The Shebelle River begins in the highlands of Ethiopia, and then flows southeast into Somalia towards Mogadishu. Near Mogadishu, it turns sharply southwest, where it follows the coast. Below Mogadishu, the river becomes seasonal. During most years, the river dries up near the mouth of the Jubba River, while in seasons of heavy rainfall, the river actually reaches the Jubba and thus the ocean.
Satellite pictures showing the Shebelle valley in southern Somalia and Ethiopia before and during floods in 2005
Astronaut photograph showing irrigation along the river
Mogadishu, locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port connecting traders across the Indian Ocean for millennia and has an estimated urban population of 2,610,483.
19th century engraving of the 13th century Fakr ad-Din Mosque built by Fakr ad-Din the first Sultan of the Sultanate of Mogadishu
Mogadishan currency
Entrance of a coral stone house in Mogadishu
Almnara Tower, Mogadishu