+252 explained
The Somalia country code, 252, is what you dial before a Somalia number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Somalia dialing code, Somalia calling code, or Somalia phone code. In the Somalia phone number format, +252 comes first, then the area code, such as 1 for Mogadishu, then the local number.
- Country code
- +252
- The 00252 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- SO, SOM
- Use the SO country code or the SOM country code on forms and passports. To call Somalia, dial +252
- Used in
- Somalia
- No other country or territory dials +252
- Exit code
- 00
- From most countries. Also 011 from United States and Canada, 0011 from Australia, and + from any mobile
- Trunk prefix
- None
- Keep every digit after +252
- Number length
- 6, 7, 8, or 9 digits
- After +252
- Time now in Somalia
- Somalia mobile number format
- 7 1123456
- From abroad: +252 7 1123456
- Somalia landline number format
- 4 012345
- From abroad: +252 4 012345
+252 area codes of main cities
Each +252 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +252, then the city code, then the local number. Inside Somalia, callers leave out +252 and dial the rest as it is. So Mogadishu is +252 1 from abroad and 1 at home.
- Mogadishu
- +2521
- Hargeysa
- +2523
- Garoowe
- +2524
Somalia phone number types
The first digits of a Somalia number tell you what kind of number it is: a landline, a mobile, a free number, or one that costs more to call. Here is a sample of each type of Somalia phone number, as dialed inside Somalia and from abroad.
Good to know before you call Somalia
“salaam alaykum”
It comes from Arabic for peace be upon you, and is the everyday greeting people use, including on the phone
Reply
“waalaykum salaam”
Hormuud Telecom is Somalia's largest telecommunications company and its largest private-sector employer.
Wikipedia: Hormuud TelecomHormuud Telecom's mobile money service, EVC Plus, handles about 155 million transactions across Somalia every month.
Wikipedia: Hormuud TelecomSomalia only got a telecoms regulator in 2017, when parliament signed the National Communications Act into law.
Wikipedia: Telecommunications in SomaliaAamin Ambulance is a free, 24-hour ambulance service in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Wikipedia: Aamin Ambulance
What it costs to call Somalia (using Suparelay)
Landline from $0.84/minMobile from $0.81/min
Only 40 of 221 countries cost more to call than Somalia.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call Somalia?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to Somalia fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 works from Somalia, Europe, and most of the world. From the US and Canada, the exit code is 011.
- Connects
- 011 252 4 012345
- Does not connect
- 00 252 4 012345
The + sign is missing
A Somali number needs +252 or your exit code first. Without it, your phone dials the digits as a local number and the call fails.
- Connects
- 011 252 4 012345
- Does not connect
- 00 252 4 012345
Questions about +252
Which country is +252?
+252, or country code 252, belongs to Somalia.
What is +252?
+252 is the part you dial before a Somali number when you call from another country. It comes before every number, since Somalia has no trunk prefix to drop.
What is the difference between +252 and 00252?
The + stands for your exit code. 00 is the exit code in Somalia, and in Europe and most of the world, so 00252 and +252 reach the same number there. From the US or Canada, dial 011 252 instead.
Can I text a +252 number?
Yes. Write the number as +252 followed by the digits, such as +252 61 234 5678, and your phone sends the text abroad at your carrier's rate.
How much does it cost to call Somalia?
The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call. Somalia has more than half a dozen mobile networks, and the price can differ between them.
Is SO the same as +252?
No. SO is the ISO code for Somalia, used in forms and address fields. The number you dial is +252.
Is there a free ambulance number in Somalia?
Aamin Ambulance runs a free, 24-hour ambulance service that answers calls in Mogadishu.
Can I send money to a Somali phone number?
Yes. Hormuud Telecom's EVC Plus service lets Somalis send and receive money by phone instead of through a bank.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
Wikipedia: Telecommunications in Somalia