International Resources

Statistics and Publications

• Background Notes (U.S. State Department)
  Background Notes contain factual information on countries of the world with which the United States has relations. Note the date next to each entry to know when the information was last updated. Entries include data on land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and its relations with other countries and the United States.
  
  
• BEA International Economic Accounts
  Balance of payments, trade in goods/services, international investment (US abroad, and foreign countries in the US), international services, etc. Includes current and historical tables.
  
  
• EIU-Economic Intelligence Unit
  Provides recent and background political situation and events; economic forecasting; status of education, health, public funding, communications, Internet, energy resources; much data on economic factors, exchange rates, etc. Access for SU students, faculty, and staff only.
  Print publications also available:
  • Country Reports

    Older issues by call number - do title search in the Library Catalog with the following words: country report

  • Country by country

    Call Number: HC59 .E387

    Latest edition in Reference, 1st floor Bird.

    Older issues - Bird-3rd Floor
    

    
    
• Europa World
  Provides excellent detailed background summaries and data on a variety of topics: population, health, education, economics, trade, agricultural products, media, etc. Also includes United Nations and other international organizations. Access for SU students, faculty, and staff only.
  

  Older print publications also available:

  JN1.E89 and JN1.E891 Bird-4th Floor
  
  

• Eurostat
  From the Statistical Office of the European Commission. Many publications, data sets, and tables available for free.
  
  
• FAO Statistics
  International data on food, fisheries, forestry, nutrition, land resources, etc. From the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
  
  
• International Statistics
  Links to all statistics programmes of the United Nations, of the United Nations Specialized Agencies (FAO, ILO, IMF, etc), and selected Autonomus Organizations (Eurostat, World Trade Organization, OECD, etc).
  
  
• International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
  ITU facilitates partnerships between government and the private sector. Concerns include: telecommunication infrastructure, standardization, advancing communications techology, and improving operation of telecommunication networks and services.
  
  
• LABORSTA
  Data on employment, unemployment, wages, labour cost, Consumer Price Indices, occupational injuries, strikes and lockouts, hours of work, etc. Covers over 200 countries or territories, some data going back several decades. From the Bureau of Statistics - International Labour Organization (ILO).
  
  
• LexisNexis Statistical
  Comprehensive source for statistics, covering many topics and geographic areas. Choose Search Abstracts and select Index to International Statistics (IIS) to confine searching to international publications. Access for SU students, faculty, and staff only.
  Note: Many of the publications indexed in this database are available in full text in Social Sciences & Area Studies (3rd floor, E.S. Bird Library). See the IIS microfiche cabinets.
  
  
• Macroeconomic Indicators - Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
  Current indicators for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.
  
  
• NationMaster
  Country statistics from a variety of sources. Users can create graphs comparing countries on particular statistics.
  
  
• ODS Search
  Covers all types of official documents of the United Nations, starting in 1993, with older UN documents added daily. Also provides access to resolutions of the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council and the Trusteeship Council, starting with 1946. Does not include press releases, UN sales publications, or the UN Treaty Series.
  
  
• OECD Statistics Portal
  Provides data by topic, e.g. health, education/training, information, communication, energy, environment, finance, technology, social welfare, etc. From the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
  
  
• OFFSTATS
  Links to official statistics.  Searchable by country, region, topic.
  
  
• Population Reference Bureau
  Provides data on 137 population, health, and environment variables for more than 220 countries, 28 world regions and sub-regions, and the world as a whole. (Not all countries have data on all variables.)
  
  
• Selected Energy Statistics
  Publications on renewable energy, global energy supply, key statistics; monthly surveys on natural gas, electricy, and oil. From the International Energy Agency (IEA).
  
  
• STAT@UNECE
  A statistical database maintained by the Statistical Division of the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) Secretariat.   Contains statistics on gender, human settlements, economic trends, robotics, gas, demographics, etc. For Europe and North America.
  
  
• Stat-USA
  Provides current and historical economic and financial data, international market research, trade-related data, trade opportunities, country analysis, and the NTDB (National Trade Data Bank). For more current import/export data, see USA Trade below.
  
  
• Statesman's Yearbook  
  Annual publication providing statistical summaries for countries of the world.

  Print--JA51.S7

  Latest edition - Bird-Reference Desk, 1st floor

  Latest edition - Bird-Govt Info Ref., 3rd floor

  Older volumes - 4th floor, Bird (1873 - present)
  
  

• Statistical Sites on the World Wide Web
  See section on "International Statistical Agencies," where countries are listed alphabetically.
  
