Where was Mo Farah born? Location of Somaliland on map, history with Somalia - is it recognised as a country

Sir Mo Farah has opened up about his childhood in a new BBC documentary titled The Real Mo Farah.

In the documentary, the Olympic hero explains the story of how he was a victim of trafficking and how he was separated from his family in Somaliland.

Somaliland is located in the north-east of Africa, situated at the tip of Somalia, and is one of the poorest countries in the world. Here’s all you need to know about Somaliland...

Where was Mo Farah born?

The Olympic star has told the BBC that the name Mohamed Farah was given to him by those who flew him over from Djibouti. His real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin.

The long distance runner, who won two gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics had previously said he came to the UK as a refugee with his parents.

But in a documentary by the BBC and Red Bull Studios, Sir Mo has revealed that his parents have never been to the UK.

When he was four-years-old his father was killed in a civil war. His mother and two brothers live on their family farm in the breakaway state of Somaliland.

Sir Mo was trafficked into the UK illegally as a nine-year-old boy and was forced to work as a domestic servant. Speaking in the documentary he said: “The truth is I’m not who you think I am. I need to tell the real story, whatever the cost.”

Where is Somalia located?

Somalia is a country in Africa, known as the Federal Republic of Somalia, the country is located in the horn of Africa in the northeastern region of Africa.

Somalia shares its borders with three other African Countries. Djibouti is situated to the northwest of Somalia and Ethiopia lies amongst the western Somali border. Kenya is southwest of Somalia.

Where is Somaliland?

Somaliland is an autonomous region in northern Somalia. No foreign power recognises Somaliland’s sovereignty, but it is self-governing with an independent government which holds its own democratic elections.

What is the population of Somaliland

The current population of Somalia is estimated to be around 16 million whereas neighbouring Somaliland is estimated to have around 5.7 million residents.

What is Somaliland’s history?

Somaliland has been a distinct region from Somalia since the late 1800s.

It was originally a British protectorate until 1960. It became independent for five days before merging with present day Somalia, which was at the time under Italian rule.

This began a long civil unrest. A rebel group the Somalia National Movement (SNM) emerged in the Somaliland in the 1980s. Somaliland broke away and declared independence from Somalia in 1991.

Is there a food crisis in Somaliland?

Somaliland, along with Ethiopia and Kenya in East Africa, is facing one of the worst food droughts on record.  In Somalia, it is estimated over 7 million people are now acutely food insecure with around 213,000 people facing extreme hunger.

Around 3 million livestock have also died because of the drought and water shortages.