Sheikh (Somali: Sheekh, Arabic: شَيخ, also known as Shiikh or Upper Sheikh), is a city in central Somaliland (a state in the Horn of Africa that separated from Somalia in 1991 and is not internationally recognized). Sheikh is the capital of the Sheikh district in the region/province Sahil. It lies at an altitude of some 1430 m in the Golis Mountains, roughly halfway between the larger cities of Berbera (on the coast of the Gulf of Aden, at a distance of about 71 km) and Burao (further inland, around 60 km from Sheikh). The broader Sheikh District has a total population of about 100,000 residents.[2]
Sheikh lies on the tarmacked road from Berbera to Burao. This so-called Burao-Berbera Highway is one of the most scenic drives in Somaliland. Coming from hot and arid Berbera the climb into the Golis Mountains starts after some 46 km at the village of Laaleys. The landscape then quickly becomes greener and, via a series of hairpin bends, the Sheikh pass is reached at about 1490 m above sea level. This is followed by a short descent to Sheikh, which lies on a plateau at about 1430 m. Actually, therefore, the Golis Mountains are not a mountain range, but the jagged northern edge of the Somali plateau.[3] The core of the town has a rectangular street plan. There are four hotels (MashaAllah, Daalo, the Ayaan Muniiro hotel, and the large 5-storey Hashi Baroo hotel). Furthermore, there are at least two pharmacies and several shops and eateries.[4] Sheikh used to have an airstrip; it has now fallen into disuse but is still recognizable in the landscape[5]
Mainstreet in Sheikh.
Several sources indicate that Sheikh is said to contain old British colonial buildings and temple ruins similar to those on the Deccan Plateau in India.[6] These reports appear to be from an article in a Scottish geographic journal from 1898, among others.[7] In practice and on the internet, there is nothing of historical buildings or ruins to be found, and modern guidebooks describe the city as humdrum: mundane, boring.[8]
Pharo Secondary School.
Just outside the city is the Pharo Secondary School. It is a large complex founded in 1958 as the "SOS Hermann Gmeiner Sheikh Secondary School" and was run by SOS Children's Villages. In 1989, the school was looted and destroyed by Siad Barre's troops. In 2003, the complex was restored by a British couple and reopened. For this they had to pay with their lives, as a few months after the school's reopening they were murdered by terrorists from Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya because the school allegedly converted pupils to Christianity. Several senior politicians were educated here, including two former Somaliland presidents, Ahmed Silanyo and Ibrahim Egal. The school has strict entry requirements; only the best students are admitted. In 2019, management of the school was taken over by The Pharo Foundation from SOS Children's Villages and the name changed. There are about 260 students (2022).[9][10][11]
Administrative divisionEdit
Most maps still indicate that the Sheikh District is one of the three districts in the Togdheer region/province, cf. the old 1986 administrative division of Somalia. However, an administrative redivision took place in 2002, transferring Sheikh District to the newly created Saaxil region, which initially became composed of five districts.[12] In 2019, Saaxil's administrative divisions were reorganized and further divided, this time into eight districts. In the process, Sheikh's position as the capital of its own district was confirmed; see Art. 10.1 of the Regions and Districts Self-management Law, No. 23/2019.[13] The boundaries of the 8 districts were not spelled out in the law and so it is unclear which settlements are in Sheikh's district, apart from Sheikh itself.
ClimateEdit
Sheikh has a warm semi-arid steppe climate (BSh in the Köppen Climate Classification), tempered by the substantial altitude at which the town is situated, with an average annual temperature of 19.1 °C. Temperature variation is limited; the coldest month is January (average 14.4 °C); the warmest June (22.5 °C). Rainfall amounts to about 466 mm annually. April - May is the first rainy season (the so-called Gu rains) and these are also the two wettest months in which about 70mm falls. From August - October, there is a second rainy season (the so-called Dayr rains). Incidentally, rainfall can vary greatly from year to year. The dry season is from November - March.[14]
^(PDF). UNDP. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
^Alfred E. Pease M.P., F.R.G.S. (1898): Some account of Somaliland: With notes on journeys through the Gadabürsi and western Ogaden countries, 1896–1897, Scottish Geographical Magazine, 14:2, 57-73, page 71.
