University Library > Internet Resources > Sources of Business Information: Countries

Sources of Business Information:
Countries

Dictionaries & Acronyms
Country Overviews
Country Cultural Analysis
Company & Association Directories
U.S. Companies Abroad/Foreign Companies in U.S.
Government Web Sites, Agencies & Statistical Agencies
Legal & Regulatory
Doing Business In
News & Articles

Population & Demographics
Risk & Debt Ratings
Economic Indicators - including GDP
Exchange & Interest Rates
Direct Investment - U.S. & Foreign
Industrial Statistics
Import/Export
Labor & Employment
Trade Statistics

Dictionaries & Acronyms

Acronym Finder (Mountain Data Systems)
This 347,000 entry dictionary is helpful for deciphering acronyms, abbreviations and initialisms used in international business.

Country Overviews

BBC News: Country Profiles (British Broadcasting Corporation)
An excellent source for background, history, politics and quick facts (including BBC video and audio clips) for more than 200 countries.

Countries & Regions, Country Profiles (U.K. Foreign & Commonwealth Office)
These country profiles cover people, politics, history, government, economy and human rights. The trade and investment as well as the foreign relations profiles are from a U.K. perspective, of course.

Country Background Notes (U.S. Department of State)
Background Notes include a country profile, basic demographics, history, current economic and political conditions and more.

Country Briefings (Economist.com)
Includes political and economic forecasts, economic and political structure data and recent news (some recent news and reports require a subscription, but most are free).

Country and Industry Market Reports (U.S. Department of Commerce, Export.gov)
Includes useful information for those wanting to conduct business in a particular country. Country Commercial Guides cover the economic and political situation, trade regulations and standards, marketing of U.S. products, trade statistics, a trade show calendar and much more. There are other reports to choose from as well such as Industry Sector Analysis. Free registration is required.

Country Factfile (Euromonitor International)
Click on the Country Factfile link for a country to find basic lifestyle characteristics and socio-economic indicators (Country Factfiles are free; Reports are not).

Country Information (International Monetary Fund)
Find detailed information on the finances of countries. The Selected Issues and Statistical Appendix reports are especially helpful as they contain trade statistics. The PDF versions are usually free, so click on the links to those versions.

Country Market Research (Trade Compliance Center, U.S. Dept. of Commerce)
These reports are designed to help U.S. exporters understand and evaluate opportunities created by U.S. trade agreements.

Country Profiles (International Trade Data System, U.S. Dept. of the Treasury)
These profiles are actually sets of links to key trade resources on country Web sites as well as links to key profiles on other sites.

Country Profiles from World Trade Press (TradePort)
Select a country and find trade and travel information for 175 countries.

Country Studies (Library of Congress Federal Research Division)
Detailed reports on the history, economy, government, and social conditions of 100 countries worldwide.

Economics, Business, and Environmental Country Profiles (World Resources Institute)
Two page reports with economic indicators adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP).

Europa World Year Book Ref Desk JN 1 .E85
Find detailed profiles of countries, including history, government, religion, the press, and trade & industry. Also includes brief demographics as well as statistics on agriculture, forestry, mining, industry, finance, external trade, transportation, tourism, communications media, and education.

globalEDGE (Michigan State Univ.)
Includes country overviews and market potential indicators for developing countries. Has links to media, research and trade resources.

Ipanet: Countries (Investment Promotion Network)
Created by a World Bank agency, this site pulls together numerous sources of country data in a neatly arranged format. Select a country and link to sites that provide country overviews, news, business guides, and legal, regulatory and tax information.

Information for Exporters of U.S. Goods and Services (U.S. Commercial Service)
Select a country and find market research, quick facts, trade shows and travel/visa and other information on doing business in that country.

World FactBook (U.S. Central Intelligence Agency)
Country profiles include sections on geography, people, economy, communications, transportation, and military.

Top of Page

Country Cultural Analysis

Countries and Their Cultures Ref GN307 .C68 2001
This guide focuses on social and cultural issues and is a good source of information on things like social stratification, gender roles, etiquette, marriage & family issues, and religion.

