The significance of any nation's commercial environment is apparent in the fact that an assessment of its overall business climate is typically the first step in analyzing its potential as a host for international commercial activity. This means addressing some important questions, such as the following. What language(s) do the people speak? What is the climate like? Are the local people open to new ideas and new ways of doing business? Do government officials and the people want our business? Is the political situation stable enough so that our assets and employees are not placed at unacceptable levels of risk? Answers to these kinds of questions plus statistical data on items such as income level and labor costs allow companies to evaluate the attractiveness of a particular location as a place for doing business.