Mexico, Japan, Italy, And Mexico, Japan, Italy, And EthiopiaEthiopia

By Fernando, Roxana, By Fernando, Roxana, Adriana, And Alondra.Adriana, And Alondra.

JapanJapan In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military

dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For more than two centuries this policy power. For more than two centuries this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the Treaty of its indigenous culture. Following the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened its Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened its ports and began to intensively modernize and ports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32 Japan southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32 Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale invasion of China.full-scale invasion of China.

MexicoMexico The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations,

Mexico came under Spanish rule for three Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation had been making an century. The nation had been making an impressive recovery until the global financial impressive recovery until the global financial crisis hit in late 2008. Ongoing economic and crisis hit in late 2008. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states.southern states.

ItalyItaly   officially the Italian Republic  is a country located on the officially the Italian Republic  is a country located on the

Italian Peninsula in Southern Europeand on the two Italian Peninsula in Southern Europeand on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia Italy shares its northern, Alpine Boundary with Sardinia Italy shares its northern, Alpine Boundary with France, Swiztterland, Austria and Slovenia. The France, Swiztterland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent states of San Marino and the Vatician independent states of San Marino and the Vatician city  are enclaves within the Italian Peninsula, city  are enclaves within the Italian Peninsula, and Campoine D'Italia is an Italian exclave in and Campoine D'Italia is an Italian exclave in Switzerland.Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the Switzerland.Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the regional states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and regional states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era Sicily, were united under King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist dictatorship. His Persistent problems include illegal dictatorship. His Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and technical standards alliance with Nazi incomes and technical standards alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II. Germany led to Italy's defeat in World War II.

EthiopiaEthiopia Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian

monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea late in the 1990s ended with a peace treaty in Eritrea late in the 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. The Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission in December 2000. The Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission in November 2007 remotely demarcated the border by November 2007 remotely demarcated the border by geographical coordinates, but final demarcation of the geographical coordinates, but final demarcation of the boundary on the ground is currently on hold because of boundary on the ground is currently on hold because of Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive to requiring it to surrender territory considered sensitive to EthiopiaEthiopia..

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