^See eg. the Russian Wikipedia article and this travel website.
^See: Alfred E. Pease M.P., F.R.G.S. (1898): Some account of Somaliland: With notes on journeys through the Gadabürsi and western Ogaden countries, 1896–1897, Scottish Geographical Magazine, 14:2, 57-73, blz 64.
^For the existence of Sheikh district, see Article 6.1 in the Regions & Districts (Self Management) Law (Law No: 23/2002) of Somaliland. The text of this law (in Somali: XEERKA ISMAAMULKA GOBOLLADA IYO DEGMOOYINKA JSL. (XEER LR. 23/2002)) is available here and here (only in Somali). See also page 225 of Ibrahim Hashi Jama: "Somaliland Electoral Laws 2009", Somaliland Law Series, here or here.
'Zoomable' satellite imagery of Sheikh: Google Maps and Bing Maps.
Maps of the former Sheikh District (i.e. when it was still part of the Togdheer Region) with the location of Sheikh: here and here. NB: the current Sheikh District (in the Saaxil region) is probably smaller.
Video: a virtual drive from Sheikh to Laaleys through the Golis mountains (14 min.)
ReferencesEdit
Sheikh, Somalia
Regions of Somaliland - page 8.
October 27, 2023
sheikh, somaliland, sheikh, somali, sheekh, arabic, يخ, also, known, shiikh, upper, sheikh, city, central, somaliland, state, horn, africa, that, separated, from, somalia, 1991, internationally, recognized, sheikh, capital, sheikh, district, region, province, . Sheikh Somali Sheekh Arabic ش يخ also known as Shiikh or Upper Sheikh is a city in central Somaliland a state in the Horn of Africa that separated from Somalia in 1991 and is not internationally recognized Sheikh is the capital of the Sheikh district in the region province Sahil It lies at an altitude of some 1430 m in the Golis Mountains roughly halfway between the larger cities of Berbera on the coast of the Gulf of Aden at a distance of about 71 km and Burao further inland around 60 km from Sheikh The broader Sheikh District has a total population of about 100 000 residents 2 Sheikh Sheekhش يخTownCoordinates 9 55 45 N 45 11 30 E 9 92917 N 45 19167 E 9 92917 45 19167Country SomalilandRegionSahilDistrictSheekh DistrictPopulation 2005 1 Total47 625Time zoneUTC 3 EAT Contents 1 Description 2 Administrative division 3 Climate 4 See also 5 Notes 6 External links 7 ReferencesDescription Edit nbsp The road to Sheikh through the Golis Mountains Sheikh lies on the tarmacked road from Berbera to Burao This so called Burao Berbera Highway is one of the most scenic drives in Somaliland Coming from hot and arid Berbera the climb into the Golis Mountains starts after some 46 km at the village of Laaleys The landscape then quickly becomes greener and via a series of hairpin bends the Sheikh pass is reached at about 1490 m above sea level This is followed by a short descent to Sheikh which lies on a plateau at about 1430 m Actually therefore the Golis Mountains are not a mountain range but the jagged northern edge of the Somali plateau 3 The core of the town has a rectangular street plan There are four hotels MashaAllah Daalo the Ayaan Muniiro hotel and the large 5 storey Hashi Baroo hotel Furthermore there are at least two pharmacies and several shops and eateries 4 Sheikh used to have an airstrip it has now fallen into disuse but is still recognizable in the landscape 5 nbsp Mainstreet in Sheikh Several sources indicate that Sheikh is said to contain old British colonial buildings and temple ruins similar to those on the Deccan Plateau in India 6 These reports appear to be from an article in a Scottish geographic journal from 1898 among others 7 In practice and on the internet there is nothing of historical buildings or ruins to be found and modern guidebooks describe the city as humdrum mundane boring 8 nbsp Pharo Secondary School Just outside the city is the Pharo Secondary School It is a large complex founded in 1958 as the SOS Hermann Gmeiner Sheikh Secondary School and was run by SOS Children s Villages In 1989 the school was looted and destroyed by Siad Barre s troops In 2003 the complex was restored by a British couple and reopened For this they had to pay with their lives as a few months after