Civil wars are said to pose some of the most difficult problems a nation can face in the contemporary world. Often leaving them in chaos, countries facing such turbulence must sometimes appeal to international organizations such as the United Nations to bring peace to the territory. These pacification operations aim to rebuild the basic institutional systems that make political and economic development possible. However, if the wrong types of institutions are set in motion; Vicious cycles of underdevelopment can “often initiate a process of descent into lawlessness, state failure, and political chaos, crushing any hope of economic prosperity” (Acemoglu & Robinson, 2012, 367). Unfortunately, the state of Mozambique can be seen as one such example of failure to implement sound institutional arrangements which have led to the formation of huge wealth inequalities, as well as unchecked power for those in control. Officially, the Republic of Mozambique is a country located in southeastern Africa, with South Africa to the southwest and Zimbabwe to the west. With approximately 310,000 square miles under its feet and an estimated 22 million people living within its borders, Mozambique's population density is nearly 65 residents per square mile; leaving its inhabitants relatively densely packed compared to its southern neighbor with a population density of 41.7 (McCabe & Manian, 2010, 26). The annual income in Mozambique is around $850, but there is certainly a moderate/strong degree of income inequality in the country. Furthermore, few women receive an education, which constitutes a source and destination for sex trafficking of women and children. If this were not enough, armed conflicts still often occur...... half of the document ....../stories/201402071310.html (accessed 11 February 2014). Grainger, Lisa. “Mozambique: a silent beauty beneath the scars.” The telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africaandindianocean/mozambique/1 606346/Mozambique-a-quiet-beauty-beneath-the-scars.html (accessed 11 February 2014). Howard, Lise Morjé. United Nations peacekeeping in civil wars. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. Manning, Carrie L.. The Making of Democrats: Elections and Party Development in Postwar Bosnia, El Salvador, and Mozambique. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. McCabe, Kimberly A., and Sabita Manian. Sex Trafficking: A Global Perspective. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books, 2010. The World Bank. "Documents and reports." Mozambique Economic Update (English). http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/07/18100248/mozambique economic-update (accessed February 11, 2014).