somalia
...ority groups include Arabs, Indians, Italians, and Pakistanis. Most Somalis are nomadic or semi nomadic herders of livestock. The rest are either crop farmers or inhabitants of the few urban centers. The official languages of the country are Somali and Arabic and the state religion is Islam (“Somalian People”). Primary education for children of at least six years was mandatory for Somalians. Many institutions of higher education were also available to the community. Due to the war, education in Somalia has decreased dramatically. The education system, which was under the control of the central government, collapsed and many of the schools closed (“Somalia”). Now, though, the people are trying to reopen some schools and reestablish the education system. The other problem with the education in Somalia is that many children at a young age start to work or help out with the family livestock, not having much time for school. This leaves the children uneducated and deprives them of basic day-to-day communication skills (Kraus). Life in Somalia is relatively hard. Many of the major cities have been demolished due to constant fighting. Before the war, Somalia was flourishing with many developments. Day-to-day life was easy and promising. But when fighting broke out between the clans, the country regressed back to pre-development. Many of the homes and buildings, which were destroyed during the war, still remain in piles of rubble. As of now, several relief programs have been established in order to revive Somalia as a country. The United States, unlike Somalia, has the most powerful, diverse, and most advanced economy in the world. The United States has been the worlds leading industrial nation since the early 20th century (“United States Economy”). “Leading manufacturing industries of durable goods include non-electrical machinery, electric and electronic equipment, motor vehicles and equipment, and other transportation equipment” (“United States of America”). The US is extremely rich in natural resources but depends increasingly on foreign sources for raw materials such as oil (Birdsall). The US economy consists of 3 main sectors. The first sector is directed towards natural resources, which is 2% of the GDP. The secondary sector is mainly manufacturing and construction, which is 18% of the GDP. The third, and most important sector includes output services like trade, banking, etc., which is 80% of the GDP. The US also produces a huge share of the world's agricultural commodities because of its climate, which provides the growth of a favorable variety of crops (“United States”). The United States has a democratic government, meaning that it is "elected by the people and for the people." The supreme law of the land is the Constitution of the United States, ratified in 1879. Every adult over the age of 18 can vote. Power is distributed between federal and state governments (Hunt). The United States has an executive, legislative, and judicial branch. The chief of state and head of government is the president, who is elected to a 4-year term. The president is also the leader of his or her political party. The two major political parties that exist in the US are the Democratic and Republican parties (“United States of America”). The population in the United States is ever growing and vastly diverse. Ethnic groups from all over the world can be found in the US. The major ethnic groups are Caucasians, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians but many Americans also have mixed ancestries (“ United States People”). The primary language of the United States is English. Protestant and Roman Catholic are the major religions. Other religions include Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and some tribal religions (“United States”). In contrast to Somalia, education in America is very important. Education for children is mandatory in all states up to a certa...