LibGuides: Country Information: Internet Resources

Internet Resources

There is a lot of information freely available on the Internet. Some websites offer up-to-date, authoritative information while others offer outdated, misunderstood, and incorrect information. To complicate matters, it can be very difficult to tell the two apart. It is important to keep in mind that anyone can publish information on the Internet. You need to be very careful about evaluating information found on the Web, judging each website on its information merit, not just its looks.

Remember to keep in mind the information timeline when researching articles. Get more information below:

T he Information Cycle
The information cycle is the progression of media coverage of a newsworthy event. Understanding the information cycle can help you determine what kind of information you are likely to find about your topic.

The C.R.A.P. Test
Evaluating Internet Resources
Provides evaluation criteria/questions before using Web resources - from Georgetown University Library
Tips and Tricks for Evaluating Web Sites
Presents several questions to help students make decisions towards the academic quality of web pages/ Internet sources - from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign University Library

Background Notes (U.S. State Dept.)
Includes facts on the country's land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and its relations with other countries.
Baker Research Guides
Identifies best topical resources; covers general business topics, specific industries, and countries.
BBC News World Edition: Country Profiles
These profiles provide history, politics, timelines and economic information. BBC clips and news items are included.
CIA World Factbook
The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities. Our Reference tab includes: maps of the major world regions, as well as Flags of the World, a Physical Map of the World, a Political Map of the World, a World Oceans map, and a Standard Time Zones of the World map.
Country Commercial Guides
Select "Country and Industry Market Reports". These guides are outstanding in both quality and quantity of information and provide detailed "doing business in" data and analysis.
Country Reports on Terrorism
A major government source for information and data on terrorism.
Energy Information Administration: Country Analysis Briefs
Provides energy-related data for a number of countries and regions, including energy usage and outlook by type.
Everything International
Provides links related to global business, includes info on country studies.
globalEDGE
Created by the International Business Center at Michigan State University (IBC), globalEDGE™ is a knowledge web-portal that connects international business professionals worldwide to a wealth of information, insights, and learning resources on global business activities. Provides profiles, current news articles, and many helpful links for each country.
Governments on the WWW
Provides comprehensive governmental and political party information for over 220 countries.
HSBC (Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank) Business Profiles
Profiles of business, economic, and general information for over 40 countries. Includes types of business, entry requirements, taxation, licensing and trade requirements, and business hours and etiquette.
INCORE Internet Country Guides
These Guides provide information about internet resources on conflict and ethnicity specific to particular countries and regions.
International Trade Statistics (U.S. Census Bureau)
Provides trade statistics for country trade balances and top trading partners.
Library of Congress Country Studies
Although these country profiles are increasingly out-of-date (most were published 1988 - 1998), some may still be of value. They provide descriptions and analyses of a country's history, and economic, political and social/cultural factors.
Tradeport Country Profiles from World Trade Press
Although the country profile information is standard, it does include top imports and exports and top import and export partners.
World Bank Group: Countries and Regions
From the top menu, select country or other options such as data, evaluation, learning, news, projects, research, and topics. Narrow selections from the sidebar menu.
World Development Report
An annual report published since 1978 by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development or World Bank. Each WDR provides in-depth analysis of a specific aspect of economic development.

Conversion Calculators

The Universal Currency Exchange TM Use this link to do interactive foreign exchange rate conversion.

Pacific Exchange Rate Service This site includes over a hundred countries as well as historical exchange rate data.

Online Conversion Convert just about anything to anything else. Over 5,000 units, and 50,000 conversions.

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