Lighthouses of Somalia

Shaped something like a fish hook, Somalia is located on the Horn of Africa, the northeastern corner of the continent. The country was formed in 1960 by uniting the former British Somaililand, which faces north on the Gulf of Aden, with the former Italian Somaliland, which faces east southeast on the Indian Ocean.

This union has never been complete, and since 1991 the southern part of the country has been splintered by repeated warfare. A Transitional Federal Government (TFG) recognized by the United Nations is attempting to create a federal state, but much of the country is in the hands of the Islamist Al Shahaab movement. The northern regions of Galmudug and Puntland have autonomous governments which say they are willing to be considered states within a federal Somalia. The Republic of Somaliland, which controls about 2/3 of the former British Somaliland, declared its independence of Somalia in 1991 and has been seeking international recognition. Lighthouses of Somaliland are described on a separate page.

Under these unsettled and dangerous conditions, it is difficult to determine the status of the lighthouses. The lighthouses in Somaliland are apparently operating, but the others are probably abandoned and falling into ruin. Current information on any of these sites would certainly be welcome.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume D of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.

Merka Range Lights
Merka Range Rear Light
postcard image courtesy of Michel Forand
Lighthouses of Puntland
Note: These lighthouses are in Puntland, a region at the northeastern corner of Somalia that has declared itself autonomous, though not independent. The government of Puntland has made attempts to suppress piracy along its coasts, and although piracy remains a problem it appears that most pirates are now operating from the neghboring region of Galmudug. Investors from Dubai have signed agreements to develop the region's principal port, Bosaso, on the Gulf of Aden. Puntland is the most stable region of Somalia at the present time.
* Bosaso (Bossaso, Boosaaso, Bandar Cassim, Bandar Qassim) Range Rear (1)
Date unknown. Apparently inactive since 2004. 13 m (43 ft) black and white banded tower. No lantern. The thumbnail image at right is from images.google.com; the full-size photo was not retrievable. A Google satellite view probably shows the lighthouse. The Admiralty Notices to Mariners (2004#22) reported that the Bosasso range lights had been replaced by new lights on a slightly different heading, but that the old structures were left in place. The new rear light was described by another Admiralty notice in 2008 as being on a "white post," height not listed, with a red diamond daymark. Located in Bosaso. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SOM-001; Admiralty D7260.1; NGA 31060.
Ra's Asir (Cape Guardafui) (2)
Date unknown. Inactive. 19 m (63 ft) round masonry tower on square base. No photo available., but the shadow of the tower and remains of several buildings can be seen in a Google satellite view of the cape. Michel Forand has a historic postcard view of the original lighthouse, a skeletal tower. Ra's Asir is the famous Horn of Africa, the northeastern tip of the continent. This historic lighthouse is described by the international light lists as "unreliable"; in fact it has been abandoned, and the surrounding area is quite desolate. Site status unknown. ARLHS SOM-003; Admiralty D7246; NGA 31072.

Bosasso Range Rear Light
source unknown
Ra's Hafun
Date unknown. Inactive. 13 m (42 ft) white column on white building, red lantern. No photo available, but the abandoned station is seen in a Google satellite view. Ras Hafun is a sharp promontory projecting east from Hurdiyo in northeastern Somalia. Site status unknown. ARLHS SOM-011; Admiralty D7242; NGA 31076.

Lighthouses of Galmudug
Note: Galmudug is a region in central Somalia. The coastal part of the region has been controlled in recent years by Somalia's notorious pirate gangs.
Hobyo (Obbia)
Date unknown. Inactive. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical tower, now in ruins. A closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located in Hobyo, a small town about 500 km (315 mi) northeast of Mogadishu. The town has no regular port facilities, only a small, partially-protected anchorage. Site status unknown. ARLHS SOM-008; Admiralty D7236; NGA 31088.