Craighead's International Business, Travel, and Relocation Guide to 84 Countries HF 5549.5 .E45 D56 2002-03
Arranged by country, this guide is invaluable for business travelers, but is equally useful for those seeking a better understanding of doing business in a country. The section on business practices is particularly helpful.

Culture Shock! (Searches the Library Catalog)
Search the Andersen Library Catalog for books on various countries in the Culture Shock series. These books focus on customs and etiquette and are better for looking at the general cultural picture than for business specifically.

CultureGrams GT 150 .C85 2002
Arranged by region and then country, this guide provides descriptions of climate, history, people, customs, lifestyle, society, events, and trends.

Doing Business In... (Searches the Library Catalog)
Search the Andersen Library Catalog for books that address doing business in various countries or regions. These books cover topics like business etiquette, commercial law, foreign trade regulation, labor law, and intercultural communication.

Guide to Locating Resources on Intercultural Communication (Andersen Library)
This guide will help you find books in the Library and give you hints on using the Library's online databases to search for articles on intercultural communication.

Global Etiquette Guide to... (Searches the Library Catalog)
Search the Andersen Library Catalog for books in the Global Etiquette Guide series that address "everything you need to know for business and travel success."

Kwintessential Company Profiles (Kwintessential Language and Cultural Specialists)
Find brief profiles of 40+ countries that include sections on society & culture, general etiquette and business etiquette.

Top of Page

Company & Association Directories

Note: For U.S. and International company directories see the Library's Corporations Guide.

U.S. Companies Abroad/Foreign Companies in U.S.

Directory of American Firms Operating in Foreign Countries Ref HG 4538 .A1 D5
The first volume is an alphabetical listing of American companies and includes the countries where they operate. Volumes two and three are arranged by country with the American firms operating in that country.

Directory of Foreign Firms Operating in the United States Ref HG 4057 .A21943
Foreign firms operating in the U.S. are listed by country. Includes alphabetical indexes of foreign firms and American affiliates.

Government Web Sites, Agencies & Statistical Agencies

Central Bank Websites (Bank for International Settlements)
Links to the Web sites of central banks for more than 130 countries.

Countries & Regions (U.S. Department of State)
Find chiefs of state of foreign countries, foreign embassies, U.S. embassies and consulates in other countries, country Background Notes and much more.

The Electronic Embassy (TeleDiplomacy, Inc., Arlington, VA)
Information on Washington D.C.'s embassy community including links to all the embassy websites.

International Affairs Resources (Elizabethtown College)
World Wide Web Virtual Library resources covering a broad range of international topics, including media, organizations, business & economics, development and country research.

Statistical Agencies (International) (U.S. Census Bureau)
Link to official Web sites of government statistical agencies in more than one hundred countries.

Statistics by Country (Univ. of Michigan Population Studies Center)
Link to the official Web sites of statistical agencies in more than one hundred countries.

Legal & Regulatory Environment

Foreign Entry Requirements (U.S. Department of State)
Do you need a visa or vaccination to visit Bosnia or India or Gabon -- or must you register with the police upon arrival? Find out foreign entry requirements on this handy site from the State Dept.

Juris International (International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO-ITC & LexUM of the Center for Research in Public Law at the University of Montreal)
This site is a collection of 30,000 pages of contracts, conventions and laws on international trade (in English, Spanish, and French). Search by keyword or select from subject menus.

Revised Guide to International Trade Law Sources on the Internet (Marci Hoffman, Law Library Resource Xchange, LLC)
This detailed guide provides links to sites covering topics such as trade agreements, dispute resolution, and international trade organizations.

SICE: Foreign Trade Information System (Organization of American States: Trade Unit)
Includes the fulltext of trade agreements, treaties, dispute settlements. Includes trade data and in-depth information on many trade issues.

Trade Compliance Center (U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration)
Includes sections on understanding trade agreements (such as NAFTA and various WTO agreements), reporting trade barriers, and researching countries.

