Puntland State of Somalia[a] is a de facto independent state[4][5][6] widely considered an autonomous territory of Somalia. It was formed in 1998, and was a federal member state of Somalia from its founding until 2024. Puntland is located northeast of Somalia and east of Somaliland. Its capital is the city of Garoowe in the Nugal region.[7] The state had a population of 4,334,633 in 2016.[3]
Puntland is bordered by Somaliland to its west, the Gulf of Aden in the north, the Guardafui Channel in the northeast, the Indian Ocean in the southeast, Somalia, more specifically the central Galmudug region in the south, and Ethiopia in the southwest. There are several major geographical apexes in Puntland, including the Cape Guardafui, which forms the tip of the Horn of Africa, Ras Hafun the easternmost place on the entire African continent, and the beginning of the Karkaar mountain range.
The name “Puntland” is derived from the Land of Punt mentioned in ancient Egyptian sources, although the exact location of the fabled territory is still a mystery. Many studies suggest that the Land of Punt was located in present-day Somalia,[8][9] whereas others propose that it was situated elsewhere.[10]
