concurrent with the end of the TFG 's interim mandate . It represents the first permanent central government in the country since the start of the civil war . The Federal Parliament of Somalia serves as the government 's legislative branch .
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= = = Municipal = = =
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Mogadishu 's municipal government is currently led by Yusuf Hussein Jimaale , who succeeded Mayor Hassan Mohamed Hussein Mungab , a former military court chairman . Among the administration 's development initiatives are a US $ 100 million urban renewal project , the creation of garbage disposal and incineration plants , the launch of a city @-@ wide cleanup project , the creation of asphalt and cement plants , rehabilitation of the Town Hall and parliament buildings , reconstruction of the former Defence Ministry offices , reconstruction of correctional facilities , rehabilitation and construction of health facilities , establishment of a Police Training Center and a permanent base in Jasiira for the new Somali Armed Forces , rebuilding of the Somali Postal Service headquarters , and rehabilitation of public playgrounds in several districts . In January 2014 , the Benadir administration launched the House Numbering and Post Code System . It also began distributing national identity cards in March of the same year . In addition , the municipal authorities started renovating important local government centers in September 2014 , including the capital 's former Fisho Guverno compound . In January 2015 , the Benadir administration also opened a new Health & Safety Office to supervise health and safety practices in the city , and launched a municipal beautification campaign ahead of various international conferences that are slated to be held there .
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In March 2015 , the Benadir administration completed the SECIL project in conjunction with the EU and UNHABITAT . The 3 @.@ 5 million EUR initiative lasted three and a half years , and saw the establishment in Mogadishu of a new sustainable waste collection system , a Technical Training Centre , water quality testing laboratories , ameliorated access to clean drinking water , improved employment and livelihood opportunities in the low @-@ cost fuel production sector , strengthened skills training and regulation in the construction sector , and laboratories for the testing of construction material quality .
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= = = Diplomatic missions = = =
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A number of countries maintain foreign embassies and consulates in Mogadishu . As of January 2014 , these diplomatic missions include the embassies of Djibouti , Ethiopia , Sudan , Libya , Yemen , Saudi Arabia , Turkey , Iran , Uganda , Nigeria , the United Kingdom , Japan , China , and Qatar . Embassies that are scheduled to reopen in the city include those of Egypt , the United Arab Emirates , Italy and South Korea .
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In May 2015 , in recognition of the sociopolitical progress made in Somalia and its return to effective governance , US Secretary of State John Kerry announced a preliminary plan to reestablish the US embassy in Mogadishu . He indicated that although there was no set timetable for the premises ' relaunch , the US government had immediately begun upgrading its diplomatic representation in the country . President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke also presented to Kerry the real estate deed for land reserved for the new US embassy compound . Mohamud concurrently signed an Establishment Agreement with the EU Head of Delegation in Somalia Michele Cervone d ’ Urso , which facilitates the opening of more embassies in Mogadishu by European Union member states . The EU also announced that it had opened a new EU Delegation office in the city .
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In February 2014 , Somalia 's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdirahman Duale Beyle announced that the federal government was slated to reopen the former Institute of Diplomacy in Mogadishu . The center historically served as one of the most important national institutions for diplomacy and international relations . Beyle also pledged to reestablish the institute 's diplomacy department , its information and broadcasting department , as well as its library .
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= = Economy = =
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Mogadishu traditionally served as a commercial and financial centre . Before the importation of mass @-@ produced cloth from Europe and America , the city 's textiles were forwarded far and wide throughout the interior of the continent , as well as to the Arabian peninsula and as far as the Persian coast .
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Mogadishu 's economy has grown rapidly since the city 's pacification in mid 2011 . The SomalFruit processing factory was reopened , as was the local Coca Cola factory , which was also refurbished . In May 2012 , the First Somali Bank was established in the capital , representing the first commercial bank to open in southern Somalia since 1991 . The Somali civil engineer and entrepreneur Nasra Agil also opened the city 's first dollar store . Additionally , the Historic Central Bank was regenerated , with the Moumin Business Center likewise under construction .
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The galvanization of Mogadishu 's real estate sector was in part facilitated by the establishment of a local construction yard in November 2012 by the Municipality of Istanbul and the Turkish Red Crescent . With 50 construction trucks and machines imported from Turkey , the yard produces concrete , asphalt and paving stones for building projects . The Istanbul Municipality was also scheduled to bring in 100 specialists to accelerate the construction initiative , which ultimately aims to modernize the capital 's infrastructure and serve it over the long @-@ term .
