It is rich in more ways than having two rivers, fertile farms waiting to bloom, and a number of unexploited mineral resources and large oil potential hiding under the Mandera-Ligh Basin.
Somalia doesn't produce much in manufacturing. The bulk of the country's economy is sustained by and depends on animal husbandry and livestock exportation.
One of the things that always stood out to me reading historical stuff is noticing how colonists always felt the need to point out just how much camels Marehan possessed in comparison to others.
I can't count how many times groups would be mentioned and then it was something like the Marehan possess large herds or were rich in camels.
Apparently not much has changed.
Since livestock is our base, Gedo seems to be one of the most richest regions materially even in livestock.
1. Gedo by far has the most camels out of any other region in Somalia
2. Gedo has the most livestock overall of any region south of Somaliland
3. Gedo, has the most impressive quantities as a unit comprised of all main groups of livestock (camels, goats, sheep, and cows). Hiiraan comes second.
It is also interesting in that Gedo's largest and most sizable minority is Rahanweyn and as you can see from Bay, they definitely are not prone to owning much livestock having completely foregone infavor of settled farming.
You can imagine then that the livestock numbers of Gedo represent Marehan completely.
3 other observations
1. Southerners as agricultural people do not rear much camels apart from Marehan...they do love their cattle though understandably
2. Hiiraan is the other region that comes close to the numbers and impressive quantities of all 4 groups of livestock...unlike Gedo though, Hiiraan numbers are shared by huge diversity of pastoral clans like Xawaadle, Gaaljecel, Jajeele, Baadicadde, Habar Gidir, Murusade, Sheekhaal, etc.
3. Somaliland and northerners in general (including regions like Nugaal) are huge in sheep numbers and some in goats (Sanaag has the most of both)...they do not rear much cattle though understandably
