Lower Shabelle is an administrative region (gobol) in southern Somalia.

Geography

Lower Shabelle is bordered by the regions of Banaadir, Middle Shabelle (Shabeellaha Dhexe), Hiran, Bay, Middle Jubba (Jubbada Dhexe) and by the Somali Sea. It is named after the Shebelle River, which passes through it. Until 1984, when the regions were reassigned, it was part of the larger Benadir region and its capital was Mogadishu. Merca is now the Lower Shabelle capital.

Districts

Lower Shabelle Region is divided into nineteen districts:

Major Cities

Major Cities include

Violence in Golweyn

On 30 July 2017, an AMISOM convoy was ambushed by al-Shabaab insurgents, killing and wounding several Ugandan soldiers. Eight children were killed and dozens were wounded when a bomb exploded in Golweyn on 31 January 2021.