United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UN Office of Legal Affairs)
This site has the fulltext of international laws, treaties, and agreements dealing with trade.

World Intellectual Property Organization (Geneva, Switzerland)
Learn about international protection for patents, trademarks and industrial design.

WTO Legal Texts (World Trade Organization)
Find the text of trade agreements, such as GATT on the WTO site. The WTO Trade Topics section of the WTO site is a gateway to many trade topics.

Top of Page

Doing Business In

Country Market Research (Trade Compliance Center, U.S. Dept. of Commerce)
These reports are designed to help U.S. exporters understand and evaluate opportunities created by U.S. trade agreements.

Country Profiles from World Trade Press (TradePort)
Select a country and find trade and travel information for 175 countries.

Craighead's International Business, Travel, and Relocation Guide to 84 Countries Ref HF 5549.5 .E45 D56 2002-03
Arranged by country, this guide is invaluable for business travelers, but is equally useful for those seeking a better understanding of doing business in a country. The section on business practices is particularly helpful.

DoingBusiness: Benchmarking Business Regulations (World Bank)
Search this handy World Bank database to find information by country on topics like the economy, starting a business, hiring & firing, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, enforcing contracts, and closing a business.

News & Articles

ABI/Inform Global (ProQuest: 1971- )
Indexes more than 1,300 business publications including 600 journals with full text from 1992 to present. Many international resources are included and coverage is global in scope.

Business Dateline (FirstSearch: 1985- )
The prime place to search for regional business news in the U.S. and Canada. Includes searchable fulltext articles from more than 500 North American regional business tabloids, magazines, daily newspapers, and news wire services. This database covers regional business activities and trends with particular emphasis on economic conditions in selected cities, states, or regions, as well as mergers, acquisitions, company executives, new products, and competitive intelligence. LIMITED SEARCHING: The Library is charged per search for this database. Please contact B. Bren (brenb@uww.edu or 262-472-5521) before beginning large research projects requiring many searches.

Business Full Text (WilsonWeb: 1982- )
Indexes and abstracts articles from more than 345 English-language periodicals published in the United States and elsewhere, including the leading business magazines and trade and research journals, plus the partial/full text of over 160 of those periodicals. Partial/full text coverage begins in January 1995.

Business Source Elite (EBSCOhost)
Provides comprehensive access to abstracts and indexing for over 1500 titles, plus searchable full text for more than 750 business periodicals.

Economist.com (The Economist)
Read the latest global economic news from a European perspective. Also search the Economist via LexisNexis () for an archive of full-text articles and for current articles that require a subscription.

FT.com (Financial Times)
Get the latest financial news from a European perspective. Also search the Financial Times via LexisNexis () for the archive of full-text articles.

LexisNexis Academic (Lexis-Nexis)
Check out the How to Use LexisNexis Academic and LexisNexis Business Search Tips guides for information on how to search for news and articles from various sources.

ProQuest Newspapers (ProQuest)
Full text articles and citations from more than 500 U.S. and foreign newspapers and newswires including Wall Street Journal, New York Times, London Times, Financial Times, South China Morning Post, Irish Times and Jerusalem Post.

Tablebase (RDS) restricted to 2 users at a time
TableBase is a database comprised of tables providing information such as: market share, market size, capacity, production, imports, exports, sales, product and brand rankings, forecasts, healthcare statistics and demographics. Tables are drawn from the more than 1000 sources that go into the Business & Industry database and from statistical annuals, brokerage reports, trade association reports, and governmental reports.

Top of Page

Population & Demographics

Demographic Yearbook (United Nations) Ref HA 17 .D45
Detailed population data for countries worldwide. The United Nations provides the latest several editions of the Demographic Yearbook on its Statistic Division Web site.

International Database (U.S. Census Bureau)
Find basic demographic information for 227 countries as well as geographic regions and continents.

International Marketing Data and Statistics HA 42 .I56
In addition to industry and economic data, this sources provides demographic trends & forecasts, health & living standards, literacy & education, consumer expenditure patterns, consumer market sizes and cultural indicators for 162 countries worldwide.

