Harirad
| Harirad Xariirad | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
  Harirad Location in Somaliland | |
| Coordinates: 10°27′00″N 42°50′00″E / 10.45000°N 42.83333°E | |
| Country |
 |
| Region | Awdal |
| District | Zeila |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
Harirad (Somali: Xariirad) is a town in the northwestern Awdal region of Somaliland. It is situated about 87 kilometers north west of Borama and 3 km (2 mi) north of the border with Ethiopia. With an elevation of 972 meters above sea level, the settlement sprawls on a wide basin surrounded by granite mountains on all sides.
History
According to legend, the present-day territory of Harirad was covered by lots of trees and a wadis. On their way to Zeila, nomadic pastoralists sometimes stop in the town to water their flock. The town houses the burial sites for many of the historical figures of the town, among them Ugaas Samatar (died: 1812), of the Reer Ugaas subclan of the Makayl-Dheere, who was the chief of the Gadabuursi clan. Also, buried in the town is Dudub Osman, who is the ancestor of the Reer Dudub branch of the Jibriil Yoonis subclan of the Gadabuursi. The town also hosts a shrine dedicated to the memory of Sheekh Issa, the ancestor of the Issa (clan) clan.
Demographics
As of 2012, the population of Harirad has been estimated to be 678. The town inhabitants belong to various mainly Afro-Asiatic-speaking ethnic groups, where the Gadabuursi and Issa subclans of the Dir clan family are especially well represented.
Geography
Harirad is situated in a mountainous area, in an enclosed valley of the highlands. One can also take in the local wildlife, such as the black-backed jackal, dorcas gazelle, Felis, caracal, various bird species, and the hamadryas baboon.
Climate
The weather in Harirad is semi-arid (Köppen climate classification: BSk). It has a mountain climate, with hot and dry summers and cold winters. This is attributed to the fact that Harirad is located on a plain surrounded by mountains as well as near the sea. The town sits at an altitude of 972 meters above sea level, in low-shrouded mountains and hills.
| Climate data for Harirad | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 26.8 (80.2) |
27.2 (81) |
29.4 (84.9) |
30.6 (87.1) |
32.9 (91.2) |
34.7 (94.5) |
34.0 (93.2) |
33.4 (92.1) |
32.8 (91) |
30.7 (87.3) |
28.5 (83.3) |
26.8 (80.2) |
30.7 (87.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 20.5 (68.9) |
21.5 (70.7) |
23.6 (74.5) |
25.2 (77.4) |
27.3 (81.1) |
29.1 (84.4) |
28.3 (82.9) |
27.7 (81.9) |
27.5 (81.5) |
24.6 (76.3) |
22.2 (72) |
20.6 (69.1) |
24.8 (76.7) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 14.2 (57.6) |
15.9 (60.6) |
17.9 (64.2) |
19.9 (67.8) |
21.7 (71.1) |
23.6 (74.5) |
22.6 (72.7) |
22.1 (71.8) |
22.3 (72.1) |
18.5 (65.3) |
15.9 (60.6) |
14.5 (58.1) |
19.1 (66.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 9 (0.35) |
15 (0.59) |
26 (1.02) |
51 (2.01) |
31 (1.22) |
15 (0.59) |
49 (1.93) |
71 (2.8) |
50 (1.97) |
12 (0.47) |
9 (0.35) |
3 (0.12) |
341 (13.42) |
| Source: Climate Data[1] | |||||||||||||
Notes
- ↑ "Climate Data : Somalia". Retrieved 6 May 2013.