Water Polution essays

Water Polution essays How to Protect and Keep Our Water Supply Lake Catoma is the only water source for Cullman County and some portions of Morgan and Winston County. We only have the same amount of water today that we did when the Earth was formed so we need to use it sparingly. Less than one percent of the Earths water is available to use for drinking water. Water quality samples are taken regularly to insure the safety of our drinking water, but there are also things we have to do to keep it safe for ourselves. We can not rely on the professionals to do all the work and keep our water clean. Here are some ways you can help protect our drinking water supply: Take used motor oil to an authorized recycling station. Never pour oil or other hazardous waste down your drain, on the ground or in storm sewers! Recycle all household and automotive batteries. Use lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides sparingly. Here are some tips on conserving water in the bathroom: Check all faucets, pipes Take shorter showers instead of tub baths. Check for toilet leaks (90% of water leaks in the home are in the toilet system). Turn off the water while shaving, brushing teeth, etc. Place a bucket in the shower to catch excess water and use this to water plants. Here are some general water saving tips: Check all household and business plumbing fixtures for leaks and fix them. Thousands of gallons of water are wasted annually through leaky plumbing. Be aware of and follow all water conservation and water shortage rules in effect in your community. Conserve water because it is the right thing to do. Don't waste water just because someone else is footing the bill, such as when you are staying at a hotel. Try to do one thing each day that will result in saving water. Every drop counts and...

Understanding and Identifying Douglas Firs

Understanding and Identifying Douglas Firs Douglas fir  (or Doug fir) is the English name applied in common to most evergreen coniferous trees of the genus Pseudotsuga  which is in the family Pinaceae. There are five species, two in western North America, one in Mexico, and two in eastern Asia. Douglas Fir Is Confusing to Taxonomists The firs most common name honors a Scottish botanist by the name of David Douglas, a collector of botanical specimens who first reported the extraordinary nature and potential of the species. On his second expedition to North Americas Pacific Northwest in 1824, he discovered what was to eventually be scientifically named Pseudotsuga menziesii. Because of its distinctive cones, Douglas firs were finally placed in the new genus Pseudotsuga (meaning false Tsuga) by the French botanist Carrià ¨re in 1867. Doug firs gave 19th-century botanists problems due to their similarity to various other conifers better known at the time; they have at times been classified as Pinus, Picea, Abies, Tsuga, and even Sequoia. The Common North American Douglas Fir Douglas fir is one of the most important timber trees on earth in terms of forest products. It can grow large over centuries but will usually be harvested within a century because of its wood value. The good news is that it is a common non-endangered tree and the most plentiful western conifer in North America. This common fir has two Pacific coastal and Rocky Mountain variants or varieties. The coastal tree grows to a height of 300 feet where the Rocky Mountain variety only reaches 100 feet.   Pseudotsuga menziesii  var. menziesii  (called coastal Douglas fir) grows  in the moist coastal regions from west-central  British Columbia  southward to central  California. These firs in Oregon and Washington range from the  eastern edge of the Cascade mountain range to the Pacific ocean.Pseudotsuga menziesii  var. glauca  (called Rocky Mountain Douglas fir) is a smaller fir that tolerates drier sites and grows along with the coastal variety and throughout the Rocky Mountains to Mexico. Quick Identification of Douglas Fir Douglas fir is not a true fir so both the needle formations and the unique cone can throw you off. The cone has unique snake tongue-like forked bracts creeping out from under the scales. These cones are nearly always intact and plentiful both on and under the tree. True firs have needles that are upturned and not whorled. Doug fir is not a true fir and needles are singly wrapped around the twig and between 3/4 to  1.25 inches long with a white line underneath. The needles are deciduous (but may persist), linear or needle-like, not prickly like spruce, and singly whorled around the twig. Doug fir is also a  favorite Christmas tree  and adapts well to commercial plantations well out of its natural range. The Most Common North American Conifer List Baldcypress  CedarDouglas firFirHemlock  Larch PineRedwoodSpruce