Lighthouses of Central Somalia
Moqdishu (Mogadishu) Old Port (?)
Date unknown. Probably inactive for many years. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) masonry tower centered on an octagonal masonry keeper's house. Alex Strick von Linschoten has a 2008 photo, a 2009 National Geographic photo shows the interior of the ruined lighthouse, Nasar Cabdi has an aerial view and a second view, and Google has a satellite view. Although although many sources describe this building as a lighthouse, it was never listed by international authorities and nothing is known of its history. Most likely it is a 19th century (pre-colonial) fortified watchtower that was also used as a lighthouse. Located at the western end of the traditional port (an open roads) in Mogadishu. Site status unknown.
Moqdishu (Mogadishu) Main (2?)
Date unknown (station established 1903). Inactive. Described by current light lists as a 10 m (33 ft) white masonry tower with a focal plane of 74 m (243 ft). Originally, this was a 17 m square tower with lantern and gallery. The library of the Swiss Institute of Technology has the historic photo at right, and a more distant historic view is available. Google has a cloud-shaded satellite view in which it appears that the lighthouse is now incorporated into a larger structure. It's not known if the existing tower is the original, or part of the original. Downtown Mogadishu, the national capital and former capital of Italian Somaliland, is more or less under the control of the Transitional Government but subject to terrorist attacks by Al Shahaab. Located on a ridge about 1.5 km (1 mi) northwest of the harbor. Site status unknown. ARLHS SOM-007; Admiralty D7218; NGA 31096.
Merka (Merca, Marka) Range Rear
Date unknown (station established 1912). Inactive. 17 m (56 ft) white round concrete tower. No photo available, but Michel Forand has contributed the historic postcard view at the top of the page, and the tower is centered in a Google satellite view. Merka has no protected harbor, only an open roadstead. The front light is on a post near the shore. Located on the west side of Merka, above the roadstead. Site status unknown; this is also an Al Shahaab controlled area. ARLHS SOM-006; Admiralty D7212.1; NGA 31140.
Baraawe (Barawa, Brava)
1912. Inactive. Approx. 18 m (56 ft) square concrete tower with gallery; the lantern has vanished. Nicola Prisco has a 1986 photo, a small closeup and a small and distant photo are available, Klaus Huelse has a historic postcard view of the lighthouse when it was active, and Google has a satellite view. Located on an island sheltering the harbor of Baraawe, a port about 160 km (100 mi) southwest of Mogadishu. This area is also reported to be under Al Shahaab's control. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS SOM-002.
Mogadishu Light
Mogadishu Main Light, 1912
ETH Zurich Creative Commons image

Lighthouses of Jubaland (Azania)
Note: These lighthouses are in Jubaland, a region at the southwestern corner of Somalia. Much of Jubaland was formerly claimed by Britain as part of Kenya, but Britain ceded its claims to Italy in 1924. The region has been controlled recently by Al Shahaab, but in 2010 a new administration took power, with Kenyan support, and declared the region to be an autonomous state (similar to Puntland). The new state is being called Azania, a name coined by Roman geographers that applied vaguely to the east coast of Africa.
Jumba (Fiume Giuba)
1912(?). Inactive. 9 m (30 ft) black square masonry tower on white truncated pyramid. No photo available, and the survival of this beacon is questionable. Located on the mainland about 16 km (10 mi) northeast of Kismayo (Kismayu). Site status unknown. ARLHS SOM-004; NGA 31156.
Isola dei Serpenti (Kismayu, Kismayo)
Date unknown. Active(?); focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 4 s, also a continuous red light of shorter range. Round masonry tower centered on a masonry keeper's house. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Kismayo is an active harbor, but the satellite view shows no evidence of activity around the light station. Located on an island about 1.5 km (1 mi) southeast of Kismayo (Kismayu); the island is connected to the mainland by a causeway. Site status unknown. ARLHS SOM-010; Admiralty D6842; NGA 31160.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: South: Kenya | West: Somaliland

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Posted July 1, 2005. Checked and revised May 31, 2011. Lighthouses: 10. Site copyright 2011 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.