Hargeisa is the capital of Somaliland, the self-declared republic in the northwest of the Horn of Africa. With over a million people, it is by far the largest city in the territory and the first point of entry for most visitors. It is a sprawling, dusty, energetic place — not beautiful in any conventional sense, but full of life and surprisingly welcoming to the few travellers who make it here.
The city was heavily bombed during the civil war in the late 1980s and has been largely rebuilt since Somaliland declared independence in 1991. A MiG fighter jet mounted on a plinth in the centre of town serves as a war memorial and has become the city's most recognisable landmark. The national museum nearby documents the conflict and the country's history.
Hargeisa is a good base for exploring Somaliland. The Laas Geel cave paintings — some of the best-preserved Neolithic rock art in Africa — are a couple of hours' drive to the northeast. The port city of Berbera and its beaches lie to the north.