Somalia

Mogadishu is the capital of Somalia—the seat of the federal government and the country’s largest city—located on the Indian Ocean in the Horn of Africa. It has served as Somalia’s political and economic center since independence in 1960 and was historically a key trading port, linking Africa with the Arabian Peninsula and India. It’s also known locally as Xamar. To avoid mix-ups: Juba is the capital of South Sudan, Nairobi of Kenya, and Addis Ababa of Ethiopia (and the African Union’s HQ). Memory tip: think “Moga-dish-sea”—Somalia’s capital by the sea. Despite periods of conflict, Mogadishu remains the nation’s administrative heart and a hub for commerce and culture along the East African coast.