The theoretical rationale for the NPV approach to investment appraisal Essay

The theoretical rationale for the NPV approach to investment appraisal - Essay Example 383). It is originally attributed to Irving Fisher in his 1930 book, The Theory of Interest. The most common application of the Fisher model of NPV is in deriving the value of the net contribution of a potential investment to shareholder value, or for budgeting purposes, when deciding among alternative projects when available capital is limited and may not be sufficient to finance all the projects. In fact, the NPV is a valuation method that may be used to decide situations for which a stream of future returns and future payments may be estimated. The power and allure of the NPV is that it serves so well the role of financial markets that allows individuals and corporations to transfer money between dates (MacMinn, 2005:1). By creating a rationale valuation tool linking money in two different points in time, it becomes possible for the individual to â€Å"save by transferring dollars from the present to the future,† while the corporation may â€Å"invest and finance the investment by transferring dollars from the future to the present† (p.l-2). However, for the model to work requires knowledge of the cost of capital from which the discount rate is derived. The NPV is derived by discounting all future cash inflows and outflows to the present. By â€Å"discounting† is meant calculating the equivalent value in the present of all future cashflows, assuming these cashflows appreciated over time by an annual compound rate such as the cost of money. This â€Å"discount rate† is that rate of return that an investment (of similar risk) in the financial markets may be expected to earn. Otherwise stated, if an amount equivalent to the net present value were invested today in a financial instrument of similar risk as the alternative or project being considered, the rate of return of which is equal to the expected return on the investment, then such amount would represent the same benefit that may be derived from th entire stream of future cash flows yielded by the instrument invested in. When the discount rate has been determined, the present value of a single sum N years in the future may be found by multiplying this single sum by t he discount factor pertaining to the discount rate applied over N number of years. In mathematical terms: Where: PV = present value of the future single sum R = the future single sum N = the number of compounding periods from the present to the time the single sum is realized or expected i = the discount rate The discount factor is equivalent to the factor multiplied by the single sum to obtain the present value. It is denoted by the expression Discount factor (single sum, discount rate i, N periods) = Where there are more than one cash flow, the several cash flows together make up a cash flow stream. In this instance, the sum of the present values of the individual cash flows is equal to the present value of the entire cash flow stream. When the cash flow is an inflow (or revenue), then the cash flow is positive and its present value is also positive. When the cash flow is an outflow (or cost), then the cash flow is negative, and its present value is also negative. Therefore the su m of present values for the inflows and outflows nets out the costs from the revenues, resulting in the net present value. Illustrating the theoretical rationale of the NPV To illustrate the rationale of the NPV approach, assume that management has to choose from three possible investments A, B and C, each with a life of five years and none of which are mutually exclusive, with the following expected future cash inflows and outflows: The cash flows at year 0 (the present) represent the initial investments which are costs and therefore are denoted by the

Principles of Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Principles of Finance - Essay Example The company should be more interested in incremental cash flows in comparison to the total cash flows because incremental cash flows would reflect the increase in the cash flows from the project whereas the company could still be showing positive total profits even if the project is having a loss. Therefore it is more important to use the incremental cash flows as by using this method, the company would be able to analyze the marginal benefits that the project would give to the company and if the incremental cash flows are positive then the project should be accepted. The company should not use the incremental profits because it would also reflect the increase in the accounting profits from the project rather than showing the cash flows. Also the total profits or incremental cash flows should not be used to take capital budgeting decision because a firm can still be in positive total profits or positive incremental profits even if it is suffering from negative cash flows. Therefore, using the incremental cash flows would be the best technique for the firm. ... As depreciation is an expense, and therefore the higher the value of the depreciation expense, the lower would be the accounting profits of the company and therefore the lower amount of tax the company has to pay therefore depreciation would influence the cash flows in this manner. Part C: Sunk Costs and its Affect On Cash Flows When capital budgeting techniques are used to evaluate the feasibility of the project, sunk costs are ignored. The main focus in on the incremental cash flows particularly the incremental cash flows after deduction of taxes as they mainly reflect the cash flows at the end the company would receive. No matter what the decision has been made on the acceptance or rejection of the project, the sunk costs would still occur (Khan, 1993) and this would mean that sunk costs are not to be considered as incremental cash flows. Therefore incorporating the sunk cost in the capital budgeting technique would be irrelevant. Part D: Initial Project Outlay Initial project out lay is the amount of investment that would be required for the project. The initial outlay for this would be: Initial Project Outlay = All costs related to the Plant and equipment including shipping and installation costs + increment in the working capital because of the project Here, the installation and shipping cost is $100,000 Plant and equipment cost is $7,900,000 Increment in working capital is $100,000 So, Initial Project Outlay = $8,100,000 Part E: Differential Cash Flows Over The Project's Life Operating Cash Flow: Â  1 Â  2 Â  3 Â  4 Â  5 Revenue 21,000,000 36,000,000 42000000 24000000 15600000 Variable Cost 12600000 21600000 25200000 14400000 10800000 Â   8,400,000 14,400,000 16,800,000 9,600,000 4,800,000 Depreciation expense $1,600,000 $1,600,000 $1,600,000

