Sanaag

Sanaag سناج
Region
Overview of the Cal Madow mountains in Sanaag
Location in Somalia.
Country	Somalia  Somaliland
Capital	Erigavo
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)

Sanaag (Somali: Sanaag, Arabic: سناج‎‎ ) is an administrative region (gobol) in northern Somalia, but is controlled by Somaliland. Local control of Sanaag is disputed between Somaliland and Puntland. Sanaag has a long coastline facing the Gulf of Aden to the north, and is bordered by the Somali regions of Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sool and Bari. Its capital city is Erigavo, and the most important towns in the region are Erigavo, Badhan and El Afweyn.

The Sanaag region and northern Somalia in general is home to numerous archaeological sites, with rock art, ancient ruins, buildings and cairns found at numerous sites like Gudmo Biyo Cas, Heis, Maydh, Haylan, Qa’ableh, Qombo'ul and El Ayo to name a few. However, many of these old structures have yet to be properly explored, a process which would help shed further light on local history and facilitate their preservation for posterity.

The Sanaag region is mainly inhabited by people from the Somali ethnic group of both Isaaq and Harti backgrounds. The four major population groups in the region of Sanaag are the Warsangeli and Dhulbahante (of Harti) and the Habar Jeclo and Habar Yoonis (of the Isaaq), all of which were roughly the same size. Yet the region's main city Erigavo is wholly dominated by the Habar Jeclo and Habar yunis.