Somalia is a country which is located in the horn of Africa.
According to the CIA and the Central Bank of Somalia, despite experiencing civil unrest, Somalia has maintained a healthy informal economy, based mainly on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies and telecommunications.
Somalia's business sector consists of both traditional and modern production, with a gradual shift in favor of modern industrial techniques taking root.
According to the Central Bank of Somalia, about 80% of the population keep goats, sheep, camels and cattle.
The nomads also gather resins and gums to supplement their income.
Anarchy has become the word by which Somalia has come to be identified with.
Years of civil war threw the country into a state of lawlessness.
Today the government is still struggling to regain its control over the state from rebel forces.
The countries population is witness to thousands of refugees as a result of the political unrest.
The paucity under which the nation has come under is immense.
Many socio-economists attribute the rampant piracy that has plagued the Somali shores to the poverty.
For some of these people, piracy is a necessity.
Life on this side of life is dangerous and sometimes even fatal.
This however does not deter them from engaging in these treacherous activities.
Life in Somalia is however not all about the pillage.
Many people earn an honest living for purposes of survival.
Somalia's economy has taken a beating from the tumultuous history.
Conversely life has to go on.
Although the climatic conditions in the country don't support farming activities the nation still manages to turn out products such as banana's, sorghum and corn.
The farmers often take this down to large open air markets from where they sell their produce.
These open air markets are common across the face of the African continent.
Merchants are assigned plots from within which they conduct their business.
All varieties of business transpire at the same time and alongside each other.
Bakara Market is one of the largest open air markets in the country.
Women often trek kilometers to go and find work there on a daily basis.
The majority of them end up cleaning up traders stalls or doing peoples laundry.
Anything that might get them a few shillings.
Still day in day out people will stream into the markets hoping to get their daily bread.
The markets are always a buzz of activity.
The narrow isles are jam-packed by traders doing all they can.
Historically pastrolism has been a way of life for the Somali people; cattle trading is another means by which the people try earn the livelihood.
They are still threatened by raids, drought and livestock market closure.
Despite this challenges the agricultural sector has its feet firmly planned into the ground.
The year 2007 saw a surge in cattle prices.
The trade in exquisite spices was born in the pre-colonial era when sea faring merchants would come for commercial purposes.
They would trade the spices for things yet unknown or unavailable to them.
Unfortunately being at these markets is dangerous.
The conflict between the government and the rebels often spews over into the souks.
This is frequently in the form of form of shelling either by the government trying to suppress rebels or by rebels trying to put a message across.
Few are reaping from the mercantile conditions of the country.
Investors are shying away.
The world is holding their breath for the country, but there is only so much that can be done in the face of so many conflicting forces.
According to the CIA and the Central Bank of Somalia, despite experiencing civil unrest, Somalia has maintained a healthy informal economy, based mainly on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies and telecommunications.
Somalia's business sector consists of both traditional and modern production, with a gradual shift in favor of modern industrial techniques taking root.
According to the Central Bank of Somalia, about 80% of the population keep goats, sheep, camels and cattle.
The nomads also gather resins and gums to supplement their income.
Anarchy has become the word by which Somalia has come to be identified with.
Years of civil war threw the country into a state of lawlessness.
Today the government is still struggling to regain its control over the state from rebel forces.
The countries population is witness to thousands of refugees as a result of the political unrest.
The paucity under which the nation has come under is immense.
Many socio-economists attribute the rampant piracy that has plagued the Somali shores to the poverty.
For some of these people, piracy is a necessity.
Life on this side of life is dangerous and sometimes even fatal.
This however does not deter them from engaging in these treacherous activities.
Life in Somalia is however not all about the pillage.
Many people earn an honest living for purposes of survival.
Somalia's economy has taken a beating from the tumultuous history.
Conversely life has to go on.
Although the climatic conditions in the country don't support farming activities the nation still manages to turn out products such as banana's, sorghum and corn.
The farmers often take this down to large open air markets from where they sell their produce.
These open air markets are common across the face of the African continent.
Merchants are assigned plots from within which they conduct their business.
All varieties of business transpire at the same time and alongside each other.
Bakara Market is one of the largest open air markets in the country.
Women often trek kilometers to go and find work there on a daily basis.
The majority of them end up cleaning up traders stalls or doing peoples laundry.
Anything that might get them a few shillings.
Still day in day out people will stream into the markets hoping to get their daily bread.
The markets are always a buzz of activity.
The narrow isles are jam-packed by traders doing all they can.
Historically pastrolism has been a way of life for the Somali people; cattle trading is another means by which the people try earn the livelihood.
They are still threatened by raids, drought and livestock market closure.
Despite this challenges the agricultural sector has its feet firmly planned into the ground.
The year 2007 saw a surge in cattle prices.
The trade in exquisite spices was born in the pre-colonial era when sea faring merchants would come for commercial purposes.
They would trade the spices for things yet unknown or unavailable to them.
Unfortunately being at these markets is dangerous.
The conflict between the government and the rebels often spews over into the souks.
This is frequently in the form of form of shelling either by the government trying to suppress rebels or by rebels trying to put a message across.
Few are reaping from the mercantile conditions of the country.
Investors are shying away.
The world is holding their breath for the country, but there is only so much that can be done in the face of so many conflicting forces.