Penn World Table (Center for International Comparisons, Univ. of Pennsylvania)
Use this handy table to select countries and find population and national account data from 1950-2000.

Population Reference Bureau
Data and trends on the world population, arranged by topic, region and country.

Statistical Abstract of the United States (U.S. Census Bureau)
Although the Statistical Abstract focuses on the United States, it also contains a section on international comparative statistics that includes some population data for other countries.

Risk & Debt Ratings

Coface @rating Country Experience (Coface Group)

Coface Group, a trade facilitation company, has compiled a database of country risk ratings based on their database of 41 million companies worldwide.

Handbook of Country Risk: A Guide to International Business and Trade Ref HG 4538 .H36 2003
This publication provides trading risk analyses for over 140 countries and weighs the risks and opportunities in emerging markets. In addition it includes key economic indicators for each country and industrial sector performance.

Economic Indicators - including GDP

Background Sources | Data Sources

Background Sources

The Economist Guide to Economic Indicators: Making Sense of Economics Ref HA 29 .E28 1997

An excellent layperson's guide to demystifying economic indicators used around the world.

Data Sources

Economic Data: Fred II (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis)
Historical time series data for the U.S. economy which includes daily U.S. interest rates, CPI, PPI, GDP, monetary data, exchange rates, balance of payments and more. Data may be exported into Excel or text files.

The Economic Indicators Handbook: Time Series, Conversions, Documentation (Gale Research) Ref HC 103 .E26 1992
Times series data for U.S. GNP, private domestic investment, exports, business cycle indicators, cyclic indicators, economic series, consumer price index, producer price index, and selected stock market indices. Time series data varies with some series beginning as early as 1914 and ending in 1991.

Global Financial Stability Report (International Monetary Fund)
This semi-annual report from the IMF's International Capital Markets Department reports on market developments and issues. The Statistical Appendix especially includes GDP figures, capital flows (direct investment, etc.), data on the securities markets, and much more.

International Financial Statistics Yearbook (International Monetary Fund) Bound Periodicals
An excellent source of financial data for International Monetary Fund member countries. Covers exchange rates, interest rates, prices, production, labor, balance of payments, national accounts (including GDP and GNP) and more. The annual Yearbooks contain twelve years of data. The Library has Yearbooks going back to 1984. Prior to 2003, the Yearbooks contain thirty years of historical data.

National Accounts Main Aggregates Database (United Nations)
With data going back to 1970, the United Nations Statistical Division provides GDP data in local or US currency, at current or constant prices. Use the glossary for definitions of the variables.

Main Economic Indicators (OECD via EBSCOhost)
also available in Bound Periodicals back to 1970
The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development's (OECD) monthly publication has national account data, industrial production data, Consumer Price Index, Producer Price Index, earnings, interest rates, international trade and much more. Covers the 30 OECD member countries along with Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Russian Federation and South Africa. The Library has volumes back to 1970, but there is quite a bit of recent data is available for free on the OECD Statistical Portal.

Penn World Table (Center for International Comparisons, Univ. of Pennsylvania)
Use this handy table to select countries and find population and national account data from 1950-2000.

Statistical Yearbook (United Nations) Ref HC 12.5 .U63 (1993-most recent); International Documents UN SY (1961-1992)
The United Nations collects a wealth of information on countries and the Statistical Yearbook contains detailed information on population, economic activity, international trade, balance of payments, education, food supply, culture, communications, health, national accounts (including GDP), labor, industrial statistics and tourism. Up to 10 years of data are included in each volume.

World Development Indicators (World Bank) Ref HC 59.15 .W656
Presents 500 indicators for more than 150 countries.

Top of Page

Exchange & Interest Rates

Foreign Exchange Rates (Federal Reserve System)
Find daily spot exchange rates for major world currencies beginning Jan. 4, 1971.

OANDA Currency Converter (Olson and Associates)
Find current exchange rates as well as historic quotes from the 1970s to the present.