Middle Ages Literature Essay Example for Free

Middle Ages Literature Essay The Middle Ages had many interesting characteristics concerning the literature of that time period. The important literary works â€Å"incorporated elements and values drawn from different and conflicting traditions (Patterson 1143). For every opinion, there was another opinion to counter it. Many of the pieces of literature at this time had contradictory ideas in them or had competing interests (Patterson 1144). The literature of this time shows us that â€Å"many people took the central doctrine of Christianity so much for granted that their daily lives seem largely untroubled by the moral and spiritual demands of religion† (Patterson 1144). Another characteristic of the literature was that it alerts us to the â€Å"complexities and dilemmas that any faith poses† (Patterson 1144). The Middle Ages is also called the â€Å"age of chivalry† (Patterson 1144). The literature mainly â€Å"expresses the values of the most powerful members of society, the aristocracy† (Patterson 1144). The aristocracy achieved their power through â€Å"military might† (Patterson 1144). There was also an â€Å"explicit code of chivalry† (Patterson 1145). The values were â€Å"never entirely consistent with each other† (Patterson 1145). Characters of literature had to choose whether to be a lover or a warrior (Patterson 1145). The main concerns of the literature were â€Å"the demands of religious faith and appropriate use of physical force, and the individual human being working out his or her individual destiny† (Patterson 1145). The literature during this time contributed to a list of vivid characters to the world of literature (Patterson 1145). Writers created unforgettable, complex literary characters to deal with the themes (Patterson 1145). The Middle Ages contrasted to the Renaissance because the Renaissance’s characters had â€Å"greater autonomy and fully realized personalities† (James 1883). The Renaissance’s literature did not judge â€Å"human action by right and wrong but by beauty, memorability, and effectiveness† (James 1886). During the Renaissance, the presence of God was much less dominating (James 1887). Medieval men and women were more concerned with the afterlife, while in the Renaissance they had a preoccupation with this life (James 1886). The Canterbury Tales fits into the Middle Ages well with some characteristics and not quite as well concerning others. For example, the Pardoner in The Canterbury Tales preaches the word of God on a daily basis, yet he is morally corrupt in his everyday life (Chaucer 1759). He preaches of greed, yet is greedy himself (Chaucer 1759). The Pardoner steals from the church, as well as innocent people (Chaucer 1758). Chaucer showed us that people took the doctrine of the church for granted. Other characters in The Canterbury Tales spoke of God and were Christians, yet didn’t bother with feeling morally obligated to act right. The dilemmas of being a Christian in real-life are seen. Some of the characters are Christian but it is more complex and takes an effort to be a Christian. The Canterbury Tales didn’t seem to have contradictory themes necessarily. Chaucer makes his views of various social ranks known through a use of satire. The characters themselves are contradictory, as we see with the Pardoner once again (Chaucer 1758). Since Chaucer has every type of social rank represented, we see his view of these ranks, which does contradict some of the jobs or moral obligations of various people. The characters in the story itself did compete for various interests. They all held different values or beliefs about the world. Chaucer lived during this time period, so it is in a way a more realistic view rather than contradictory. The explicit code of chivalry isn’t necessarily a large component of The Canterbury Tales except for perhaps the Knight and his tale. Chaucer shows that some people were focused on the chivalry act during this time. The Canterbury Tales doesn’t focus on pleasing the aristocracy either. Chaucer wrote from the perspective of every social rank so his book was meant for the poor and rich. Its subject matter was meant to be appealing to all Medieval people. The final characteristic that The Canterbury Tales does follow is the well developed characters. Chaucer had a whole list of realistic, complex characters. These characters could rival the Renaissance’s characters to me. I enjoyed reading about the characters and reading even more of The Canterbury Tales online. The Canterbury Tales fits well with the characteristics of the Middle Ages for the most part. The individual characters do have an individual goal in mind. Chaucer seemed as if he cared about his characters and wanted readers to his get to know them on an individual level, which seems more ahead of his time.

