The Central Somali Militia rescues its commander, Mohammed Farah Adid, from prison, and captures the Presidential Palace, in Mogadishu.  Adid does not establish himself as dictator, but instead disbands its central government, leaving a “stateless” nation without a central bank, foreign policy, or standing army.

       Postscript: During the two decades (from 1985 the last five years of central government) to 2005 (the first fifteen years of “anarchy) the people of Somalia experienced the following improvements in their standard of living:

• Life expectancy increased two and a half years beyond the standard 46 years;
• The number of one-year-olds immunized against measles rose a relative 33%;
• The number of deaths due to measles fell a relative 30%;
• The number of physicians rose a relative 18%;
• The number of infants with low birth weight almost vanished falling a relative 98%;
• Infant mortality fell a relative 24%;
• Maternal mortality fell a relative 31%;
• The number of people living on less than one “dollar” per day fell a relative 28;
• Radio ownership increased over 24 fold;
• Telephone ownership increased almost eight fold;
• Television ownership increased over three fold;
• Somalia’s living standards improved not just relative to itself, but also at a faster rate than its neighboring African nations that had central governments:
• The agricultural economy was stronger neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia, which both had central governments;
• Somalia was the largest exporter of livestock of any east African nation, all of which had central governments;
• Somalia has established three universities since disbanding its central government;
• Telephone ownership increased almost eight fold;
• British Airways, the British Broadcasting Corporation, Coca Cola, Dole, DHL, and General Motors all made major investments in Somalia since its central government was disbanded.

       [added 2/4/2023] Thanks to Jim Lorenz for this entry.