Not your average tourist destination, Somalia is strictly a place for travellers with a charmed life and a bullet-proof vest. Travel is possible in the northern districts of the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland, but even the hardiest of travellers should avoid visiting other areas. 

Potentially delightful
The anarchic turmoil of the country hides a country with a hugely varied landscape of mountains, deserts, tropical forests, undiscovered beaches and coral reefs along the Gulf of Aden. Sadly, much of it is being destroyed through unregulated logging, droughts and civil war and the future doesn't bode well for this war-torn country.

Cultural influences
Somalia developed from a string of Arab sultanates along the northeast coast of Africa. As Arab influence waned, the British, French and Italians established protectorates on the Somali coast during the late-19th century. These were the subjects of various treaties, forged amid frequent border clashes between the colonial powers and the neighbouring Ethiopians, and between the European powers themselves.

Ongoing disputes
Modern Somalia was created on 1 July 1960 from British and Italian Somalilands. Inherited tribal rivalries and territorial disputes have dominated the country's subsequent history. Years of fighting between rival warlords and an inability to deal with famine and disease have led to the deaths of up to 1 million people. The area is still extremely volatile, with attacks taking place, especially in the capital of Mogadishu.