  
• TableBase
  Data includes statistics and demographics, market share and capacity; imports/exports, sales, product and brand rankings, forecasts, etc. Records come from the Business and Industry database and from statistical annuals, brokerage reports, trade association reports, and governmental reports. Access for SU students, faculty, and staff only.
  
  
• Trade Statistics (WTO)
  Quantitative and qualitative information on economic and trade issues. Titles include: Includes last five years of the annual, International Trade Statistics; also historical series tables.
  
  
• TradeStats Express
  Source for recent annual trade data. Allows users to retrieve, visualize, analyze, print and download customized output.
  
  
• United Nations InfoNation
  Users create their own data tables. Select up to seven of 185 countries and four of 37 variables (social, demographic, economic, geographic).
  
  
• United Nations Statistical Databases
  Links to the following unrestricted databases: Millennium Indicators, Social Indicators, City Populations, Good Practices and InfoNation. From the United Nations Statistical Division.
  
  
• USA Trade Online
  US foreign trade data: current and cumulative exports and imports. Use this database to find existing and and emerging export markets for products, determine market share of export markets, and monitor trends in specific products, markets, and countries.
  PLEASE NOTE: To access this database, you must go to the Maps & Government Information Reference desk (3rd floor Bird) during staffed hours and ask to be signed into USA Trade Online on one of our SUMMIT workstations.
  
  
• U.S. Census Bureau International Data Base (IDB)
  Contains tables of demographic, and socio-economic data for 227 countries and areas of the world. Searchable by variables and dates covered.
  
  
• WHOSIS
  The WHO Statistical Information System (World Health Organization)is a guide to health and health-related epidemiological and statistical information available from the World Health Organization.
  
  
• World Almanacs
  Includes The World Almanac and Book of Facts, The World Almanac of the USA, The World Almanac of US Politics, and The World Almanac for Kids, and The World Almanac Knowledge Source. Access for SU students, faculty, and staff only.
  
  
• World Bank Country Data
  Provides data profiles drawn from the World Development Indicators database (below). "Includes 207 countries (182 World Bank members and 25 other economies with populations of more than 30,000) and 17 country groups reported on in the World Development Indicators book, CD-ROM and the World Bank Atlas."
  
  
• World Development Indicators
  WDI provides statistics for over 200 countries, including development indicators pertaining to population, education, health, security, economics, natural resources, etc.  Access for SU students, faculty, and staff only.
  SU Library also has some older editions in print, CD-ROM, and fiche formats.

  Print: HC 59.15 W657 (2004 ed.--Bird-Govt Info Reference-3rd fl)

  CD-ROM: G-SIC Lab, 3rd floor Bird (2004 ed.)

  Fiche: 3rd floor Bird (IIS microfiche 4530-S64)
  
  

• World Economic Outlook Reports
  Current and recent year reports, from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
  
  
• World FactBook
  An annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); made available (in print) to the public since 1975. This link goes to the current version. Includes data such as: natural resources, land use, geography, population, birth/death rates, infant mortality, life expectancy, HIV/AIDS, literacy, religions, type of government, suffrage, holidays, inflation rate, poverty, labor force, industries, communications, railways, highways, airports, etc.
  
  
  

Organizations

• United Nations
  The United Nations came into existence in 1945 and presently has 192 member states. The UN's Official Web Site Locator provides a handy alphabetical index to all UN web sites.
  
  
• Access UN
  Database for current and retrospective United Nations publications, including bilateral and multilateral treaties in the UN Treaty Series. It also provides individual indexing for articles in UN periodicals and full-text access to resolutions from the General Assembly, Security Council, and the Economic and Social Council. Access for SU students, faculty, and staff only.
  NOTE: Microfiche copies of UN documents are available in Social Sciences and Area Studies, 3rd floor Bird.
  
  
• Basic Internet Resources for UN Information
  Links to official and unofficial sites pertaining to the UN.
  
  
• United Nations Bibliographic Information System (UNBISNET)
  A catalog of UN documents and publications, some material in full text and available in all of the six official languages of the UN (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). Includes resolutions adopted by the General Assembly, the Economic & Social Council and the Security Council, some coverage beginning in 1946 with most coverage after 1979.
  
  
• United Nations Documentation: Research Guide
  Describes the types of documents and publications issued by the UN (e.g, reports, resolutions, sales publications, press releases, meeting records)and provides guidance on how to use them.
  
