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Burao Burcoبرعو
City
Shopping Centre in Burco
BuraoLocation in Somaliland
Coordinates: 09°31′27″N 45°32′13″E / 9.52417°N 45.53694°E / 9.52417; 45.53694
Country	Somaliland
Region	Togdheer
District	Burao
Government
• Mayor	Mohamed Yusuf Murad
Area
• Total	28 km (11 sq mi)
Elevation	1,037 m (3,402 ft)
Population
• Total	548,211
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)
Climate	BWh

Burao (var. Bur'o) (Template:Lang-so, Template:Lang-ar) is the largest city in the Togdheer region of Somaliland, and also serves as the capital of Togdheer region. It is the second largest and second capital city of Somaliland.

History

Burao is one of a series of ancient settlements in Somalia. Burial sites near the town feature a number of old stelae.

Burao was the site of the unilateral and declaration of an independent Somaliland on May 18, 1991.

Like many other cities in Somalia, Burao has been rebuilt with limited outside aid since the outbreak of the civil war in the early 1990s. The town has grown considerably on account of investment by the Somaliland diaspora and people from rural areas moving to the city.

Demographics

Burao is the second largest city in Somaliland with a population of 548,211 according to the (2015) census.

As of November 1994, the main residents of Burao are the Habar Jeclo, Habar Yoonis and the Isse Muuse which are all subdivisions of the larger Isaaq Somali clan.

Municipality and services

The city enjoys full-time electricity and a reliable water supply from groundwater. In addition, Burao's central location has contributed to its economic revival. Goods travelling to the south, central and eastern parts of Somalia all depart from the city's outskirts. Rural merchants also sell their produce on a daily basis, which attracts business.

In 2007, Burao's city authority (in conjunction with development organizations and local traders) opened the Burco Meat and Produce complex. One year in the making, the market has two main halls and can accommodate more than 2000 merchants.

The Burao Municipality is currently led by Mayor Mohamud Ahmed Hassan.

Geography

Weather in Burao, much like other inland towns in Somaliland, is warm and dry year-round. The average daytime temperatures during the summer months of June and August can rise to 31 °C (95 °F), with a low of 20 °C (77 °F) at night. The weather is cooler the rest of the year, averaging 27 °C (80 °F) during the day and 13 °C (57 °F) at nighttime. The city's limited rainfall of 222 mm usually comes with two peaks during April–May and October–November.

The Togdheer River runs through the town. It is often dry but subject to flooding. The river divides the city in half, and can be crossed via a newly built bridge in the city center.

Burao's landscape is semi-desert and fairly flat.

Climate

Wildlife

Due to the fertility and greenery of the region, wild animals come to the area either to breed or to graze on the grassland savannah. Prominent animals found locally include the kudu, wild boars, zebras, the Somali Wild Ass, warthogs, antelopes, the Somali sheep, wild goats, camels, and many different types of birds. Due south of Burao is a grassland savannah, which attracts many types of fauna to the region, including lions and leopards.

Transportation

Burao has a working bus system. Air transportation needs are served by the Burao Airport, which offers flights via Daallo Airlines to Hargeisa and other cities in the Horn of Africa, as well as international locations such as Addis Ababa and San'a. As of 2012, the airport's facilities are undergoing major renovations, supervised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

In addition, an all-weather road connects Burao to the port of Berbera through the escarpment town of Sheekh. In September 2013, the Somali federal government signed an official cooperation agreement with its Chinese counterpart in Mogadishu as part of a five-year national recovery plan in Somalia. The pact will see the Chinese authorities reconstruct several major infrastructural landmarks in the Somali capital and elsewhere, as well as the road linking Burao with Galkayo.

Notable residents

• Abdirahman Ahmed Ali Tuur – First President of Somaliland
• Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal – Second President of Somaliland
• Mohammed Saed Duale – Founder and Chairman of Dahabshiil Group
• Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud – Incumbent President of Somaliland
• Hadraawi – Poet Laureate- He is considered by many to be the greatest living Somali poet

See also

• Dul Madoba

References

1. ^ UNDP Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia (1994-11-15). "Report on Mission to Haud Area, Region 5". Retrieved 2012-04-23. only major 'urban' centre is Bur'o, a town they share roughly equally with the Habar Jeclo's .
2. "Districts of Somalia".
3. Somaliland’s Quest for International Recognition and the HBM-SSC Factor Archived May 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
4. "National Museums". Somali Heritage and Archaeology. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
5. "Somaliland History". World66. Internet Brands. Retrieved 2007-07-17. In 1991, after the collapse of the government in Somalia,at a meeting of clan elders in the town of Burao.
6. ^ A New Market Complex for Burco, Togdheer
7. "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Burao, Somalia". Weatherbase. 2011. Retrieved November 24, 2011.
8. "Climate: Burao, Somalia". Climate-Data.org. 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
9. "Somalia: Gov't, China Officially Sign Cooperation Agreement". Dalsan Radio. 9 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.

• Populated places in Togdheer
• Cities in Somaliland