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In mid @-@ 2012 , Mogadishu concurrently held its first ever Technology , Entertainment , Design ( TEDx ) conference . The event was organized by the First Somali Bank to showcase improvements in business , development and security to potential Somali and international investors . A second consecutive TEDx entrepreneurial conference was held the following year in the capital , highlighting new enterprises and commercial opportunities , including the establishment of the city 's first dry cleaning business in several years .
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A number of large firms also have their headquarters in Mogadishu . Among these is the Trans @-@ National Industrial Electricity and Gas Company , an energy conglomerate founded in 2010 that unites five major Somali companies from the trade , finance , security and telecommunications sectors . Other firms based in the city include Hormuud Telecom , the largest telecommunications company in southern and central Somalia . Telcom is another telecommunications service provider that is centered in the capital . The local Somali Energy Company specializes in the generation , transmission and distribution of electric power to residents and businesses within its service area in Banaadir . Villa and Mansion Architects , an international architectural firm founded by the Somali @-@ British architect Alexander Yusuf , likewise has its regional offices in Mogadishu . Additionally , the International Bank of Somalia , which opened downtown in 2014 , offers Islamic finance and international banking services via a swift code system . The Islamic Insurance Company ( First Takaful and Re @-@ Takaful Insurance Company ) was concurrently established , and is the city 's first full service insurance firm in many years . The Central Bank of Somalia , the national monetary authority , also has its headquarters in Mogadishu .
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In June 2013 , former Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon signed a new foreign investment law . The draft bill was prepared by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in conjunction with government attorneys . Approved by the Cabinet , it establishes a secure legal framework for foreign investment in Mogadishu and elsewhere in the country .
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In October 2014 , the firm Tawakal Money Express ( Tawakal ) also began construction of the seven @-@ storey Tawakal Plaza Mogadishu . The new high rise is slated to be completed by the end of 2015 , and will feature a Tawakal Global Bank customer and financial services center , a large , 338 square meter supermarket , a 46 @-@ room luxury hotel , restaurant and coffee shop facilities , and conference and event halls . In addition , the Nabaad Supermarket provides major retail service to local shoppers . Open daily until 10 pm , the convenience chain imports most of its products from the United Arab Emirates and China . The Al Buruuj firm also launched a major real estate project in January 2015 , Daru @-@ Salam City . Financed by the Salaam Somali Bank , the new urban complex includes town houses , apartment flats , a mosque , recreational areas , playgrounds , a supermarket and roads . It is slated to be erected just outside the northern part of the capital , within a 7 kilometer radius of the Industrial Road .
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= = Demographics = =
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Mogadishu is a multi @-@ ethnic city . Its original core population consisted of Bushmen aboriginals , and later Cushitic , Arab and Persian migrants . The mixture of these various groups produced the Benadiri or Reer Xamar ( “ People of Mogadishu ” ) , a composite population unique to the larger Benadir region . In the colonial period , European expatriates , primarily Italians , would also contribute to the city 's cosmopolitan populace .
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The main area of inhabitation of Bantu ethnic minorities in Somalia has historically been in village enclaves in the south , particularly between the Jubba and Shebelle river valleys as well as the Bakool and Bay regions . Beginning in the 1970s , more Bantus began moving to urban centres such as Mogadishu and Kismayo . The displacement caused by the onset of the civil war in the 1990s further increased the number of rural minorities migrating to urban areas . As a consequence of these movements , Mogadishu 's traditional demographic makeup changed significantly over the years .
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Following a greatly improved security situation in the city in 2012 , many Somali expatriates began returning to Mogadishu for investment opportunities and to take part in the ongoing post @-@ conflict reconstruction process . Through both private efforts and public initiatives like the Somali Diaspora Corps , they have participated in the renovation of schools , hospitals , banks and other infrastructure , and have played a leading role in the capital 's recovery . They have also helped to propel the local real estate market .
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According to Demographia , Mogadishu has a population of around 2 @,@ 120 @,@ 000 residents as of 2015 . It is the 222nd largest city in the world by population size . The urban area occupies 91 square kilometres ( 35 sq mi ) , with a population density of around 23 @,@ 400 inhabitants per square kilometre ( 61 @,@ 000 / sq mi ) . As of September 2014 , the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation is scheduled to launch the first population census for Somalia in over two decades . The UNFPA assisted the Ministry in the project , which is slated to be finalized ahead of the planned plebiscite and local and national elections in 2016 .
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= = Landmarks = =
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