Somalia

In 1960, British Somaliland merged with Italian Somaliland to create Somalia. The decades after that were generally filled with turmoil, and in 1991 the clans of northern Somalia created the Republic of Somalia, which is located in East Africa along the shores of the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. The new republic was subsequently plagued with internal strife, border disputes, and famine. Somalia, which is not recognized by other countries, is the fourth-poorest country in the world, with a per capita income of only $600 and a poverty rate of 71 percent. More than 70 percent of the workforce is engaged in agriculture, and 37 percent of the population is urbanized.

Early in the 21st century, some stability was restored as a result of ...