| Official Name: | Wanlaweyn |
| Native Name: | Wanliwiing |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Pushpin Map: | Somalia |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Somalia. |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Somalia |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Lower Shebelle |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Wanlaweyne |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Population Total: | 26,700 |
| Timezone: | EAT |
| Utc Offset: | +3 |
| Coordinates: | 2.6167°N 44.9°W |
Wanlaweyn (Maay: Wanliwiing) is a town in the northern Lower Shebelle region of Somalia. Situated around 90 km (50 miles) northwest of the capital Mogadishu, it is the center of the Wanlaweyn District. The Shanta Alemo (Somali: Shanta Caleemo), (Italian: Shanta Alemo), (Arabic: شانتا أليموshanta 'alemo means 5 leaves means 5 clan consist of hubeer clan, erdho clan, hifmage clan, jambulul clan) or shan aleen is one of the largest Somali clans, whose origins trace back to 5 clans leaving together . The Shanta Alemo clan belong to the Digil and mirifle family of clans.
Wanlaweyn has a population of around 26,700 inhabitants.[1] The broader Wanlaweyn District has a total population of 250,643 residents.[2] The town is predominantly inhabited by the Shanta Caleemood clan sub-division of the Digil Rahanweyn Somalis.
During the 1961 Somali constitutional referendum, in order to secure a substantial "Yes" vote for southerners, the small town reported 100,000 votes.[3] This was higher than total ballots cast in the North (Somaliland), therefore Northerners became suspicious of the political nature of Southerners. As a result, coining the new term "Wanlaweyn" for Southerners, which is still used today.[4]