Photography vs. Text Essay -- Art Writing Literature Essays

Photography vs. Text Man's first step on the moon, the Hindenburg Disaster, The Gold Rush of 1849, The Great Depression, and the realities of Vietnam are all in our memory because of one thing: photography. Many may not remember what literature and history books say about the war in Vietnam, but what about the graphic photo of a South Vietnamese Buddhist burning himself alive? Some may not recall the words of news anchor Walter Cronkite as he announced the death of President Kennedy, but may reminisce on what film captured-- first he took off his glasses, next he looked you straight in the eyes and delivered the message in a straightforward and serious matter: "Three shots were fired at President Kennedy's motorcade in downtown Dallas." (qtd. in Bestor) Cronkite remembers it as "the only time (he) ever broke down while on the air." (qtd. in Hayes) An hour and a-half later, According to the World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia, photography froze history as Lyndon B. Johnson made his presidential oath on Air-Force One. Jackie Kennedy watched on with ineffable emotion. ("Kennedy"). Two days later was the assassination of Lee Harvey Oswald, captured by a photographer at the exact moment that Jack Ruby pulled the pistol and shot Oswald point-blank. The picture-- depicting the horror on Oswald's face and Jack Ruby's expression of anger-- won the 1963 Pulitzer Prize for photographic journalism. Edward Steichen said to TIME reporters in 1961 that "photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face, the beauty of the earth and skies that man has inherited, and the wealth and confusion man has created. It is a major force in explaining man to himself." (Eurlich and DeBruhl 505.) Steichen was a pioneer in ... ...t to lose." (Eurlich and DeBruhl 126) These great pieces of art are primarily so for their ability to freeze time in a split second. No other art form in the world, not even literature, can match that. Works Cited Eurlich, Eugene, and Marshall DeBruhl. The International Thesaurus of Quotations New York: HarperPerrenial, 1996 World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia San Diego: Ivid Communications, 1997 Bestor, Mary Jane. JFK Death: Sunday Was 35th Anniversary News Article 21 Jun. 2000 <http://www.wcco.com/news/stories/news-981123-055109.html> Hayes, Ace R. A Reporter's Lie: Cronkite and the Party Line (Book Review) 22 Jun. 2000 <http://www.radio4all.org/pfp/cronkite.html> Newmann, Renee M. Dyslexia: Explanations from Science Dyslexia & Dyscalculia Support Services of Shiawassee County. 24 Jun. 2000 <http://www.shianet.org/~reneenew/dysl.html>

