The facts and figures behind Somalia, the fourth top country by applicant for asylum in the UK in 2002.

In 2002 there were 6,680 applications for asylum in the UK from Somali nationals. This is slightly up on 2001, when 6,465 Somalis applied for asylum.

During 2002 more than 3,800 were either granted exceptional leave to stay in the UK or were recognised as refugees, a rise of more than 1,000 on the year before.

Without a functioning central government since 1991, the appointment of Abdulkassim Salat Hassan as president by clan elders and other senior figures in 2000 has done little to unite the country.

The Republic of Somaliland, declared independent by northern clans in May 1991, remains autonomous.

Resistance to central control from warlords - backed by heavily armed militias - remains, especially in the south where there have been cases of kidnapping, detention and torture.

The fighting of the past decade combined with famine and disease has led to the death of up to one million people.

SOMALIA FACTS Population: 7 million Capital: Mogadishu Major religion: Islam BBC Monitoring: Full profile

Efforts to provide relief by the United Nations and non-government organisations are hampered by banditry, extortion and kidnapping of staff.

In his most recent report on the situation in Somalia, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan warned that "the provision of humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance to a significant proportion of the population - which is already facing destitution and malnutrition and lack of access to, or absence of, even the most basic social services - has been repeatedly disrupted".

An earlier UNHCR report found average life expectancy in the country was 41-43 years and the mortality rate for children under five is 25%.

More than a million Somalis are scattered across the world in Europe, North America and the Middle East.