The Tanade Sultanate' was established possible around 1600s by Somalis from the LeelkaseDarod clan.[7] It reached prominence during the 19th century, under the reign of the resourceful Boqor (King) Diiftire.[8]
In the mid-17th to early 20th centuries city was among the area ruled by Tanade Sultanate'Migiurtinia. Later forming a part of Italian Somaliland. [9][10][11]
Hafun was most strategic place of the Tanade Sultanate'.The historical city of Hafun likewise had a number of castles and forts in various areas within its realm, including a fortress at Ras Hafun.[9]
Pottery found in Oponean tombs date back to the MycenaeanKingdom of Greece that flourished between the 16th and 11th century BC.[12] Its major periods of activity were during the 1st century BC and the 3rd to the 5th centuries AD.[13] Opone was mentioned by an anonymous Greek merchant in the 1st century AD Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. The town is featured in the ancient document's thirteenth entry, which in part states:
And then, after sailing four hundred stadia along a promontory, toward which place the current also draws you, there is another market-town called Opone, into which the same things are imported as those already mentioned, and in it, the greatest quantity of cinnamon is produced, (the arebo and moto), and a great quantity of tortoiseshell, better than that found elsewhere.
Opone served as a port of call for merchants from Phoenicia, Egypt, Greece, Persia, Yemen, Nabataea, Azania, the Roman Empire and elsewhere,[14] as it sat at a strategic location along the coastal route from the Mochan trading center of Azania to the Red Sea. Merchants from as far afield as Indonesia and Malaysia passed through the city, exchanging spices, silks, and other goods, before departing south for Azania or north to Yemen or Egypt on the trade routes that spanned the length of the Indian Ocean's rim. As early as 50 AD, it was well known as a center for the cinnamon trade, along with the barter of cloves and other spices, ivory, exotic animal skins and incense.
During the early modern period, Hafun was part of the Tanade Sultanate''s realm.
In 1930, an Italian firm invested capital to exploit salt deposits in Hafun and Hurdiyo. The Italians renamed the city Dante and created the biggest salt production plant in the world.[15] By 1933 or 1934, the Hafun salt works were producing more than 200,000 tonnes of salt, most of which was exported to the Far East.[16]
Following independence in 1960, the town was made the official centre of Hafun District.
As of 2000[update], Hafun had a population of around 13,200 inhabitants.[17]
Education
According to the Puntland Ministry of Education, there are eight primary schools in Hafun District. Among these are Hurdiya, Laamiye, Gardush, and Xandha.[18]
Economy
The Hafun Fishing Company (HFC) was established in July 1992, in Bosaso.[20][21] It was named after Hafun, where HFC also has an office. The firm exports a wide range of fish products to international markets. Among these are lobsters, frozen fish, dried shark meat, and fin, which it mainly sends to Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, as well as some products to Kenya. The company is exploring additional global markets for its fish.[20]
In late 2014, the Udug Ltd. Company, in conjunction with the United States-based REDD Engineering & Construction Incorporated,[22] began conducting feasibility studies for the renovation of the salt production plants in Hafun, Hurdiyo, and other littoral areas in Puntland. The first phase of the initiative was completed in March 2015 and saw the historic salt works in both towns refurbished following community-wide consultations. According to the Puntland Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, the project focuses on stimulating entrepreneurship and sustaining job creation. It was inspired by calls for national reinvestment by the Puntland presidential office and the Puntland Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, REDD Engineering official Lowry Redd indicated that the initiative's second phase aims to restore the Hafun plant to its place as one of the main global suppliers of salt.[19]
Transportation
In 2012, the Puntland Highway Authority (PHA) announced a project to connect Hafun and other coastal towns in Puntland to the main regional highway.[23] The thoroughfare, which is 750 km (470 mi) long, would link major cities in the northern part of Somalia, such as Bosaso, Galkayo and Garowe, with towns in the south.[24]
^Charlesworth, M.P. (1970). Trade routes and commerce of the roman Empire (2nd ed. rev. ed.). New-York: Cooper Square Publishers. p. 65. ISBN978-0815403289.
^Helen Chapin Metz, ed., Somalia: a country study, (The Division: 1993), p.10.
^ abS. B. Miles, On the Neighbourhood of Bunder Marayah, Vol. 42, (Blackwell Publishing on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the institute of British Geographers): 1872), p.61-63.