THE ECONOMIC RESOURCES OF BRITISH SOMALILAND. 



By R. E. DRAKE-BROCKMAN, M.R.C.S.Eng., 

 L.R.C.P.Lond. 



THE British Protectorate of Somaliland is estimated to 

 have an area of some 58,000 square miles, with a coast 

 line of about 450 miles in length. This extensive area 

 might conveniently be divided into a coast belt of from 

 30 to 50 miles in width and an internal plateau; the 

 altitude of the latter may be taken as varying between 

 2,500 and 6,000 ft., the latter height only being reached 

 on the mountain ranges. It is necessary here to state 

 that only a small portion of this huge area is known at 

 all well. The whole eastern and south-eastern parts 

 comprising the Habr Toljaala, Warsangeli, Mijertain 

 and Dulbahanta countries have been left practically 

 unexplored owing to the activities of the Mullah 

 Mahommed Abdullah Hassan, while in the northern 

 parts the whole of the Gudabirsi and Esa countries are 

 unknown except to a few sportsmen who have rapidly 

 traversed them in quest of big game. 



Somaliland being the habitat of a nomadic race it 

 stands to reason that little save the breeding of livestock 

 has ever engaged the attention of its inhabitants, con- 

 sequently it is difficult to predict whether the future 

 economic prosperity of the Protectorate, when the 

 internal affairs of the country are in a more settled state, 

 will be based on stock-raising, agricultural production 

 or minerals. 



As regards the last of the three, namely, minerals, 

 nothing can yet be said owing to the lack of information 

 regarding the country as a whole and the eastern por- 

 tion in particular. Oil shales have been discovered 

 within a few miles of the coast town of Berbera and 

 according to native reports there are other similar 

 deposits elsewhere. With respect to valuable minerals 