Cuneiform And Hieroglyphics Essay

The invention of writing was an important part of the development of Sumer and Egypt. There are many similarities and differences to the writings of each of these civilizations. The Sumerians developed a writing called cuneiform. Cuneiform is the oldest written language in existence. Each picture represents a living or nonliving thing. Cuneiform was written on clay tablets with a wedge-shaped instrument called a stylus. Henry Creswicke Rawlinson was the first person to decipher the meanings of cuneiform. He did so in 1846. Cuneiform eventually spread throughout the region and was adopted by many other early civilizations. The Egyptians developed a writing that they named hieroglyphics. The word hieroglyphic means ?sacred inscriptions? because they were often written on the walls of temples. Hieroglyphics were created about 5000 years ago. There are not any vowels, only consonants. There is also no punctuation. In 1799, the Rosetta Stone was discovered. The Rosetta Stone was the secret to discovering the meanings of hieroglyphics. On the Rosetta Stone there were three sections of print, each saying the same thing but in different languages. At the top, the paragraph was written in hieroglyphics. Second, it was written in Demotic. Lastly the paragraph was written in Ancient Greek. By reading the ancient Greek word and names, the other paragraphs could be deciphered. Twenty-three years after it?s discovery, Jean-FranVois Champollion figured out what the hieroglyphics meant. Hieroglyphics are pictures that represent a letter. In both civilizations, mostly only scribes knew how to read and write. Being a scribe was a very honorable profession. People who were to become scribes went to school for many years starting at a young age. The profession of being a scribe was passed down through families; if a boy?s father was a scribe, he would become one also. Because children needed to be taught to read and write when they were to  become scribes, schools were created. Eventually, these schools became more than centers of just learning the art of reading and writing, but they also became centers of learning of botany, astronomy, medicine, and mathematics. People becoming more literate and more knowledgeable helped greatly in the development of the civilizations. Both writings, cuneiform and hieroglyphics, were invented to improve the record keeping of the civilization. By having a written language, Egypt and Sumer could kept records, draw up contracts and official documents, record laws and legal judgments, and record sales. As time went on, being able to write also enabled people to write down formulas, procedures, legends, prayers, and hymns. Even though there were many differences between cuneiform and hieroglyphics, there were many similarities. These similarities caused writing to be important in the growth of Sumer and Egypt.

Ethics Essay

The case study of Jerry McCall, one of the medical assistants in Dr. William’s office, describes one of the many challenges that occur on a daily basis while working in a doctor’s office. There are many different levels of staff present in an office that have an array of different job duties and scopes of practice. Jerry was presented with a patient that was in need of a prescription refill on a medication that he is not allowed to issue without direct authorization from the physician. Unfortunately for Jerry he was covering a lunch break and the only one in the office at that time. There are a number of different ethical decisions that Jerry is faced with in which we will cover below. Jerry’s medical training as a medical assistant does not include the release of any type of refill of prescription medications without the authorization or direction from the physician. The scope of practice for a medical assistant includes performing â€Å"administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of physician. Administrative duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examination, drawing blood, and administering medications as directed by physician† (Medical Assistant Job Description, 1997-2013). It is also stated in the case study that Jerry is a Licensed Practical Nurse, which is also only to refill a prescription under the direction of the physician. Would it make a difference if the medication requested were for control of high blood pressure that the patient critically needs on a daily basis? There should not be a difference between what types of medications Jerry is asked to authorize to refill for a patient. This type of duty is not part of the medical assistant’s scope of practice. There are other alternatives that Jerry can turn to in order to problem-solve this situation that will be discussed below. If Jerry calls in the refill and the patient has an adverse reaction while flying, is Jerry protected from a lawsuit under the doctrine of respondent superior? The doctrine of respondent superior is a â€Å"legal doctrine most commonly used in tort, that holds an employer or principal legally responsible for the wrongful acts of an employee or agent, if such acts occur within the scope of the employment or agency† (Cornell University Law School, 2010). This is stating that the physician is also responsible and can be held accountable for the actions of Jerry. Jerry must practice within the scope of practice set for medical assistants and within his job description. The physician can be held liable by the patient and can have charges pressed on him based on this doctrine. The advice I would have for Jerry is to make sure he is looking at this situation as if it were the governing board for medical assistants looking at the same issue. He should not make a decision that is above his job description and out of his scope of practice. This could cause serious problems leading to Jerry possible losing his job. Jerry has a code of ethics that he needs to abide. The patient’s safety should be what Jerry is concerned with. Major legal and ethical issues that may affect Jerry’s decision are very clear in this situation. If Jerry authorizes this prescription without the physician’s direction he is practicing outside of his scope as a medical assistant and will lose not only his job, but his license. Ethically, he is knowingly performing an illegal act and can be held accountable for this in a court of law. Some problem-solving methods that might be helpful to assist in making an ethical decision are for Jerry to review his code of ethics. This will educate Jerry that â€Å"the code of ethics of American Association of Medical Assistants shall set forth principles of ethical and moral conduct as they relate to the medical profession and the particular practice of medical assisting, render service with full respect for the dignity of humanity, and uphold the honor and high principles of the profession and accept its disciplines† (Fremgen, 2009, p. 328). Another ethical way to problem-solve this issue it to simply call the physician to let him know this patient is in need of a refill which needs to be called in as soon as possible for the patient. This will place the responsibility back to the physician where it should be. Jerry should instruct the patient that authorizing a refill without the physician’s direction is against the law, and Jerry will notify the physician right away to make him aware of the patient’s needs. In conclusion, Jerry should stick to his code of ethics as a medical assistant and handle the prescription dilemma as any medical assistant should do within his scope of practice. Jerry should also take into consideration that any ethical decisions he makes can result in the physician he works for being held accountable for Jerry’s actions. The advice for Jerry to call the physician to make him aware of the patients needs would allow him to make the best ethical and legal decision available. Like any working professional, Jerry is held to a code of ethics that he took a vow to uphold, and should remember this when dealing with the safety of any patient.

