Dylan+-+ASID+-+SP13

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Name: Adrien Costa Country: Angola  -Geography: Located on the south/west coast of Africa. Narrow coastal plain and inland plateau. Natural resources include petroleum, diamonds, and valuable minerals. -Economy: 85% of the country’s GDP and diamonds are 5%. Their economy is growing but 40% of their population is under the poverty line. -Population: 18,056,072 people (2012) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Social Structure: Conflict is everywhere even though the civil war ended in 2002. Militant groups still fight for control of certain economic resources. Little social structure exists. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Background: I grew up in a small town by a diamond mine, and when I turned ten, I was forced to work in the mine for a small amount of money to support my mother and sister. My father was off fighting with the rebel groups that controlled two thirds of the country.Every day I went to the river and sifted through the bank for chunks of raw diamond under armed guard. When the war ended in 2002, I was left in my town with my family. With no jobs to support us, my mother died from Malaria and my sister and I decided to travel to the capital city of Luanda to try and find work. I became involved with the African Union and worked my way up to being a representative for my country Angola.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Safety and Rule of Law: Although it’s much better in the cities, the rural areas of Angola struggle to keep certain goals alive, such as a judicial process, property rights, and plain safety. Since rural Angola is very remote, there are no social bonds that keep people in place, and it can be a very dangerous and unorganized place.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Participation and Human Rights: Again, the rural areas lack the enforcement of the following. Effective power to govern, gender equality, and legislation on violence against women. Since these rural areas are remote, there isn’t anyone to enforce the laws placed by the government, and therefore some unfair rules are and stay present.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Substantial Economic Opportunity: With the growing economy of Angola, there is economic opportunity, but only for a certain percentage of people. 40% of the country is under the poverty line. Many services such as electricity and air transport are only available to rural people if they travel long distances, and traveling is hard because they don’t have cars.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Human Development: Access to medicine is limited, so diseases like Malaria can easily kill people. Literacy is also an issue. Only 60% of Angolans above the age of 15 can read, and this is mostly due to the lack of schools throughout the country.