BBC: Country Profiles
Short profiles of each country, less detailed than the World Fact Book. But many countries have impressive pictures of their people and culture. Click on In Pictures tab (and be sure to credit anything you use).
Business without Borders: Country Guides
Aims to "help businesses grow internationally." Material is provided by HSBC Bank along with the Economist Intelligence Unit and Wall Street Journal. Contains industry articles that are useful, but are not a substitute for industry reports in databases like Standard & Poor's NetAdvantage. Find Country Guides under Resources.
Centre for Intercultural Learning (Country Insights)
This Canadian site links to the best website sources for each country. Topics that the website cover are geography, politics, media, history, culture and economy.
USE ME FOR: Culture, authoritative native websites
CIA World Fact Book
--Find drop-down menu that says -- Select a Country or Region -- in upper right corner
--Find your country alphabetically
USE ME FOR: Demographics, political history (government), the economy, infrastructure, transnational issues
Country Watch
-- Country Brief (free)
-- Most other reports are fee-based
Doing Business (IFC)
--Explore economy data by country
--Choose country from drop down list in upper right corner
--Download Now button will open PDF report of Economy Profile
USE ME FOR: cultural complications, regulations, infrastructure, comparisons to other countries in a region
Eldis: Country Profiles
Development policy, practice and research that can be searched by country or region. Large nations like the U.S., China, or United Kingdom are not covered.
Export.gov (Helping U.S. companies export)
--Click on Opportunities
--Choose By Country
--Select your country from list
--Chose Doing Business in ... from the menu on the left
--Choose Country Commercial Guide and grab the PDF
USE ME FOR: Licensing, taxation, infrastructure, cultural complications, social and political stability.
Global Edge
Created by the International Business Center at Michigan State University (IBC), it contains information, insights, and learning resources on global business activities.
International Business Etiquette, Manners & Culture
--This site is maintained by the non-profit International Business Center.
--Not every country is covered; those that are can be found by scrolling to the bottom of the page.
USE ME FOR: Etiquette and customs
Human Rights Reports (U.S. Dept. of State)
--Click on a year on the left
--Go to a Country Report by clicking on Countries Regions
USE ME FOR: Minimum wage, labor markets
Investment Climate Statements (U.S. Dept. of State)
Cover general characteristics, such as openness to foreign investment and treatment of foreign investors, as well as details about procedures for licensing.
USE ME FOR: Equity ownership requirements, regulations, labor markets
OANDA
--Can choose up to 6 currencies to compare
--Can chart up to last 5 years
USE ME FOR: Historical exchange rates
OECD Stat
Includes data and metadata for OECD countries and selected non-member economies.
PWC - Worldwide Tax Summaries Online
Worldwide Tax Summaries Online Corporate and individual taxes in over 150 countries worldwide.
USE ME FOR: Taxation
UN World Tourism Organization
View the Member States profiles to find links to the official tourism sites for many countries. Part of the United Nations.
U.S. Dept. of State: Country Fact Sheets
Short guides that focus on current U.S. relations with the country of your choice.
World Bank
--Search by Country or by topic
USE ME FOR:world development indicators, labor markets