To the lighthouse, Intro to Narrative technique essays

To the lighthouse, Intro to Narrative technique essays Virginia Woolfs To The Lighthouse (1927) Stream of consciousness, the narrative technique used by Woolf, was a relatively new method of storytelling used by many modernist writers in the first half of the twentieth century. The term stream of consciousness was first used by philosopher William James in 1890 in his book Principles of Psychology. The metaphor is an apt one in its depiction of the ebb and flow of thought. Consider the way the human mind works when it is not concentrating on anything: The mind wanders from thought to thought, often diverted by outside influences The first thing to note about this novel is that Woolf uses a specific form of the stream of consciousness technique called indirect interior monologue. Interior means that we are inside the consciousness of one character speaking to herself (monologue), thinking or remembering some past experience. Unlike direct interior monologue where the reader knows which characters consciousness is being presented, the consciousness being explored in the indirect method of Woolf is not always obvious. Sometimes its one characters consciousness, sometimes the narrative voice, sometimes another characters consciousness, and often these are blended within one sentence without obvious signals being given as to the change of perspective. Timeframes: Before examining an example from The Window section of the novel, its important to keep in mind that this entire section comprises one day at the summer house of the Ramsays, a middle-class Victorian couple, and that the year is probably 1909. More specifically, we begin the section during the hours after tea when Mrs. Ramsay and her son James are sitting before the drawing room window while Lily Briscoe is painting their portrait. Other members of the household are involved with their ordinary occupations: ...

