Somalia: cities by population
Somalia has a population of 20,305,907 (UN estimate, 2026), with Mogadishu as its capital. The 50 largest of its 73 recorded towns and cities, ranked.
+130%
since 2000 (8,838,713)
+83%
projected by 2050 (37,206,512)
32
people per km²
Figures are the latest available in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), which draws on national censuses of varying dates — treat them as recent, not same-year. Country totals are UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant) where the UN lists the country separately; the handful it reports under a parent state keep a GeoNames figure and are marked as such. Sources & method.
Largest cities in Somalia
| # | Place | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mogadishu | Banaadir | 2,587,183 |
| 2 | Borama | Awdal | 597,842 |
| 3 | Hargeysa | Woqooyi Galbeed | 477,876 |
| 4 | Berbera | Woqooyi Galbeed | 242,344 |
| 5 | Kismayo | Lower Juba | 234,852 |
| 6 | Marka | Lower Shabeelle | 230,100 |
| 7 | El Dibir | Bari | 200,000 |
| 8 | Ruqi | Awdal | 148,702 |
| 9 | Baidoa | Bay | 129,839 |
| 10 | Cabudwaaq | Galguduud | 120,000 |
| 11 | Burao | Togdheer | 99,270 |
| 12 | Kaambooni | Lower Juba | 79,000 |
| 13 | Gebiley | Woqooyi Galbeed | 77,320 |
| 14 | Bosaso | Bari | 74,287 |
| 15 | Beled Hawo | Gedo | 73,000 |
| 16 | Balanbale | Galguduud | 68,000 |
| 17 | Afgooye | Lower Shabeelle | 65,461 |
| 18 | Gaalkacyo | Mudug | 61,200 |
| 19 | Laascaanood | Sool | 60,100 |
| 20 | Garoowe | Nugaal | 57,300 |
| 21 | Beledweyne | Hiiraan | 55,410 |
| 22 | Qoryooley | Lower Shabeelle | 51,720 |
| 23 | Jawhar | Middle Shabele | 47,086 |
| 24 | Jilib | Middle Juba | 43,694 |
| 25 | Jamaame | Lower Juba | 42,270 |
| 26 | Baardheere | Gedo | 42,240 |
| 27 | Dhabad | Galguduud | 36,000 |
| 28 | Ceerigaabo | Sanaag | 33,853 |
| 29 | Luuq | Gedo | 33,820 |
| 30 | Buurhakaba | Bay | 27,792 |
| 31 | Dhamas | Gedo | 27,000 |
| 32 | Ceeldheer | Galguduud | 26,562 |
| 33 | Saaxo | Mudug | 26,000 |
| 34 | Tog Wajaale | Woqooyi Galbeed | 22,700 |
| 35 | Wanlaweyn | Lower Shabeelle | 22,022 |
| 36 | Diinsoor | Bay | 20,000 |
| 37 | Baki | Awdal | 20,000 |
| 38 | Qandala | Bari | 19,300 |
| 39 | Eyl | Nugaal | 18,904 |
| 40 | Saylac | Awdal | 18,600 |
| 41 | Bu’aale | Middle Juba | 17,475 |
| 42 | Buulobarde | Hiiraan | 16,928 |
| 43 | Bandarbeyla | Bari | 13,753 |
| 44 | Garbahaarrey | Gedo | 12,652 |
| 45 | Hobyo | Mudug | 12,564 |
| 46 | Xuddur | Bakool | 12,500 |
| 47 | Yagoori | Sool | 12,190 |
| 48 | Buhodle | Togdheer | 11,373 |
| 49 | Bereeda | Bari | 11,262 |
| 50 | Garadag | Sanaag | 10,000 |
Twenty years earlier: Somalia in the 2005 World Gazetteer — population then 11,967,011.
Common questions
What is the population of Somalia?
Somalia has a population of 20,305,907, the UN World Population Prospects estimate for 2026. The UN's medium-variant projection for 2050 is 37,206,512 — a forecast, not a measurement.
What is the capital of Somalia?
Mogadishu.