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,
Middle Jubba (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
*
Barawa District
* 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
*
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 ...
*
Afgooye
*
Elasha Biyaha
*
Qoryoley
*
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
*
Wanlaweyn
*
Sablale
*
Jannaale
*
Mubaarak
*
Buulo Mareer
*
Gobanle
*
Jilib Merca
*
Kunyo Barrow
*
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.
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