Nations of the World offers tremendous insight into current living conditions and social, political, and economic climates of 235 nations. Every country profile has been reviewed and updated with thoughtful, comprehensive country essays from contributors worldwide. These international correspondents, true experts in their fields, have previously contributed to some of the most influential books, periodicals, and news sources in the world.
Nations of the World is divided into two major sections: the first contains the individual Country Chapters, arranged in alphabetical order; the second is a Regional World Overview, offering one entry each on the five major regions around the world.
Each country chapter is divided into three parts:
1. Country Overview: with current political and economic events and an informed outlook toward the future.
2. Country Profile: which details historical information, political structures, political parties, and a thorough look at population, labor markets, media, trade, industry, agriculture, and energy. Business travelers can use this section to learn a country’s time zones, banking practices, entry requirements, dress codes, climate, health issues, working hours, and the best methods of travel. Countries in political crises are also noted, with advice to visitors.
3. Business Directory that provides contact numbers, hotel websites, travel information, and chambers of commerce, plus dozens of other useful numbers and addresses.
Each country chapter also includes:
- Expert Analysis: a reliable overview of recent, important political and economic trends and events, plus an economic and political outlook for the country
- Map of the Nations: clearly marked with key cities and towns
- Key Facts: important data, including Official Name, Head of State, Land Area, Official Language, Currency, Unemployment, Foreign Debt, and Visitor Number
- Key Indicators: This concise, easy-to-read chart of Economic indicators provide a Five-Year Economic Development Profile at a glance, detailing trends in Population, GNP, Inflation, Exports, Total Reserves, and Exchange Rate
The Regional World Overview section follows and offers an expertly written narrative on the political and economic climate of each of the five regions covered: Africa, The Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. This narrative includes Key Indicators, Currencies, and a Map of the region. Finally, Nations of the World ends with a Global Overview.
With over 2,000 pages of critical political, economic, and business information, including narrative overviews, charts and maps, this newest edition of Nations of the World: A Political, Economic & Business Handbook – in both print and electronic formats – is a timely and immensely valuable reference acquisition for all public, academic, and special libraries. No wonder Library Journal hailed Nations of the World as “an informative, accessible resource that will prove valuable in general collections.”