  
• United Nations Scholar's Workstation
  Texts, finding aids, data sets, maps, and pointers to print and electronic information. Subjects includes disarmament, economic and social development, environment, human rights, international relations, international trade, peacekeeping, and population and demography.
  
  
• United Nations Treaty Collection
  Contains full-text of the United Nations Treaty Series, the United Nations Treaty Series Cumulative Index, and the League of Nations Treaty Series, the current status of the Multilateral Treaties deposited with the Secretary-General, and texts of recently deposited multilateral treaties.  Access for SU students, faculty, and staff only.
  
  
  
• African Union
  Has information on the Union and provides flags and basic data on all member states.
  
  
• Canadian Government Information on the Internet
  Organizes sites by subject, by province; also includes e-journals, library catalogs, and municipal information.
  
  
• Federal Publication Locator (Canada)
  Developed through a partnership between the Depository Services Program, Communication Canada and the Library and Archives of Canada.
  
  
• Europa (European Union)
  Portal site of the European Union. Covers current European Union affair and all legislation currently in force or under discussion. Links to EU institutions' websites and policies.
  
  
• European Union Internet Resources
  Links to a wide variety of EU information. From the UC Berkeley Library.
  
  
• European University Institute: Archives
  Historical archives of the European Communities. "The term 'European Communities' is a collective term for the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), founded in 1951, the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM or EAEC), founded in 1957."
  
  
• League of Arab States (Arabic)
  League of Arab States (English)
  Members include: Algeria, Bahrain, Comeros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
  
  
• Organization of American States (OAS)
  Describes organization, charter, structure, mission, member states. Includes publications, documents, webcasts. Accessible in both English and Spanish.
  
  
• Directgov
  Government information and services for United Kingdom.
  
  
• Office of Public Sector Information
  Legislation, statutory publications, licensing, and regulations for UK, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
  
  
• Official Documents from the UK Stationery Office
  Includes a selection of Government titles on a broad range of topics, e.g. economy, work and welfare, health, transport and the environment. Documents include Command Papers (sometimes known as White or Green Papers) and House of Commons Papers. The latter category includes many Annual Reports from Government bodies including Executive Agencies, the annual Financial Statement, and Budget Reports.
  
  
• 10 Downing Street
  Biographies, speeches, press releases.
  
  
• UK Government Web Archive
  A selective collection of UK Government websites, developed by the National Archives of the United Kingdom, using the services of the Internet Archive.
  
  
• United Kingdom Parliament
  House of Commons, House of Lords, Parliamentary Archives, etc.
  
  
• Constitution Finder
  Links nations to their constitutions, charters, amendments, and other related documents posted somewhere on the Web.
  
  
• Country Information - International Monetary Fund (IMF)
  Provides information on member country's relations with the Fund (e.g. when it joined, its quota size, disbursements and payments).
  
  
• Directory of NGOs
  Non-Governmental Organizations associated with the UN's Department of Public Information. Searchable by organization name, region (headquarters location), or main area of interest.
  
  
• Foreign Countries
  International documents, organized by Northwestern University Library. Links to the official websites of national governments.
  
  
• Foreign Government Resources on the Web
  Links to foreign government web sites and related information.  From the University of Michigan Documents Center.
  
  
• Human Development Reports
  Full text of Human Development Reports, Human Development Indicators, and other statistics and reports. From the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
  
  
• IGO Search Engine
  Created by David Oldenkamp of the Indiana University, this Google-based search engine covers over 300 international agencies.
  
  
• International Affairs Resources
  Resources for getting started, media sources, organizations, countries/regions, and topics.
  
  
• International Governmental Organizations
  Includes intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), European Union, United Nations.
  
  
• International Organization for Migration
  Works with migrants and governments toward humane responses to migration challenges.
  
  
• Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

  The homepage of the IPU, an international organization of the Parliaments of sovereign States, established in 1889.  The Union is the focal point for world-wide parliamentary dialogue and works for peace and co-operation among peoples and for the firm establishment of representative democracy.

  
  
• OECD
  The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation which assists governments with "the economic, social and governance challenges of a globalised economy." It has 30 member countries.
  
  
• Portals to the World
  Alphabetically arranged by country name or area. Links to authoritative, in-depth information about the nations and other areas of the world.
  
  
• World Bank
  One of the world's largest sources of development assistance, with a focus on helping the poorest people and the poorest countries. JOLIS: World Bank Library Catalog includes holdings of the 14 libraries that form the World Bank and IMF (International Monetary Fund) network.
  
  
• World Trade Organization (WTO)
  A global international organization which deals with the rules of trade between nations. Its goal is to assist producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.