Somalia was created in 1960 through the merging of an Italian colony and a British protectorate. Under President Mohamed Siad Barre, Somalia was declared a socialist state. But internal rivalry between warlords led to the overthrow of President Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. Since then, despite numerous attempts to re-establish a central government, Somalia remains politically fractured. Somaliland declared unilateral independence that same year and is relatively politically stable. In 1998, the region of Puntland became a self-governed autonomous state. Major problems faced by Somalia include piracy and insurgent groups such as Al-Shabab, which has links to Al-Qaeda.

Despite its political travails, Somalia has a rich literary history and has been called the 'Nation of Poets' due to their passionate love of poetry. Ali Jimale Ahmed's Diaspora Blues is a collection of poetry that reflects on the place of Somalis in exile.When A Hyena Laughs by Abdi Sheik-Abdi is a story about a boy growing up in Somalia in 19th century Somalia. In From A Crooked Rib, prominent Somali writer Farah Nuruddin describes the challenges faced by a nomad girl fleeing an arranged marriage. His Blood in the Sun trilogy examines the terrible consequences of tribal rivalry in war-torn Somalia. Somali writer Nadifa Mohamed gained critical acclaim for her first novel, Black Mamba Boy, that centres on the story of her father. Cristina Ali Farans Little Mother tells of deep pain felt by Somalis exiled by civil war.

Notable Somali films include The Horn of Africa, which was a joint Somali-Chinese collaboration from 1961. Fire Eyes by Soraya Mire is a documentary that covers the highly sensitive issue of female genital mutilation. Abdulkadir Ahmed Said is an award-winning Somali filmmaker whose works include A Somali Dervish, The Parching Winds of Somalia, and La Conchiglia.

Other highly influential Somalis include Ayaan Hirsi Ali, whose autobiography details her path from Somalia to the Netherlands, model and activist Iman, and Somali-British long-distance runner Mo Farah.