the school s reopening they were murdered by terrorists from Al Itihaad al Islamiya because the school allegedly converted pupils to Christianity Several senior politicians were educated here including two former Somaliland presidents Ahmed Silanyo and Ibrahim Egal The school has strict entry requirements only the best students are admitted In 2019 management of the school was taken over by The Pharo Foundation from SOS Children s Villages and the name changed There are about 260 students 2022 9 10 11 Administrative division EditMost maps still indicate that the Sheikh District is one of the three districts in the Togdheer region province cf the old 1986 administrative division of Somalia However an administrative redivision took place in 2002 transferring Sheikh District to the newly created Saaxil region which initially became composed of five districts 12 In 2019 Saaxil s administrative divisions were reorganized and further divided this time into eight districts In the process Sheikh s position as the capital of its own district was confirmed see Art 10 1 of the Regions and Districts Self management Law No 23 2019 13 The boundaries of the 8 districts were not spelled out in the law and so it is unclear which settlements are in Sheikh s district apart from Sheikh itself Climate EditSheikh has a warm semi arid steppe climate BSh in the Koppen Climate Classification tempered by the substantial altitude at which the town is situated with an average annual temperature of 19 1 C Temperature variation is limited the coldest month is January average 14 4 C the warmest June 22 5 C Rainfall amounts to about 466 mm annually April May is the first rainy season the so called Gu rains and these are also the two wettest months in which about 70mm falls From August October there is a second rainy season the so called Dayr rains Incidentally rainfall can vary greatly from year to year The dry season is from November March 14 See also EditKal Sheikh nbsp Somaliland portalNotes Edit Regions districts and their populations Somalia 2005 draft PDF United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs United Nations Development Programme Archived from the original PDF on 28 July 2017 Retrieved 31 December 2020 Regions districts and their populations Somalia 2005 draft PDF UNDP Archived from the original PDF on 28 July 2017 Retrieved 21 September 2013 Alfred E Pease M P F R G S 1898 Some account of Somaliland With notes on journeys through the Gadabursi and western Ogaden countries 1896 1897 Scottish Geographical Magazine 14 2 57 73 page 71 Source Google maps July 2022 The old airstrip is here Bing Maps See eg the Russian Wikipedia article and this travel website See Alfred E Pease M P F R G S 1898 Some account of Somaliland With notes on journeys through the Gadabursi and western Ogaden countries 1896 1897 Scottish Geographical Magazine 14 2 57 73 blz 64 See VisitHornAfrica com here SOS Sheikh Secondary School and Dick and Enid Eyeington See Bandits murder two aid workers and British aid couple killed at Somali school Official website accessed July 2022 For the existence of Sheikh district see Article 6 1 in the Regions amp Districts Self Management Law Law No 23 2002 of Somaliland The text of this law in Somali XEERKA ISMAAMULKA GOBOLLADA IYO DEGMOOYINKA JSL XEER LR 23 2002 is available here and here only in Somali See also page 225 of Ibrahim Hashi Jama Somaliland Electoral Laws 2009 Somaliland Law Series here or here See here in Somali See also here See Climate Sheikh op Climate data org External links Edit Zoomable satellite imagery of Sheikh Google Maps and Bing Maps Maps of the former Sheikh District i e when it was still part of the Togdheer Region with the location of Sheikh here and here NB the current Sheikh District in the Saaxil region is probably smaller Video a virtual drive from Sheikh to Laaleys through the Golis mountains 14 min References EditSheikh Somalia Regions of Somaliland page 8 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sheikh Somaliland amp oldid 1170862740, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
