Bay (, , ) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in southern

Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...

Overview

It is bordered by the Somali regions of

Bakool Bakool (, , ) is a region ('' gobol'') in southwestern Somalia. Overview It is bordered by the Somali regions of Hiiraan, Bay and Gedo. Bakool, like Gedo, Bay and most parts of the Jubbada Dhexe (Middle Juba) region, used to be a part of th ...

, Hiran,

Lower Shebelle Lower Shabelle (, , , ) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in southern Somalia. Geography Lower Shabelle is bordered by the regions of Banaadir, Middle Shabelle (Shabeellaha Dhexe), Hiran, Bay, Middle Jubba (Jubbada Dhexe) and by the ...

(Shabeellaha Hoose),

Middle Juba Middle Juba (, , ) is an administrative region (''Administrative divisions of Somalia, gobol'') in southern Somalia. With its capital at Bu'aale, it is located in the States and regions of Somalia, autonomous Jubaland region. Middle Juba is bord ...

(Jubbada Dhexe), and

Gedo Gedo (, , , or ''Ghedu'') is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in Jubaland, southern Somalia. Its regional capital is Garbahaarreey. The region was formed during 1974 and is bordered by the Ogaden in Ethiopia, the North Eastern Province ...

. Baidoa used to be the capital of the old Upper

Juba Juba is the capital and largest city of South Sudan. The city is situated on the White Nile and also serves as the capital of the Central Equatoria, Central Equatoria State. It is the most recently declared national capital and had a populatio ...

region, which today also includes Gedo, Bakool, and most parts of the Middle Juba region. The present regions were created in the 1970s by the then ruling military regime. The capital of Bay is

Baidoa Baidoa (, Somali (Af-Maxaa): , ) is the largest city of the South West State of Somalia. Between 2002 and 2014, Baidoa was the capital of the South West State. In 2014, the capital was changed to Barawa. Overview Baydhabo is the main hub of ...

. During the Ethiopian invasion of Somalia in late December 2006, Bay region witnessed a series of fierce, concurrent battles lasting nine days between the

Ethiopian Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring Eritrea and other parts of ...

military and the

Islamic Courts Union The Islamic Courts Union () was a legal and political organization founded by Mogadishu-based Sharia courts during the early 2000s to combat the lawlessness stemming from the Somali Civil War. By mid-to-late 2006, the Islamic Courts had expanded ...

Demographics

The region is mainly inhabited by the

Rahanweyn The Rahanweyn (, Northern Somali, Somali: , ), also known as the Digil and Mirifle () is a major Somali clan. It is one of the major Somali clans in the Horn of Africa, with a large territory in the densely populated fertile valleys of the Jubba ...

people. According to the Population Estimation Survey (2014) (282), the division of population in the Bay region was as follows: 93,046 urban inhabitants, 463,330 rural settlers, 195,986 nomadic and 39,820 internally displaced persons (IDPs), making a total of 792,182.

Districts

Bay Region consists of Seven districts: *

Baidoa District Baidoa District () is a district in the southern Bay region of Somalia. Its capital is Baidoa Baidoa (, Somali (Af-Maxaa): , ) is the largest city of the South West State of Somalia. Between 2002 and 2014, Baidoa was the capital of the South ...

Burhakaba District Burhakaba District () is a district in the southern Bay region of Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by ...

Dinsoor District Dinsoor District () is a district in the southern Dooy Shabeelle State region of Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa an ...

* Qansahdhere District *

Berdale District Berdale (, ) is a town in the southern Bay region of Somalia, in South West State of Somalia, and is also known as Bardale. It is the center of the Berdale District. On 4 May, 2020, this was the site of an aircraft shootdown incident. A chartere ...

* Idale District

Major towns

* Dinsoor * Burhakaba * Berdaale * Qansahdhere * Barbaare* Idale * Hargarka *''Gaduudo-dhuntu''

Notes

External links

Administrative map of Bay Region
{{Authority control Regions of Somalia