Electricity at Home in Somalia: 1800 to Today (and Tomorrow)

To grasp the reach of electricity is to measure the reach of the modern day into the domestic sphere. For millions, the glow of a lightbulb fundamentally alters how families gather, work, and learn. In the 2020s, electricity at home in Somalia stands at 48 % — ranking #150 of 157 countries. This figure marks the widening gap between the sunset and the end of the day’s activities, defining the boundary between those whose nights are dictated by darkness and those who can command the light.

The trajectory of this access began with the 1800s estimate 0 and remained negligible for a century. By 1900 it was 0.1 %. Progress arrived in incremental steps, moving from 3 in the 1950s to 17.5 in the 1990s. As infrastructure expanded, the pace quickened, reaching 35.5 in the 2010s. Projections suggest a slow but persistent climb, with the 2060s projection 64 and the 2100s projection 80 marking the long-term movement toward national grid integration.

An individual born into a century where access was defined by the 1840s estimate 0.04 lived a rhythm dictated entirely by the sun. Today, the 48 % who enjoy electricity experience a reality where time is no longer strictly bound to daylight. As the 2030s projection 52 suggests, the future promises a further shift in the domestic experience. You might consider how these statistics define the boundaries of your own life by comparing them to other indicators.

Compare these milestones with other data points to compute your own parallel lives on MYRIAD.