Country Overviews

Business Librarian

All these links will provide a good measure of information about countries. Some will feature a heavier emphasis on business related information while other will be more general.

Country Overviews

BEST Ratings and Criteria Center A.M. Best identifies the various factors within a country that may directly or indirectly affect an insurance company. Countries are placed into one of five tiers, denoting a stable environment with the least amount of risk, to countries that pose the most risk and, therefore, the greatest challenge to an insurer's financial stability, strength and performance.
COFACE While some of its services are fee-based, a good deal is, surprisingly free, including a country rating service. Select Economic Studies from the top of the screen. Once you enter a country name, you will have access to its risk assessment as well as its business climate rating. A chart includes the major macro economic indicators for the country.
Country Commercial Guides Written by U.S. Embassy trade experts worldwide….. An excellent starting point for everything you need to know about exporting and doing business overseas detailing market overviews, political environment, trade regulations, and more.
Doing Business Guides Prepared by UHY’s member firms, each ‘Doing Business’ guide covers country specific business information, including an overview of the country’s political and business environment; investment climate; foreign investment; setting up a business; labor issues; taxation, accounting, and more. They are written in a clear and straightforward manner, making these particularly good sources if you want a basic understanding of a country’s political, business, and economic system. Issues surrounding tax and accounting are strongly emphasized. UHY is a network of independent accounting and consulting firms with offices in over 270 major business centres in 86 countries.
Economist Intelligence Unit's countries guide Offers economic-centered analysis for 187 countries. Although some data is available only by subscription, most sections are freely accessible.
Export Markets Sections on the current business situation, visiting the country, a country overview, websites and resources, doing business, and contacts.
globalEdge A research tool founded at Michigan State University with grant funding from the Dept. of Education. Serves as a hub for international trade and global competition. The site provides access to more than 5,000 annotated websites.
Guides to Doing Business The Lex Mundi Guides to Doing Business series offers valuable, information-packed resources prepared by our legal member firms that provide an in-depth look at business, economic, political and cultural trends in more than 100 jurisdictions around the world.
IMF Country Information The International Monetary Fund provides resources. Also covers some territorial entities that are not states. Dependent territories of member countries are listed alphabetically.
OECD (Organization for Economic Organization and Development Best known for its publications and its statistics, its work covers economic and social issues from macroeconomics, to trade, education, development and science and innovation. Click on the "Countries" drop down box to access info.
U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets These notes are updated by reports from regional bureaus of the U.S. Department of State. This site also refers viewers to Country Information sections of the State web site for more in-depth information.

CIA World Fact Book Brief guides to countries with sections on geography, population, government, economy, transportation, and defense. Updated weekly.
BBC News: Country Profiles Instant guide to the history, politics and economic background of countries and territories, and to background on key institutions.
Country Studies: Area handbooks Contains the electronic versions of 80 books previously published in hard copy as part of the Country Studies Series by the Federal Research Division. Intended for a general audience, books in the series present a description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of select countries throughout the world.
International Database From the Census Bureau, this site provides demographic information on foreign countries.

Country Watch
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Business Source Premier This link opens in a new window
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Comprehensive and regularly updated reports on every recognized independent country. Robust reports include coverage of a given country's history, economy, government, political landscape including foreign policy orientation, business and investment climate, socio-cultural scene, including key demographic features, and pertinent environmental issues.
Provides nearly 3,300 full text scholarly publications, including more than 1,000 peer-reviewed journals. Subject areas include: accounting, banking, finance, international business, marketing, sales, etc. Indexing and abstracting from 1965-present. Some cases indexing go back further than 1965. Updated daily.

In the first space, type: country review
In the second space, type: name of your country

Books

The Statesman's Yearbook 2021 by Palgrave Palgrave Macmillan (Editor) Now in its 157th edition, The Statesman's Yearbook continues to be the reference work of choice for accurate and reliable information on every country in the world. Covering political, economic, social and cultural aspects, the Yearbook is also available online for subscribing institutions. 
Call Number: REF 320.03 ST2 2021
ISBN: 1349959715
Publication Date: 2020-10-14