- Background Notes (US Dept. of State)
Information on geographic entities and international organizations. Updated periodically.
- BBC Country Profiles
"...guide to history, politics and economic background of countries and territories, and background on key institutions."
- CIA World Factbook
A standard authoritative reference source, data is available for over 250 countries. For each country, map and flag, geographic, population, government, economic, communication, transportation, military, and transnational issue information is provided for the latest year available.
- Cities of the World - UNM only
"A compilation of current information on cultural, geographic, and political conditions in 193 countries and their cities covering six continents, based on the Department of State's Post Reports. Maps and photos of many cities included." UNM only.
- Constitution Finder
"This database offers constitutions, charters, amendments, and other related documents. Nations of the world are linked to their constitutional text posted somewhere on the Internet." From the University of Richmond.
- Countries and their Cultures - UNM only
"The focus of this book is on the cultures of the countries of the world, what is and what is not commonly shared culturally by the people who live in a country." UNM only.
- Country Reports
A good resource for students, teachers, and tourists. Country Reports offer information on the economy, defense, geography, government, history, and people of world countries.
- Country Studies (Library of Congress)
"Most books in the series deal with a particular foreign country, describing and analyzing its political, economic, social, and national security systems and institutions, and examining the interrelationships of those systems and the ways they are shaped by cultural factors."
- Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions
From the U. S. Department of State, websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions.
- Europa World Year Book - UNM only
"First published in 1926, the year book is renowned as one of the world's leading reference works, covering political and economic information in over 250 countries and territories, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe." UNM only.
From the Center for International Business Education and Research, this sites provides access to more than five thousand internet resources with annotations. Strong for current events.
"The world's largest database of statistical comparisons between countries." Data sources are cited.
- Portals to the World (Library of Congress)
Complied by the librarians at the Library of Congress, this site contains "selective links providing authoritative, in-depth information about the nations and other areas of the world."
- Rulers of the World
"This site contains lists of heads of state and heads of government (and, in certain cases, de facto leaders not occupying either of those formal positions) of all countries and territories, going back to about 1700 in most cases. Also includes a chronicle of relevant events since 1996 related to the Chiefs of State."
- UNdata: A world of information
"...brings UN statistical databases within easy reach of users through a single entry point. Users can now search and download a variety of statistical resources of the UN system."
- World Development Indicators (from the World Bank) - UNM only
"Contains statistical data for over 550 development indicators and time series data from 1960-2002 for over 200 countries and 18 country groups. Data includes social, economic, financial, natural resources, and environmental indicators. UNM only.
- World Leaders
From the CIA, this is an online directory of world leaders. Formerly "Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments".
- Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations - UNM only
"...information on 200 countries and dependencies from around the world. Entries discuss a variety of topics in detail, from banking and securities to climate, from government data to demographic statistics. Also includes biographical essays on national leaders." UNM only.