the capital and chief port of Somalia, on the Indian Ocean: founded by Arabs around the 10th century; taken by the Sultan of Zanzibar in 1871 and sold to Italy in 1905. Pop: 2 137 839 (2015 est)
Local spelling: Muqdisho. Italian name: Mogadiscio (ˌmɒɡəˈdɪʃɪˌəʊ-ˈdɪʃəʊ)
Mogadishu in American English
(ˌmoʊgɑˈdiʃu)
capital of Somalia: seaport on the Indian Ocean: pop. 1,000,000