Hargeysa is the largest city in north-western Somalia and the seat of the Somaliland administration and of the Maroodi Jeex region. It lies in a valley of the Galgodon (Ogo) highlands at roughly 1,330 metres above sea level, which gives it a noticeably milder climate than the coast.

The city is a hub for trade, money transfer and transport, linking the port of Berbera with the interior of the Horn of Africa. Its central markets, money-exchange stalls and livestock market are constantly busy, while cultural venues and an annual book fair have made it a meeting point for young people and writers.

Somaliland declared independence in 1991; the Federal Government of Somalia considers it part of Somalia, and it is not recognised as a state by the United Nations or most countries.

Hargeysa grew from a religious settlement founded by Sheikh Madar in the 19th century into a trading town. In 1941 the British moved the capital of the British Somaliland protectorate from Berbera to Hargeysa.

The protectorate became independent on 26 June 1960 and, five days later, united with the south to form the Somali Republic. Much of the city was destroyed during the civil war in 1988; since 1991 it has been extensively rebuilt, largely with remittances from the diaspora and investment by local business people.

The Hargeysa International Book Fair, founded in 2008 by the Redsea Cultural Foundation, is one of the best-known cultural events in the Horn of Africa. It is held every July and hosted by the Hargeysa Cultural Centre.

The war memorial in the city centre, built around a fighter jet, commemorates the 1988 conflict, while the shrine of Sheikh Madar and the large mosques reflect the city's religious heritage. Somali poetry, song and oral literature have a strong home here.

Hargeysa's economy rests on trade, money-transfer services and diaspora remittances, construction and the livestock trade. The city is closely tied to the port of Berbera, through which goods move to the interior and to Ethiopia.