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SOC 188E: Community and Social Change in Africa: Country Information

Introduction to research resources for Soc 188E.

Country Background Information

  • Background Notes  
    These publications include facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty. The Background Notes are updated/revised by the Office of Electronic Information and Publications of the Bureau of Public Affairs as they are received from the State Department's regional bureaus.
  • Business Monitor Online  
    [UCSD Only] Country risk, industry and company intelligence covering global markets." Provides country political, economic, and business forecasts, industry reports, risk ratings, regional newsletters, company profiles, news. Updated daily.
  • CIA World Factbook (US Govt)       
    Annual survey, with profiles of all countries and territories from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
  • Country Studies from the Library of Congress Each online book contains historical and cultural background information on the country it covers. Formerly known as the Area Handbooks from the Department of the Army
  • Economist Intelligence Unit (UCSD Portal) [UCSD Only]
    Searchable online archive (1996- ) and feed of Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) global country publications. Strong on current political, economic, and business affairs worldwide. The EIU Country Reports archives covering 1952-95 are available separately.
  • Europa World Plus [UCSD Only] Economic, political, historical, and geographic profiles of countries and global regions. Contact info for political, business, media, and cultural agencies and officials. Search or browse by country, region, organization, or people
  • Human Development Reports country tables
    Annual publication of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
  • Human Development Reports 
    Full text of UNDP Human Development Reports, from 1990 to the next to most current year, plus national Human Development Reports and an excellent statistics section on industrialized and developing countries.
  • INFONATION: Basic UN Country Statistics 
    User friendly, international statistical website, allowing users to access summary statistical data for member states of the United Nations. Data retrieval is limited to seven countries at a time.
  • MDG Monitor 
    A one-stop-shop for information on progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), globally and at the country level. Statistics and project progress information are available by country and by goal.
  • UNESCO Institute for Statistics 
    United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) statistical institute website. Includes statistical data sets of world education and literacy indicators, and selected data from the UNESCO Statistical Yearbook.
  • UN Member States On the Record    
    Provides direct access to official documents reflecting the views of United Nations Member States by bringing together in one place documents available elsewhere.
  • USAID  
    Provides an overview of each county where the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) does work.

Human Rights Info by Country