This Day in History: July 1, 1960
Additional Date: July 1, 1960
On 1 July 1960, the independent Somali Democratic Republic, commonly known as Somalia, was formed out of former British and Italian territories, with Mogadishu as capital and Aden Abdullah Osman Daar as its first president. Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland, situated on the eastern coast of Africa and bordered by the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, were occupied by the two colonial powers since the early 19th century. In 1956, in accordance with a decision by the United Nations, Italy granted its territory internal autonomy which evolved into independence in 1960. The same development took place in British Somaliland when Britain ended its protectorate in June 1960.