Burao is the second largest city in Somaliland and the capital of the Togdheer region, sitting in the dry central plains roughly halfway between Hargeisa and the coast. It is a major livestock market — the trade in camels, goats, and sheep is the economic backbone of the city and the surrounding pastoral communities.
The city itself is sprawling and dusty, with little in the way of formal tourist infrastructure, but it gives an unvarnished look at life in the Horn of Africa. Burao played a significant role in Somaliland's war of independence — the 1991 independence declaration was made here — and still bears some scars from the conflict. Visitors are rare, and those who come will find the hospitality generous.