Author: Mahua Mitra

SEATTLE — Rainforests consisting of tall and dense jungles are considered the oldest living ecosystems on Earth. Rainforests are a place of biodiversity, containing more than half of world’s plant and animal species while covering only 6 percent of the Earth’s surface. These huge stretches of dense forests are mainly found in the Amazon basin in South America, the Congo basin in Africa and Indonesia. They require plenty of sunshine and rainfall and thus regions near the equator are the ideal place for their growth. Rainforests maintain the balance of climate and water cycles and are a key source of oxygen.…

SEATTLE — American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States, which means it upholds the fundamental rights of the U.S. Constitution. It consists of a group of islands formed by volcanic activity and is located in the southern Pacific Ocean, halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. U.S. federal grants are an integral part of the economy, although tuna canning and tourism are also important contributors. The region is often beset by natural disasters such as hurricanes, storms and earthquakes, which disrupt the economy. In September 2009, the territory was hit by a massive earthquake followed by a tsunami, causing…

SEATTLE — Macedonia, a country situated in southeastern Europe, was once part of Yugoslavia and is known as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia due to the name ambiguity with a Greek province bearing the same name. Due to its location, Macedonia functions as a major junction of communication between various countries in Europe. Thus, infrastructure in Macedonia has become extremely important to the country’s development after independence. Road Infrastructure For Macedonia to become a transport hub and a center for the distribution of products to European markets, developing infrastructure is a necessity. The backbone of the country’s road network…

SEATTLE — Romania is derived from the Latin word Romanus, which means “A Citizen of Rome”. It is a country situated in southeastern Europe, surrounded by the Black Sea on one side and Bulgaria, Hungary and Ukraine on the other sides. It was under communist rule from 1947 until 1989. It held its first free election in 1990 and gained stability as a democratic country in 1996. Romania is a popular tourist destination because of its history, art, scenic beauty and the interesting Dracula legends. At present, corruption is a major issue in Romania, along with problems with healthcare, education, infrastructure…

ASHGABAT — Turkmenistan, in collaboration with United Nations (U.N.) Women, is taking major steps in empowering women to meet the targets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is a country located in Central Asia with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as its neighbors. Turkmenistan was a part of Soviet Union until its independence in 1991, and is known as an autocratic country with heavy restrictions on media and internet. The country is closed from the outside world, and as a consequence, gender inequality is prominent and discrimination against women is usually hushed up. According to a U.N. report, gender equality is…

SEATTLE — West Bank and Gaza is situated in Middle East surrounded by Israel, Jordan and Dead Sea. It is the most controversial place in regard to sovereignty, and the West Bank and Gaza together constitute Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) — a territory that has been under the Israeli Military Occupation since 1967. Due to political unrest and increased security restrictions, the economy of this area is increasingly unstable with an unemployment rate of 26.9 percent in 2016. Currently the World Bank has committed to almost $135 million for different development projects in West Bank and Gaza. The five major…