What You Need to Know When You’re Moving to Mogadishu

Relocating to Mogadishu

About Mogadishu

Mogadishu carries both political and economic importance; it is home to the Federal Government of Somalia that was established in 2012. In the same year, the First Somali Bank was also opened in the capital, with the intention of making it a business hub for the country.

The city borders the Indian Ocean on the Horn of Africa. As such, it boasts white sandy beaches and fecund coral reefs. The areas bordering the ocean are becoming increasingly popular with real estate buyers looking to construct some of the first tourist resorts the capital has been home to for many years.

Mogadishu is populated by a diverse array of ethnic groupings that make up its population of approximately 2.12 million inhabitants. Historically populated by Bushman aboriginals, Cushitic, Arab and Persian migrants, the resulting contemporary groups are called the Benadiri or Reer Xamar (“people of Mogadishu”). Since the city began to stabilize in 2012, many Somalians who have fled the city have begun to return, seeking investment opportunities in the capital.

The city is also home to an array of educational institutions, including the Somali National University, and Mogadishu University, as well as places of worship such as the Arba’a Rukun Mosque.

Climate in Mogadishu 

In spite of its proximity to the equator, Mogadishu, like most of southeastern Somalia, has a hot, dry climate. The city is geographically contiguous to the tropical thorn woodland biome of the Holdridge global bioclimatic scheme, giving it an agreeable, if relatively hot, range of temperatures most of the year round. The average temperature in the city is 27°C and sees rainfall averaging around 429 mm annually. The city is hot and dry most the time, with approximately 47 wet days annually.

Visas for Somalia

Visas can be obtained upon arrival in Somalia. If you fly into Mogadishu International Airport, it is possible to buy a single entry visa, valid for a single month, which costs 50 USD in cash.