Burco

Burao Burco برعو
City
Shopping Centre in Burco
Burao Location in Somaliland
Coordinates: 09°31′27″N 45°32′13″E / 9.52417°N 45.53694°E / 9.52417; 45.53694Coordinates: 09°31′27″N 45°32′13″E / 9.52417°N 45.53694°E / 9.52417; 45.53694
Country	Somaliland
Region	Togdheer
District	Burao
Government
• Mayor	Mohamed Yusuf Murad
Area
• Total	28 km2 (11 sq mi)
Elevation	1,037 m (3,402 ft)
Population (2005)
• Total	288,211
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)
Climate	BWh

Burao (var. Bur'o) (Somali: Burco, Arabic: برعو‎‎) is the largest city in the Togdheer region of Somaliland, and also serves as the capital of Togdheer region.

Burao is one of a series of ancient settlements in Somaliland. Burial sites near the town feature a number of old stelae.

Burao was the site of the unilateral and declaration of an independent Somaliland on May 18, 1991.

Like many other cities in Somaliland, Burao has been rebuilt with limited outside aid since the outbreak of the civil war in the early 1990s. The town has grown considerably on account of investment by the Somaliland diaspora and people from rural areas moving to the city.

Burao's population has greatly increased over the years. According to OCHA, in 2005 the city had a population of 288,211

As of November 1994^[update], the main residents of Burao are the Habar Jeclo and Habar Yoonis, subdivisions of the larger Isaaq Somali clan.

The city enjoys full-time electricity and a reliable water supply from groundwater. In addition, Burao's central location has contributed to its economic revival. Goods travelling to the south, central and eastern parts of Somalia all depart from the city's outskirts. Rural merchants also sell their produce on a daily basis, which attracts business.

In 2007, Burao's city authority (in conjunction with development organizations and local traders) opened the Burco Meat and Produce complex. One year in the making, the market has two main halls and can accommodate more than 2000 merchants.

The Burao Municipality is currently led by Mayor Mohamud Ahmed Hassan.

Weather in Burao, much like other inland towns in Somaliland, is warm and dry year-round. The average daytime temperatures during the summer months of June and August can rise to 31 °C (95 °F), with a low of 20 °C (77 °F) at night. The weather is cooler the rest of the year, averaging 27 °C (80 °F) during the day and 13 °C (57 °F) at nighttime. The city's limited rainfall of 222 mm usually comes with two peaks during April–May and October–November.