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Historically, state failure is the norm rather than the exception—the vast majority of states that have ever existed no longer exist. Pour one out for the Avar Khaganate. But state collapse is pretty rare these days, and the example sine qua non is Somalia.

In 1991, the Somalis overthrew their dictator Siad Barre. In his absence, no one actor or faction could assert control, and the country descended into an extended period of decentralization and factional violence. It wasn’t until 2004 that the Transitional Federal Government was established, and then until 2012 when a permanent Federal Government of Somalia was inaugurated.

In the meantime, a variety of armed actors vied for control of some or all of the country: former military personnel-turned warlords, clan militias, the Islamic Courts Union and later al-Shabaab, etc. The government still doesn’t control the whole country—Somaliland has been de facto independent since 1991 and al-Shabaab still controls territory.

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