Maps of Somalia Available from Ball State University Libraries

Maps in the News: Somalia


The Ball State University Libraries’ GIS Research and Map Collection (GRMC) on the second floor of Bracken Library includes a collection of maps of Somalia and its capital city, Mogadishu. The collection also features historic maps of this region of Africa formerly known as the Somaliland Protectorate (1956 map) and Somalia and Djibouti (1977 map).

The GRMC has general maps of Somalia produced by the Central Intelligence Agency, maps showing roads, and topographic maps of the country at various scales. Maps depicting the country’s land use and natural resources, population, and ethnic groups (shown above) are also included in the collection. A chart on the map shows the clan families of Somalia and major subclans.

The satellite map of Mogadishu (above) at 1:50,000-scale was published in 1992 by the Centre Geographique Interarmees. The red circles on the map mark the locations of hospitals at that time.

Maps of Somalia have not yet been cataloged and will not appear in the University Libraries’ CardCat system, so contact or visit the GRMC for more information about the maps. The phone number for the GRMC is 765-285-1097 or email mgentry@bsu.edu.