Las Anod لاسعنود Laascaanood
Motto: Xarunta Daraawiishta iyo midnimada Soomaalia
Las Anod لاسعنود Location in Somalia
Coordinates: 8°28′32″N 47°21′30″E / 8.47556°N 47.35833°E / 8.47556; 47.35833
Country	Somalia
Region	Sool
District
Time zone	East Africa Time (UTC+3)

Las Anod (Somali: Laascaanood, Arabic: لاسعنود‎) is the administrative capital of Sool Sanaag and Cayn States of Somalia. The city was part of the Dervish State until 1921, when it was incorporated into the former British Somaliland protectorate. The city’s inhabitants are pro one united and strong Somalia. They were never the signatures of any Somalia partition deal that would divide The Somali Republic based on colonial borders made by the British and Italian colonizers.

Geography

Las Anod is strategically positioned along trade routes in northwestern Somalia. The city is almost surrounded by hills and has considerable water resources, the latter of which makes it a prime destination for peoples from other parts of generally arid Somalia as well as from neighboring countries such as Djibouti and Ethiopia.

Demographics

Las Anod is the administrative capital of the SSC State of Somalia and it's one of the largest cities in Somalia, having grown in population size from 20,000 1990 to 250,000 inhabitants. Prior to 1991, the city was but a small town. However, it has now expanded to the point where travelers require public transportation to navigate the city's 10 neighborhoods.

The overwhelming majority of the town's inhabitants belong to the Darod clan, notably the Dhulbahante sub-clan, which are closely associated with The Daarood tribe in Southern Somalia.

Education

The city has one university and numerous public and private schools. The Nugaal University (NU) which was founded in September, 2004 was the first higher institution school to be established in the area. The University has 60 students as of this year (2009) and 20 of them will graduate on September, 2009 which will make them the first students ever graduated from a university in their home State of Sool.

Economy

Las Anod's economy is based on livestock and communications. The area around the city is rich in livestock, while mobile phone services provide almost 40% of tax revenues.

History

On October 15, 1969, Somali President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke was assassinated in Las Anod by one of his bodyguards.

In 1991, when Somaliland unilaterally declared its independence from Somalia, it claimed Sool and its capital Las Anod, despite the fact that the clans in the area were closely tied to those in the adjacent provinces to the east, particularly Nugaal. In 2002, after Puntland reorgainzed following its 2001-2002 civil war, Puntland took over administration of Las Anod with the consent of the inhabitants. However, as infrastructure spending in Sool was delayed some Dhulbahante clans felt disinfranchised by the government in Puntland, and sided with Somaliland in the October 2007 take-over by Somaliland. Puntland has been unable to mobilize to retake Las Anod. Las Anod is one of the largest cities in Somalia, having grown from 20,000 1990 to 250,000. Puntland assumed control of it in 2002, and Somaliland took it over in October 2007. Since Somaliland assumed control of the city, some 20,000 civilians moved.

In 2007, Las Anod celebrated 150 years since its founding.

Landmarks

Lasanod has several landmarks. Among them are Goolad, Masjid Jama, Ataash, Royal, Durdurka, Darayda, Abdi Bille Football Stadium, Hills of Hilble, and Hills of Sayidka.

Religion

The inhabitants of Las Anod are Muslims. The city has around 56 masjids (mosques), where many Islamic scholars are trained.

Media

Radio Laascaanood is the main radio station operating in the Sool region from Las Anod.

Coordinates: 8°28′32″N 47°21′30″E / 8.47556°N 47.35833°E / 8.47556; 47.35833