7th Grade Math Course of Study

7th Grade Math Course of Study The following list provides you with the basic 7th grade math  concepts that should be attained by the end of the school year. Mastery of the concepts at the previous grade is assumed. A standard seventh grade course of study includes numbers, measurements, geometry, algebra, and probability. Heres a breakdown of the specific topics. Numbers Give factors, multiples, integer amounts and square roots for numbers.Compare and order decimals, fractions and integers.Add and subtract integers.Be able to perform multi-step word problems for all of the above operations.Add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions and convert between fractions, decimals and percents.Explain and justify a variety of procedures for the above related concepts in problem solving. Measurements Use measurement terms appropriately, be able to measure a variety of items at home and at school.Be able to solve more complex problems with measurement estimations an problems using a variety of formulas.Estimate and calculate areas for trapezoids, parallelograms, triangles, prisms circles using the correct formulas.Estimate and calculate volumes for prisms, sketch prisms (rectangular) given the volumes. Geometry Hypothesize, sketch, identify, sort, classify, construct, measure, and apply a variety of geometric shapes and figures and problems.Sketch and construct a variety of shapes given the dimensions.Create and solve a variety of geometric problems.Analyze and identify shapes that have been rotated, reflected, translated and describe those that are congruent.Determine if shapes/figures will tile a plane (tessellate).Analyze different types of tiling patterns. Algebra/Patterning Extend, analyze and justify the explanations for patterns and their rules and a more complex levelBe able to write algebraic equations/expressions and write statements to understand simple formulas.Evaluate a variety of simple linear algebraic expressions at a beginning level 1 variable and first-degree.Be able to solve and simplify algebraic equations with the 4 operations.Substitute natural numbers for variables when solving algebraic equations. Probability Design surveys, collect and organize more complex data and identify and explain patterns and trends in data.Construct a variety of graphs and label them appropriately and state the difference between selecting one graph over another.Defend your choices of graphs.Make more accurate predictions based on data.Understand the importance of statistics on decision making and provide real life scenarios.Describe collected data in terms of mean, median and the mode and be able to analyze any bias.Make inferences, predictions and evaluations based on interpretations of data collection results.Be able to predict possible outcomes based on background information.Apply the rules of probability to games of chance and sports. Course Topics for All Grades Pre-K Kdg. Gr. 1 Gr. 2 Gr. 3 Gr. 4 Gr. 5 Gr. 6 Gr. 7 Gr. 8 Gr. 9 Gr. 10 Gr.11 Gr. 12

Cte d'Ivoire Outline & Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cte d'Ivoire Outline & Report - Research Paper Example Since the issue of who will lead the country has already been resolved, Ivory Coast is in the process of moving forward and breaking all barriers caused by war. The government has concrete plans on turning the fortune of the country. In addition, foreign aid and investments have been pledged to boost the country’s economy. Another issue that prevents Ivory Coast from improving is the lack of human capital development. The level of investment provided to improve cocoa farmers is low. The government needs to pay attention to this segment as majority of the population are into agriculture. Prices of commodities have to remain competitive and taxes should be reduced. I. Country Profile The Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, also known as Ivory Coast is a country situated in West Africa. The country has a total land area 322,460 square kilometers and shares borders with Liberia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso. The southern boundary of the country includes a 515-coastline from the Gu lf of Guinea. Ivory Coast’s terrain includes lagoons in the southeast, dense forests in the southwest, and savannah areas in the north. The west part of the country is mostly mountainous with wide plains. The country’s climate is warm and transitions from tropical to equatorial. Ivory Coast experiences heavy rains during the months of June to October and dry periods from December to April. The average temperature is at 25 to 30 degrees Celsius with the lowest at 10 degrees Celsius and highest at 40 degrees Celsius (CIA, 2011). As of July 2011, Cote d'Ivoire has an estimated population of 21,504,162 which ranks the country 56th in the world. The population comprises of major ethnic groups; the biggest which is Akan with 42% of the total population. The other ethnic groups from largest to smallest include Gur, Northern Mandes, Krous and Southern Mandes. Each year, the population of the country increases by 2.0 percent with a birth rate of 31 per 1,000 people and death ra te of 10 per 1,000 people. Life expectancy on the average is at 57 years with males reaching 56 years and females reaching 58 years (CIA, 2011). Ivory Coast’s largest city is Abidjan where the seat of government is located. The capital city of Yamoussoukro and the government is divided into 19 regions and 81 departments. Other main cities include Bouake, Daloa, Korhogo, San Pedro and Divo. The country’s official language is French but the use of English has been observed. About 39% of the people are Muslims, 32% are Christians, 12% are indigenous and the rest have no established religion. Ivory Coast is 51% urbanized and the rate on urbanization is at 3.7% change annually. Literacy rate is at 49% where 61% of the men and 38 of women can read and write. In terms of age structure, 57% are aged between 15 to 64 years old, 40% are between 0 to 14 years old and the rest of the population is over 65 years old (CIA, 2011). II. History There have been documents stating there w ere pre-historic human settlements in Ivory Coast. Most of the groups that established communities in the country were tribes that broke away from powerful groups in West Africa. The lush forests have served as barrier preventing foreign tribes from coming in. Hence Ivory Coast has limited foreign influence and has limited awareness as to what is happening outside. During the 18th century, most communities were