Content last reviewed:
Compilation of resources which provide background information on countries
Country Information and Statistics (Google Custom Search from Joint Special Operations University Library)
Global Studies Custom Search (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Foreign Governments, Northwestern University (Links to official websites for foreign governments)
Websites of National Parliaments, Inter-Parliamentary Union
- Business Source Complete - click on Country Reports in the right hand menu - click on Country and enter country name in the Browse for box
- CIA World Factbook
- EIU.com - Country Reports, Country Profiles, Weekly briefings on business related news around the world
- Countries and Territories (Global Affairs Canada) - for older information see: Country Studies Series (U.S. Library of Congress. Federal Research Division)
- Mergent Online - see Country Profile in right hand box, use drop down menu to select country
- CIFP Country Indicators for Foreign Policy (Carleton University)
- Country Information and Guidance (UK Visas and Immigration) - human rights
- Country Reports on Terrorism (U.S. Dept. of State)
- Crisis Watch (International Crisis Group)
- Human Rights Reports (U.S. Dept. of State)
- INCORE: International Conflict Research - country guides
- International Religious Freedom Report (U.S. Dept. of State)
- National Documentation Packages (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) - human rights
- Political Database of the Americas
- IDEA International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
- U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics
- Countries & Regions (U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service)
- Country Commercial Guides (U.S. Commercial Service) - business climate
- Country Fact Sheets - foreign direct investment (UNCTAD)
- Doing Business (World Bank)
- Enterprise Surveys (World Bank) - contains Country Highlights and Country Profiles
- FAO Country Profiles
- globalEdge (University of Michigan Broad School of Business) - information by Country, Trade Bloc, Industry and by US State
- International Minerals Statistics and Information - mineral industry profiles of countries (U.S. Geological Survey)
- International Trade Centre - Countries/Territories in dropdown menu
- Social Security Country Profiles
- World Wealth & Income Database
- 3P Anti-trafficking Policy Index (188 countries for the period 2000-2014)
- Climate Change Performance Index (ranks climate protection performance of 58 countries)
- Commitment to Development Index (Center for Global Development)
- Corruption Perceptions Index (Transparency International)
- Country Risk (A.M. Best Rating Services)
- Country Risk Assessment (Coface) - also does sector assessments
- Country Risk Classification (OECD)
- Ease of Doing Business (World Bank)
- Ease of Paying Taxes (World Bank/PWC)
- Economic Freedom of the World (Cato Institute)
- Environmental Performance Index
- Fragile States Index (The Fund for Peace)
- Freedom in the World: an annual study of political rights and civil liberties (Freedom House)
- GDP ranking (World Bank)
- Gender Gap Rankings (World Economic Forum) - part of the Global Gender Gap Report - also see the Country Profiles
- Global Climate Risk Index
- Global Competitiveness Report (World Economic Forum)
- Global Connectedness Index - state of globalization (DHL)
- Global Cybersecurity Index (International Telecommunications Union)
- Global Energy Architecture Performance Index (World Economic Forum)
- Global Firepower (GFP) - ranks potential conventional war-making capability
- Global Innovation Index
- Global Integrity Reports
- Global Liveability Ranking (Economist Intelligence Unit)
- Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index (Deloitte)
- Global Opportunity Index: attracting foreign investment (Milken Institute)
- Global Peace Index (Vision of Humanity)
- Global Risks of Highest Concern for Doing Business (World Economic Forum)
- Global Services Location Index (ATKearney) - offshoring landscape in 55 countries
- Happy Planet Index - examines 151 countries on capacity to produce long, happy and sustainable lives for citizens
- Human Development Index (United Nations Development Programme)
- Inclusive Internet Index (Economist Intelligence Unit)
- Index of Economic Freedom (Heritage Foundation)
- Indicators of Employment Protection (OECD)
- International Property Rights Index
- KOF Index of Globalization (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich)
- Logistics Performance Index (World Bank)
- Market Potential Index (Michigan State University)
- Migration Governance Index (MGI) - assesses degree to which national policies facilitate well managed migration
- NationMaster - rankings under Countries A-Z
- Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index - countries' vulnerability to climate change and other global challenges
- Population ranking (World Bank)
- Social Progress Index - based on basic human needs, foundations of wellbeing and opportunity
- Strength of Legal Rights Index (World Bank)
- Terrorism Index (Vision of Humanity)
- World Risk Index (part of World Risk Report) - Risk of disaster inconsequence of extreme natural events for 171 countries