British Somaliland

a former British protectorate in E Africa, on the Gulf of Aden: now the N part of Somalia. Former official name, Somaliland Protectorate. Cf. Somalia.

* * *

Former British protectorate, southern shore of the Gulf of Aden, eastern Africa.

It occupied 67,936 sq mi (175,954 sq km). In the Middle Ages it was a powerful Arab sultanate; it was broken up in the 17th century. Its coast came under British influence in the early 19th century, but formal control was not acquired until it was taken from Egypt in 1884. It fell under Italian control in World War II. In 1960 it was united with the former Italian Somaliland to form Somalia. See also Somaliland.

* * *

▪ historical region, Somalia

      Former British protectorate, southern shore of the Gulf of Aden (Aden, Gulf of), eastern Africa. In the Middle Ages it was a powerful Arab sultanate; it was broken up in the 17th century. Its coast came under British influence in the early 19th century, but formal control was not acquired until it was taken from Egypt in 1884. It fell under Italian control in World War II. In 1960 it was united with the former Italian Somaliland to form Somalia. In 1991 a government opposition group declared the region comprising the former British Somaliland to be an independent state; however, it was not internationally recognized. See also Somaliland.

* * *