Somalia

Located in extreme northeast Africa, Somalia occupies the tip of what is known as the Horn of Africa. The country is divided into five general biophysical zones. The eastern highlands are dominated by the Karkaar mountains, where the comparatively high but scattered precipitation supports forest vegetation. Here incense and myrrh collection represent the primary vegetative resource. The central high plateau, or the Haud, straddles the Ethiopian-Somali border and extends more than 37 miles (60 kilometers) into Ethiopia, and south and eastward into central and southwest Somalia. This region is characterized by relatively dense bush vegetation and grasses making up some of the best grazing areas in the country. The central Mudug Plain is made up of smaller terrace-like plains rising gently between the Haud and ...