Jubaland
Jubaland (Somali: Jubbaland, Arabic: جوبالاند, Italian: Oltregiuba), the Juba Valley (Somali: Dooxada Jubba) or Azania (Somali: Asaaniya, Arabic: آزانيا), is a Federal Member State in southern Somalia. Its eastern border lies 40–60 km (25–35 mi) east of the Jubba River, stretching from Gedo to the Indian Ocean, while its western side flanks the North Eastern Province in Kenya, which was carved out of Jubaland during the colonial period.[4]
Jubaland has a total area of 110,293 km2 (42,584 sq mi). As of 2005, it had a total population of 953,045 inhabitants.[5][6] The territory consists of the Gedo, Lower Juba and Middle Juba provinces. Its largest city is Kismayo, which is situated on the coast near the mouth of the Jubba River. Bardhere is a second largest city in Jubaland also Luuq, and Beled Haawo are the region's other principal settlements. Other cities such as Jamame and Jilib are currently occupied by Al-Shabaab.
During the Middle Ages, the influential Somali Ajuran Sultanate held sway over the territory, followed in turn by the Geledi Sultanate. They were later incorporated into British East Africa. In 1925, Jubaland was ceded to Italy, forming a part of Italian Somaliland. On 1 July 1960, the region, along with the rest of Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland, became part of the independent Somali Republic.
Jubaland was later the site of numerous battles during the civil war. In late 2006, Islamist militants gained control of most of the region. To reclaim possession of the territory, a new autonomous administration dubbed Azania was announced in 2010 and formalized the following year. In 2013, the Juba Interim Administration was officially established and recognized. It is now one of the five autonomous administrations in Somalia.
Transportation
Air transportation in Jubaland is served by a number of airports. These include the Bardera Airport, Garbaharey Airport and Kismayo Airport.
Jubaland's three constituent administrative regions are:
Society and culture
Borders
In February 2019, Kenyan officials have alleged that Somalia is engaged in an inappropriate auctioning of drilling rights along the African coast of the Ocean off Jubaland. The International Court of Arbitration has scheduled procedures for September 2019 concerning maritime territorial waters, which Somali sources indicate is being pre-empted by the Kenyan officials. Kenya demanded Somalia to abandon its ICJ case for bilateral discussion. Somalia sees this as delaying tactics as discussion did not produce results between 2009 and 2014. Kenya gave mining rights to France and Italian companies in 2009, however, accused Somalia of doing the same. Somalia denied the accusation. Somalia won the majority of their case off the Jubaland coast on the maritime dispute in 2020 at the ICJ (International Court of Justice).[47]