# Berbera

> city in the northwestern Berbera District of Somalia

**Wikidata**: [Q191718](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q191718)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berbera)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/berbera

## Summary
Berbera is a city and port city located in the Berbera District of Somalia, situated within the Sahil region. It serves as the capital of the Berbera District and has historically served as the capital of British Somaliland. The city is positioned at an elevation of 3 meters above sea level on the northwestern coast.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: Berbera is classified as both a city (a large human settlement) and a port city.
- **Location**: The city is located in the Berbera District, Somalia, with coordinates 10.43953° latitude and 45.01305° longitude.
- **Elevation**: It sits at an elevation of 3 metres above sea level.
- **Area**: The city covers an area of 5 square kilometres.
- **Population**: The population was estimated at 20,000 in 1968 and grew to approximately 263,000 by 2007.
- **Administrative Role**: Berbera is the capital of the Berbera District and the Sahil region. It formerly served as the capital of British Somaliland.
- **Identifiers**: The city's UN/LOCODE is SOBBO, and its Where On Earth ID (WOEID) is 1425430.
- **Aliases**: Historical and alternative names for the city include Berberah, Malao, 拨拔力, 弼琶囉, and 撥拔立.

## FAQs
**What is the geographical location and physical size of Berbera?**
Berbera is situated in northwestern Somalia within the Berbera District at coordinates 10.43953, 45.01305. The city spans an area of 5 square kilometres and rests at a low elevation of 3 metres above sea level.

**What administrative and historical roles does Berbera hold?**
The city acts as the capital for both the Berbera District and the Sahil region. Historically, it held significant political importance as the capital of British Somaliland.

**How has the population of Berbera changed over time?**
Records indicate a substantial increase in the city's population, rising from an estimated 20,000 residents in 1968 to 263,000 residents in 2007.

**What are the different names and identifiers associated with Berbera?**
The city is known by several aliases, including Malao and various transliterations such as 弼琶囉. It is identified internationally by the UN/LOCODE "SOBBO" and is listed under numerous encyclopedic and library authority IDs, such as the Library of Congress Authority ID no91014933.

## Why It Matters
Berbera holds significance as a key maritime hub on the northwestern coast of Somalia, classified explicitly as a "port city." Its strategic importance is underlined by its history as the former capital of British Somaliland, highlighting its long-standing political and logistical relevance in the region. The city maintains a strong international presence, documented by a high volume of Wikipedia language editions (53 sitelinks) and recognition in major academic and geographical databases, ranging from the Encyclopædia Britannica to the Great Russian Encyclopedia.

## Notable For
- **Port City Status**: Explicitly classified as a port city, distinguishing it from inland settlements.
- **Historical Capital**: Formerly the capital of British Somaliland.
- **Global Documentation**: Described by a wide array of international sources, including The Nuttall Encyclopædia, the Encyclopedia of Islam, and BBC Things.
- **Multilingual Recognition**: The entity possesses aliases in Chinese (拨拔力, 弼琶囉, 撥拔立) and Arabic, and has Wikipedia entries in approximately 50 languages.
- **Rapid Growth**: Population increased more than tenfold between 1968 and 2007.

## Body

### Geography and Demographics
Berbera is situated in the northwestern region of Somalia within the Berbera District. Geographically, it is located at latitude 10.43953 and longitude 45.01305. The city is notably low-lying, with an elevation of only 3 metres above sea level, and it encompasses a total land area of 5 square kilometres.

Demographic data indicates significant growth over the late 20th century. A 1968 estimation placed the population at 20,000. By 2007, this number had risen to 263,000.

### Administrative and Political Status
Berbera serves as a central administrative hub. It is the capital of the Berbera District and the Sahil region. Historically, its political stature was greater, having served as the capital of the territory known as British Somaliland. The city's governance and civic identity are represented by an official flag and a local council seal.

### Nomenclature and Historical References
The city is known by several names and aliases throughout history and across different languages. Common variants include "Berberah" and the historical name "Malao." In Chinese historical records, it appears as 拨拔力, 弼琶囉, and 撥拔立. The *The Nuttall Encyclopædia* references the city under the entry "Ber`berah."

### External Identifiers and Database Records
Berbera is extensively cataloged in global geographical and library systems:
- **Logistics**: UN/LOCODE SOBBO.
- **Geographical Databases**: GeoNames ID 64435; OpenStreetMap Node ID 291580881; Who's on First ID 421181457.
- **Library Authorities**: Library of Congress Authority ID no91014933; VIAF ID 130469095; National Library of Israel J9U ID 987007540105105171.
- **Encyclopedic References**: Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID "place/Berbera"; TDV Encyclopedia of Islam ID "berbera"; Hrvatska Enciklopedija ID 7008; Great Russian Encyclopedia Portal ID "berbera-9a2f32".
- **Digital & Knowledge Graphs**: Wikidata (53 sitelinks), Freebase ID /m/03q237, BabelNet ID 03814873n, Quora Topic "Berbera", and BBC Things ID 8e663fff-8791-4b28-979d-d1efdb87be22.

The city's digital presence is further supported by a Wikipedia title in approximately 48 languages, including Arabic, Japanese, Russian, and Simplified Chinese.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1969–1978)
3. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
4. GeoNames
5. BBC Things
6. BabelNet
7. Quora
8. [Source](https://encyklopedia.pwn.pl/haslo/Berbera;3876166.html)
9. [Source](https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/berbera)
10. FactGrid