Somalia is divided into a northern part with a British colonial background, also known as Somaliland, and a southern part with an Italian colonial background. For information on British Somaliland, see the entry under Somaliland.
Somalia was purchased by Italy from the sultan of Zanzibar creating Italian Somaliland. Italian Somaliland existed in the northeast beginning in 1889, and in the south beginning in 1905. Italian Somaliland was incorporated into Italian East Africa on June 1, 1936. When the British defeated Italian forces in Africa in February 1941, Somaliland fell under British occupation until 1948. Somaliland was under British military administration from 1948 until 1950. Italian Somalia became a UN trust territory on April 1, 1950 under Italy. It gained its independence and unified with Somaliland on July 1, 1960 to form the Somali Republic. It became a Democratic Republic in 1969. Since November 1991, no national government has existed, and various warlords rule the country. The northeastern part of Somalia has also formed the separate state of Puntland, though it is not internationally recognized.
No coins were minted in Somalia until the fourteenth century, which imitated the coins of Mamluk Egypt. The Indian Rupee, Maria Theresa Thalers and Eritrean Talleros were used in Italian Somalia before it became an Italian protectorate. The Banca d’Italia issued banknotes denominated in Rupias in the 1920s. The Rupiah was divisible into 100 Bese. On July 1, 1925 the Italian Lira (ITL) replaced the Somaliland Rupiah. When Italian Somalia was incorporated into Italian East Africa, Italian East Africa Lira (AOIL) were used in addition to the Italian Lira. The East African Shilling (XEAS) replaced the Italian East African Lira at the rate of 1 Shilling equal to 24 Lira. The Lira continued to be accepted for small payments under £2. The East African Shlling remained the medium of exchange until July 1, 1960.
After administration of Italian Somalia was returned to Italy, the Cassa per la Circolazione Monetaria della Somalia opened on April 18, 1950 and issued Somali banknotes (SOIS) at par with the Italian Lira. The Somali Shilling/Scellino (SOS), divisible into 100 Centi, was introduced on July 1, 1960 at par with the East African Shilling. The Scellino was renamed the Shilin Soomaali in 1975. Banknotes are issued by the Banca Nazionale Somala (renamed the Bankiga Qaranka Soomaaliyeed in 1974) between July 1, 1960 and 1977, and by the Bankiga Dhexe ee Soomaaliya (Central Bank of Somalia) beginning on December 6, 1977.
The Mogadishu North Forces of Ali Mahdi Mohammed overstamped Somali notes in 1991 creating their own "North Shilling" (SON). |
