Hargeisa

Hargeisa is a big city in Somaliland.

It sits in a high valley. Long ago, it was a stop for water. People also came there to trade skins.

Old paintings are near the city. These show people and cattle.

There was a hard war in the city. Much of it was destroyed.

Today, the city is a busy place. People trade stones and goods there. It is a place for many people to live.

Hargeisa is the capital city of Somaliland. It sits in a valley in the Galgodon highlands.

Long ago, the city was a place for trading. It was a stop for water and animal skins. Some say its name means "place to sell hides." A man named Sheikh Madar helped the city grow. He helped people build stone houses. He also helped them grow crops like sorghum.

Near the city, you can find very old art. The Laas Geel rock art shows people and cattle.

These paintings are from a long time ago.

The city has seen hard times. During a war, much of the city was destroyed.

People worked hard to build it back.

Today, Hargeisa is a busy hub. People come here to trade and cut precious stones. It is a large place where many people live and work.

Hargeisa is the capital and largest city of Somaliland. It sits in a valley within the Galgodon highlands.

The city is located in the Horn of Africa. While it is the capital of Somaliland, many countries still see it as part of Somalia. It serves as the regional capital for the Maroodi Jeex region. This city is a busy place for many different activities.

Many different jobs happen in the city today. Hargeisa is a major commercial hub for trading. People come here to cut precious stones and for retail services. It is also a place for construction work. The city sits on important paths used for travel. These paths connect the coast to the interior of the land.

Long ago, Hargeisa began as a stop for travelers. It was a place to find water and trade goods. Some say the name comes from the Somali word for a place to sell skins.

A man named Sheikh Madar helped the settlement grow. He established a religious community there. He also encouraged people to grow sorghum crops. This helped the people stay self-sufficient.

History shows that the city has changed many times. In 1941, the British made Hargeisa the capital. The area gained independence in 1960. Later, the city faced a very difficult time during the Somaliland War of Independence. During this conflict, up to 90% of the city was destroyed.

People have since worked to rebuild their homes and lives.

There are also amazing things to see near the city. The Laas Geel complex is on the outskirts of Hargeisa.

This site has rock art from the Neolithic period. These paintings show human figures and cattle with long horns. A French team of researchers studied these caves in 2002. They found the paintings were in an excellent state of preservation. These ancient sites help us learn about local history.

Hargeisa is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Somaliland.

It serves as the regional capital for the Maroodi Jeex region. The city is located in the Horn of Africa. While it is the capital of Somaliland, much of the international community still considers it part of Somalia. Geographically, Hargeisa sits in a valley within the Galgodon, also known as the Ogo, highlands. This location makes it a significant center for the surrounding area. The city functions as a major commercial hub for various economic activities. These include precious stone-cutting, construction, retail services, and general trading.

The city's origins are tied to its role as a vital transit point. Historically, it began as a watering and trading stop for travelers moving between the coast and the interior. The Isaaq clan originally used the site as a watering well for their vast livestock. One theory suggests the name "Hargeisa" comes from the Somali word *hargageys*. This term means a "place to sell hides and skins." This refers to the trade of skins procured from the interior and processed in the settlement. Another theory links the name to the phrase *Harar as-sagir*. This means "Little Harar," reflecting an aspiration to emulate the city of Harar.

Religious and social development shaped the modern settlement. In the latter half of the 1800s, Sheikh Madar established a Qadiriyya settlement. Madar had studied Islamic Sciences in Harar. He was advised by a scholar named Sheikh Khalil to establish a commune. This became known as the "Big Commune" or *Jama'a weyne*. Madar introduced a more stationary lifestyle through large sorghum plantations. This allowed the community to be self-sufficient. He also encouraged a common religious identity over purely tribal identities. He even met with the Isaaq Grand Sultan Deria Hassan in 1870 to discuss local rules.

The political status of Hargeisa changed through several colonial and post-colonial periods. In 1888, the British established a protectorate in the region. For many years, the administration was managed from Aden or British India. In 1941, the British moved the capital from Berbera to Hargeisa. During the East African Campaign, Italy invaded in 1940 but the British recaptured the area in 1941. On June 26, 1960, the Somaliland Protectorate gained independence. It joined with the Trust Territory of Somaliland days later to form the Somali Republic.

In the decades following independence, Hargeisa experienced significant development and later, great hardship. As the capital of the Woqooyi Galbeed province, the city saw new projects. These included the Hargeisa Provincial Museum and the modernization of the Hargeisa International Airport. However, the city was devastated during the Somaliland War of Independence. In May 1988, the Somali National Movement (SNM) launched an offensive against the city. The Somali government responded with extreme violence. This campaign, known as the Isaaq genocide, targeted the Isaaq people specifically.

The scale of the destruction during this conflict was immense. Up to 90% of Hargeisa was destroyed by the regime. The government used indiscriminate artillery shelling and aerial bombardment. They also targeted settlements and water points to weaken the population. This period left a deep mark on the city's history. Today, the city stands as a testament to rebuilding. Monuments like the MiG monument commemorate the struggle for independence.

Beyond its modern history, the area contains ancient archaeological treasures. On the outskirts of Hargeisa lies the Laas Geel complex. This site contains Neolithic rock art found in ten different rock alcoves. A French archaeological team conducted a survey there in 2002. They found the paintings were in an excellent state of preservation. The art depicts human figures with raised hands. It also shows long-horned, humpless cattle. These findings provide essential data regarding the production economy of the 2nd millennium BCE.