Prior to the civil war that occurred in Somalia in 1991 the country appeared to be one of the most homogeneous countries in Africa. The majority of people in Somalia are ethnic Somalis who speak dialects of the same language and practice the same religion. However, a multitude of ethnic and cultural divisions exists within the country. The practice of Islam varies nationwide, and has over the years, been influenced by different aspects of Arab culture.Somalia has a significant number of ethnic and economic minority groups. People of Bantu descent tend to live in farming villages and in the southern part of the country. Individuals of Arab descent and other non-African immigrants tend to reside in the coastal cities, such as Mogadishu. Among Somalis, a primary division exists between the Samaale and the Sab. The Samaale are the majority of the Somali people and consist of four main clan families the Dir, Isaaq, Hawiye, and Daaroodeach which is further divided into sub-clans. The Samaale are primarily of nomadic origin and live throughout Somalia and in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti. The Sab consist of two clan families, the Digil and Raxanweyn, located primarily in southern Somalia, where they combine farming and herding and are more likely than the Samaale to be sedentary.During the colonial period of dominance the Somali people were divided between British, Italian, and Ethiopian rule. The political climate of the rest of the world often had a large effect on African colonies, especially Somalia. During World War II the rivalry between the Axis powers and the Allied powers in Europe also had an effect on the social and political climate among the Somali people.Following Somalia's independence in 1960 the government supported the idea of Pan-Somalism, which is the belief that Somalia should unite all Somali-inhabited territories. The goal of Somali unification led to a military buildup that eventually resulted in war with Ethiopia and fighting in northern Kenya. The battle for Somali regions led to a shift in the political ideology and interactions with other nations. Somalia, which prior to 1963, had been allied with Western nations shifted their geopolitical alliances to the Eastern powers.Currently Somalis are located in Somalia as well as in many neighboring countries such as Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Kenya.