The mean age at menarche calculated by the recollected-age method for 524 Somalian girls, all over 16 years of age, was 14.78 +/- 0.07 years. The subjects, gathered from schools and other communities in the capital and from the Catholic Missions in Benadir and Upper and Lower Giuba, originated from all the regions of the country. Regions showed a significant difference in menarcheal age.