Mogadishu ( [ ˌmɔːɡəˈdiːʃuː ] Muqdisho [ mʉqdɪʃɔ ] ; مقديشو [ maqadiːʃuː ] ) , known locally as Hamar , is the capital and most populous city of Somalia . Tradition and old records assert that southern Somalia , including the Mogadishu area , was historically inhabited by hunter-gatherers . As Somalia 's capital city , many important national institutions are based in Mogadishu . It is the seat of the Federal Government of Somalia established in August 2012 , with the Somalia Federal Parliament serving as the government 's legislative branch . Additionally , the Port of Mogadishu serves as a major national seaport and is the largest harbour in Somalia .
Mogadishu is a place.