Number of terrorist attacks in Somalia
Somalia: Number of terrorist attacks was 125 attacks in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Number of terrorist attacks in Somalia, 1970–2021
Source: National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in attacks.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of terrorist attacks in Somalia is 125 attacks, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of down 55.4% on the previous year and down 32.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of terrorist attacks in Somalia peaked at 872 attacks in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0 attacks, in 1970.
Somalia ranks 10th of 188 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of terrorist attacks in Somalia, year by year
| Year | attacks | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1971 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1972 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1973 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1974 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1975 | 1 attacks | — |
| 1976 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1977 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1978 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1979 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1980 | 1 attacks | — |
| 1981 | 8 attacks | +700.0% |
| 1982 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1983 | 1 attacks | — |
| 1984 | 2 attacks | +100.0% |
| 1985 | 0 attacks | -100.0% |
| 1986 | 0 attacks | — |
| 1987 | 1 attacks | — |
| 1988 | 2 attacks | +100.0% |
| 1989 | 2 attacks | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 12 attacks | +500.0% |
| 1991 | 8 attacks | -33.3% |
| 1992 | 21 attacks | +162.5% |
| 1994 | 57 attacks | +171.4% |
| 1995 | 13 attacks | -77.2% |
| 1996 | 16 attacks | +23.1% |
| 1997 | 19 attacks | +18.8% |
| 1998 | 1 attacks | -94.7% |
| 1999 | 4 attacks | +300.0% |
| 2000 | 9 attacks | +125.0% |
| 2001 | 5 attacks | -44.4% |
| 2002 | 3 attacks | -40.0% |
| 2003 | 1 attacks | -66.7% |
| 2004 | 1 attacks | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 6 attacks | +500.0% |
| 2006 | 10 attacks | +66.7% |
| 2007 | 156 attacks | +1460.0% |
| 2008 | 172 attacks | +10.3% |
| 2009 | 122 attacks | -29.1% |
| 2010 | 130 attacks | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 185 attacks | +42.3% |
| 2012 | 325 attacks | +75.7% |
| 2013 | 342 attacks | +5.2% |
| 2014 | 872 attacks | +155.0% |
| 2015 | 422 attacks | -51.6% |
| 2016 | 602 attacks | +42.7% |
| 2017 | 617 attacks | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 527 attacks | -14.6% |
| 2019 | 361 attacks | -31.5% |
| 2020 | 280 attacks | -22.4% |
| 2021 | 125 attacks | -55.4% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 125 attacks is above the median for low income countries, which is 13 attacks, 9.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 125 attacks is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1 attacks, 125.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of terrorist attacks in Somalia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +1460.0% | 10 attacks | 156 attacks |
| 1981 | +700.0% | 1 attacks | 8 attacks |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1 attacks | 0 attacks | 1 attacks | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.7 attacks | 0 attacks | 8 attacks | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.78 attacks | 1 attacks | 57 attacks | 9 |
| 2000s | 48.5 attacks | 1 attacks | 172 attacks | 10 |
| 2010s | 438.3 attacks | 130 attacks | 872 attacks | 10 |
| 2020s | 202.5 attacks | 125 attacks | 280 attacks | 2 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
- 7 Pakistan 150 attacks compare
- 8 Syria 144 attacks compare
- 9 Democratic Republic of Congo 142 attacks compare
- 11 Philippines 104 attacks compare
- 12 Israel 101 attacks compare
- 13 Saudi Arabia 94 attacks compare
More reference data data for Somalia
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Burning - Crop residues 0.4444 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.3652 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Manure applied 234.3 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 43.31 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Manure Management 96.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Enteric Fermentation 28,272 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Crop Residues 71.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Enteric Fermentation 1,010 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2685 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of terrorist attacks in Somalia?
- Number of terrorist attacks in Somalia was 125 attacks in 2021, according to National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of terrorist attacks recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 872 attacks in 2014.
- What is the lowest number of terrorist attacks recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 attacks in 1970.
- How does Somalia rank for number of terrorist attacks?
- Somalia ranks 10th out of 188 countries with data for 2021.
- Is number of terrorist attacks rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia data come from?
- The figures come from National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of terrorist attacks. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total number of terrorist attacks.