Somalia: A Cultural Analysis Somalia is a formerly colonized country on the west coast of Africa. Its sovereign history began in 1960 and has had a rich and interesting history ever since. This essay will serve as a cultural analysis and cover several key points. These points include the history of Somalia, the major defining characteristics of Somalia's culture, how these characteristics should be considered in planning and executing enterprise-level operations, how they are similar to and different from common American characteristics and values, and how These similarities and differences can influence future relationships and strategic planning. Finally, the conclusion will summarize the key points and discuss concluding remarks. History Somalia is located at the northeastern tip of the African coast on the Somali Peninsula, also known as the Horn of Africa. Its northern border is the Gulf of Aden, its eastern border is the Indian Ocean, its western border is Djibouti and Ethiopia, and its southern border is Kenya (History of Somalia). Somalia's land area encompasses nearly 250,000 square miles of African coastline and is about the size of the U.S. state of Texas (Somalia history). The climate of Somalia is very hot with alternating rainy and dry seasons. Plant life is relatively sparse and widespread, except in coastal and river regions. These areas provide water and plant life suitable for livestock to thrive. There are two rivers in Somalia. Their names are Jubba and Shabeelle. Both rivers originate in Ethiopia and flow down to the country of Somalia. However, only the Jubba flows to the Indian Ocean, as the Shabeele flows through paper and even into a written language. Themes of Somali poetry include politics, history and philosophy (history of Somalia). Another form of classical and popular literature includes the glorification of people and animals. Most modern novels describe the struggles of modern Somalis and more specifically Somali women. In addition to literature, Somalis also love theater and often attend the theater. Works Cited Manuszak, J.T. 1994. The United States Army in Somalia 1992-1994. http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/Somalia/Somalia.htm#p5. ElectronicsSomalia. 2014. June 2, 2014. http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Somalia.html. Electronic history of Somalia. 2014. June 2, 2014. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Somalia-HISTORY.html. ElectronicUS Army. Army Doctrine Publications 5-0. Washington DC.: Department of the Army, 2012. Print