Country Information | Business Culture | Taxes 
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Country Information

Business Source Complete
Business Source Premier has extensive country reports from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The EIU Reports include coverage of regional information, outlooks for the coming year, politics, the economy (international and domestic), foreign trade, and more. Do a basic search for your country. When you get the results page, click on "Country Economic Data." All of the EIU reports will be listed and available as PDF files.

Country Commercial Guides
http://www.export.gov/marketresearch.html
Country Commercial Guides are prepared annually by U.S. embassies with the assistance of several U.S. government agencies. These reports present a comprehensive look at countries' commercial environments, using economic, political and market analysis. Must be registered with Export.gov to access site; registration is free to students.

Country Studies/Area Handbook
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html
Contains country information on more than 100 countries. Prepared by the library of Congress and the Department of the Army, Country Studies presents descriptions and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of each country covered. Be aware that some data may be dated.

Culturegrams
[Reference] GT150 .C85  Catalog Record
Includes customs, geography, history, culture, people and lifestyles of people in 177 countries from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Each country is covered with a four-page summary; a glossary of terms is included. Culturegrams is an excellent place to start when doing country research.

Earth Trends (World Resources Institute)
Earth Trends, an environmental information portal, focuses on environmental, and economic trends through the world. Data is gathered from outside sources as well as by the World Resources Institute. Earth Trends includes information on ecosystems, water supplies, ecosystems, and energy. Also features a section on Business, economics, and environment that a searchable database, maps, country profiles, data tables, articles, etc.

Economist: Country Briefings
http://www.economist.com/countries/
News, country profiles, forecasts, statistics on select countries. Some content is restricted to subscribers, but general country information is available to everyone.

Exporters' Encyclopaedia
[Reference] HF3011 .E9 Catalog Record
Each country listed has a profile followed by marketing data; information on communications, transportation, business travel, key contacts; and a summary of trade regulations and documentation requirements. Often has Web addresses for local government sites.

Foreign Labor Trends, (U.S. Department of Labor)
Part of the Department of Labor’s International Labor Affairs Beureau (ILAB), Foreign Labor Trends (FLT) provide information on labor institutions, practices, and recent developments in the countries reported. Information covered includes but it not limited to: recent social, political and economic conditions; a description of the labor scene; the economy and labor; commercial climate for investing; and labor law and system. As of summer 2007 there are FLTs for 21 countries but that number should increase in the future.

GlobalEdge
http://globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/ibrd.asp
Supported by Michigan State University, Global Edge offers extensive information on countries and regions. The "Resource Desk" is split into two areas: Country Insights and Global Resources. Country Insights offers some general history and background gleaned from the CIA World Factbook and the US State Dept.'s Background Notes as well as allowing you to compare and rank countries by various factors. Also offers links to related articles. Global Resources is a directory of international business resources categorized by specific orientation and content. Links are regularly checked and reviewed for content.

International Data Base (IDB) (U.S. Census Bureau)
The International Data Base (IDB) is a databank of demographic and socioeconomic statistics compiled by the Census Bureau's International Programs Center (IPC) for 228 countries going back to 1950. Data included includes: Population by age and sex; vital rates, infant mortality, and life expectancy; fertility; marital status; and family planning. IDB also includes countries ranked by population for any year from 1950 to 2050 (projected). Also includes world population information.

International Financial Statistics
HG3881 .I627 Catalog Record
Contains current data on exchange rates, international liquidity, international banking, money and banking, interest rates, prices, production, international transactions, government finance, and national accounts.

International Information Systems (University of Texas)
http://reenic.utexas.edu/
Includes link to Asian Network Information Center, Latin American Network Center, Middle East Network Information Center, and Russian and East European Network Information Center. Each center offers links to country business and economic information, history,  and general country information.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Country Information
IMF reports and publications arranged by country. Includes IMF surveys, IMF publications, press releases, public information notices, and IMF annual meeting speeches.

International Statistics Agencies (US Census Bureau)
Provides a links to statistical agencies of numerous foreign countries. These sites will include statistical information including population, demographics, etc. Some countries will include their own census information as well as economic data. Some are only in the national language, but most have an English option.

Portals to the World: Links to Electronic Resources Around the World (Library of Congress)
This portal, part of LOC’s Global Gateway, is organized alphabetically by country, includes links to information about nations and other areas of the world. Compiled by subject specialists at the Library of Congress, this list portal is rich with information. Some topics covered for each nation include: general information, business, culture, education, geography, government, health, history, media, religion, and society.

World Factbook
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
Produced by the CIA, the World Factbook offers a brief history of each country and covers the geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues of each country. It also features maps of the world and reference maps. Updated regularly.

World of Information http://www.worldinformation.com/woi/start.asp
The World of Information offers country information including, but not limited to: Accountancy and Legal, Business Directory, Energy, Finance, Country Profile (short history, political structure, education, health, etc.), Visitor's Guide, Key Facts, (GDP, unemployment, and other statistics), Recommended Reading (check for title listed in the Library Catalog). Information is organized by region/continent and then by country. A brief overview of each region is included.

United Nations Statistical Yearbook
[Reference] HA12.5 U63 Catalog Record
Based on data compiled by the UN Statistics Division. Separated into four parts: World and Region Summary, Population and Social Statistics, Economic Activity, International Economic Relations.

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Business Culture

Asia: A Fearless Guide to International Communication and Behavior
[Reference] DS10 .B67 1997 Catalog Record

Doing Business: Benchmarking Business Regulations (World Bank and IFC)
Developed by the World Bank and the IFC, the Doing Business site provides materials on starting and maintaining a business in a foreign country. Reports by region (East Asia and Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, OECD, Organization of Eastern Caribean States, South Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa) are available as PDF files. Instant reports can be created by country or topics (starting a business, dealing with licenses, employing workers, registering property, getting credit, etc.).

Do's and Taboos Around the World
[Reference] HF5387 .D66 1993 Catalog Record

Do's and Taboos of Using English Around the World
[Reference] PE2751 .A98 1995 Catalog Record

Gestures: The Do’s and Taboos of Body Languages Around the World
[Reference] BF637 .N66 A88 1998 Catalog Record

Global Business Etiquette: A Guide to International Communications and Customs
[Reference] HF5389 .M375 2006 Catalog Record

International Business Etiquette. Asia and the Pacific Rim
[Reference] HF5389.3 .A78 S23 1999 Catalog Record; also available as an e-book through Net Library, click here for access

International Business Etiquette. Latin America
Catalog Record; available as an e-book, click here for access

Russia: A Fearless Guide to International Communication and Behavior
[Reference] DK510.22 .B67 1995 Catalog Record

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Taxes

International Tax Summaries
[Reference] K4505.4 .I54 Catalog Record
Includes two books, one on business taxes and one on personal taxes.

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Internet Sources

International Trade Administration

Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection (University of Texas): Excellent online resource for maps

Export-Import Bank of the United States

Federation of International Trade Associations

International Chamber of Commerce

International Monetary Fund

Overseas Private Investment Corporation

United States International Trade Commission

Exchange Rate Converter from Yahoo! Finance

World Trade Organization

World Bank

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Subject Headings

Business communication
Business etiquette
Business travel
Culture shock
Corporate culture

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