Lower Shabelle (, , , ) 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 ...

Geography

Lower Shabelle is bordered by the regions of

Banaadir Banaadir (, , ) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in southeastern Somalia. It covers the same area as the city of Mogadishu, which serves as the capital. It is the only region in the country not belonging to any of the six states. It is b ...

, Middle Shabelle (Shabeellaha Dhexe), Hiran,

Bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a ''gulf'', ''sea'', ''sound'', or ''bight''. A ''cove'' is a small, ci ...

Middle Jubba Middle Juba (, , ) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in southern Somalia. With its capital at Bu'aale, it is located in the autonomous Jubaland region. Middle Juba is bordered by the Somali regions of Gedo, Bay, Lower Shebelle (Shabell ...

(Jubbada Dhexe) and by the Somali Sea. It is named after the

Shebelle River The Shebelle River ( Oromo: Laga Shabeellee, , , ) also known historically as the Nile of Mogadishu, begins in the highlands of Ethiopia, and then flows southeast into Somalia towards Mogadishu. Near Mogadishu, it turns sharply southwest, where ...

, which passes through it. Until 1984, when the regions were reassigned, it was part of the larger Benadir region and its capital was

Mogadishu Mogadishu, locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port connecting traders across the Indian Ocean for millennia and has ...

Merca Merca (, ) is the capital city of the Lower Shebelle province of Somalia, a historic port city in the region. It is located approximately to the southwest of the nation's capital Mogadishu. Merca is the traditional home territory of the Bimal c ...

is now the Lower Shabelle capital.

Districts

Lower Shabelle Region is divided into nineteen districts: * Merca Minicipality (Capital City) *

Afgooye District Afgooye District is a district in the southeastern Lower Shabelle (Shabeellaha Hoose) region of Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Ho ...

Barawa District Barawa District () is a district in the southeastern Lower Shabelle (Shabeellaha Hoose) region of Somalia. Its capital lies at Barawa Barawa ( ''Barāwe'', , ''Baraawe'', ''Barāwa'', Italian language, Italian: ''Brava''), also known as Bara ...

* Kurtunwarrey District * Jilib Merca District * Danaane District * Gondershe District * Ceeljaalle District * Lambar 50 District * Qoryooley District * Sablaale District * Wanlaweyn District * Awdheegle District * Mubaarak District * Bariire District * Jannaale District * Shalambood District * Buul Golweyn District * Buulo marer District

Major cities

Major cities include *

Afgooye Afgooye (, , ) is a town in the southeastern Somalia Lower Shebelle (Shabellaha Hoose) region of Somalia. It is the center of the Afgooye District. Afgooye is the third largest city of Southwest State. Afgooye is one of the oldest towns on the ...

Elasha Biyaha Elasha Biyaha () is a suburb located in the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia, approximately 16 kilometers northwest of Mogadishu. Overview Elasha Biyaha is situated on the northwestern outskirts of Mogadishu, nestled between Afgooye and the ca ...

Qoryoley Qoryoley (, , ) is a town in the Lower Shebelle region of the South West State of Somalia. It is located 123 kilometers southwest of the capital city Mogadishu and 23 kilometers west of the coastal city of Merca. History Qoryoley was named afte ...

Barawa Barawa ( ''Barāwe'', , ''Baraawe'', ''Barāwa'', Italian language, Italian: ''Brava''), also known as Barawe and Brava, is the capital city, capital of the South West State of Somalia, South West State of Somalia.Pelizzari, Elisa. "Guerre civ ...

Awdheegle Awdheegle (also Awdhegele) is a town in the Lower Shabelle region in southern Somalia. Demographics Awdheegle is agricultural town located west of Mogadishu on the Shebelle River Awdheegle is predominantly inhabited by the Begedi and Garre clan ...

Wanlaweyn Wanlaweyn () is a town in the northern Lower Shebelle region of Somalia. Situated around 90 km (50 miles) northwest of the capital Mogadishu, it is the center of the Wanlaweyn District. The Shanta Alemo (Somali: Shanta Caleemo), (Italian: ...

* Sablale * Jannaale *

Mubaarak Mubaarak ( Somali: Mubarak, Arabic: مبارك, Romanized: Mubārak) is a town under the Governorate of Merca (Marka, Marca, Merka) City Mainland. The Shebelle River (Webi Shabeelie) flows through the east of Mubaarak. The Shabelle River origina ...

Buulo Mareer Bulo Marer (, Bulla Marer, Bula Mareer, Bulo Barer, Bulomarer) is a town in the southwestern Lower Shebelle region of Somalia. It was a base of Al-Shabaab, and was the site of an ill-fated 2013 military operation during which French commandos at ...

* Gobanle * Jilib Merca *

Kunyo Barrow Kunyo Barrow () is a town in the southern Middle Juba region of Somalia. It is situated around 257 km southwest of the capital Mogadishu. History Beginning in February 2019, the United States launched airstrikes in Kunyo Barrow, killing ...

* Daarusalam Siyaame

Violence in Golweyn

On 30 July 2017, an

AMISOM The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was a Multinational force formed by the African Union. The operation deployed to Somalia soon after the Islamic Courts Union was deposed by troops from Ethiopia during War in Somalia (2006–2009), ...

convoy was ambushed by al-Shabaab insurgents, killing and wounding several

Ugandan soldiers Demographic features of the population of Uganda include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and others. Population According to the total population was in , comp ...

. Eight children were killed and dozens were wounded when a bomb exploded in Golweyn on 31 January 2021.

Notes

External links

Administrative map of Lower Shabelle
Regions of Somalia {{Somalia-geo-stub