Selected Interest Rates (Federal Reserve System)
Find weekly, monthly and annual interest rates for various financial instruments including commercial paper, U.S. government securities, inflation-indexed government securities, interest rate swaps, corporate bonds, state & local bonds and mortgages.

Direct Investment - U.S. & Abroad

Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook (International Monetary Fund) International Documents, Miscellaneous IMF/BPS/
This yearbook covers International Monetary Fund members. In each country table, direct investment abroad and direct investment in that country are presented. Both categories are broken down by equity capital, reinvested earnings, and other capital. The equity capital and other capital subcategories are further broken down by "claims on" and "liabilities to."

Foreign Direct Investment in the United States: Final Results from the 1997 Benchmark Survey (U.S. Dept. of Commerce) US Documents Stacks C 59.2:F 76/4/997/FINAL

This survey covers all U.S. business enterprises owned 10% or more by a foreign person and includes detailed financial statement, employment and compensation, exports, and research & development data broken down by country and region. The latest final report was published in 2001 for the 1997 survey.

Global Financial Stability Report (International Monetary Fund)
This semi-annual report from the IMF's International Capital Markets Department reports on market developments and issues. The Statistical Appendix especially includes capital flows (direct investment, etc.), GDP figures, data on the securities markets, and much more.

International Direct Investment Statistics Yearbook (OECD) International Documents, OECD 21/3/
For each country there are tables for direct investment from abroad (inward position) and direct investment abroad (outward position). There are also tables for inward position and outward position by industrial sector and by country. Up to 12 years of data are presented.

International Economic Accounts (Bureau of Economic Analysis)
The Direct Investment section of this site has categories for U.S. Direct Investment Abroad and Foreign Direct Investment in the U.S.

Survey of Current Business (Bureau of Economic Analysis)
Each July issue contains sections on U.S. direct investment abroad and the net international investment position of the United States.

World Investment Report (United Nations) Ref HD 2755.5 .W65
Each annual report focuses on a different aspect of foreign direct investment. Includes tables of inward and outward foreign direct investment flows.

U.S. Direct Investment Abroad: Final Results from the Benchmark Survey (U.S. Dept. of Commerce) US Documents C 59.2:IN 8/4/
This survey covers all foreign business enterprises owned 10% or more by a U.S. person and includes detailed financial statement, employment and compensation, exports, and research & development data broken down by country and region. The latest final report was published in 2004 for the 1999 survey.

Top of Page

Industrial Statistics

International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics (United Nations) Ref HC 10 .I68
Country tables list number of establishments, number of employees, and wages & salaries paid to employees arranged by ISIC codes (International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities). Also leading producers (countries) in broad product categories, such as food products & beverages, tobacco, textiles.

Import/Export

APEC Tariff Database (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, World Customs Organization)
Find tariff schedules, concessions, and prohibitions for Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation member countries.

External Trade Resources (U.S. International Trade Commission)
Need to know how to export? Need trade statistics or information on international trade law? This handy site links to sources of information covering topics such as data, industry, region or country, legal, trade assistance, economic development, news, search tools, travel resources, and government and international organizations.

FAOSTAT (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)
Find import and export values and quantities of food products by country, region, product, and year.

Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (U.S. International Trade Commission)
View tariff information by product type.

Import Regulations of Major Countries: SME Center (Hong Kong Trade Development Council)
Want to import into Australia, Canada, China, EU, Japan or the United States? This site gives a brief overview for each country as well as links to the appropriate agency Web site for getting the details on importing.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
This non-governmental organization is made up of standards groups from 140 countries. The standards it publishes are designed to help companies trade internationally by applying consistent criteria to their production and provision of services. The site offers lots of information on standards, which may be purchased online.

International Trade Data System Importing/Exporting Resources (U.S. Dept. of the Treasury)
Find the International Trade and Tariff database, metropolitan area exports, exports by state, U.S. tariff schedules, and many other trade, import and export resources.

International Trade Statistics Yearbook (United Nations) Ref HF 91 .U473
Hundreds of tables showing imports and exports by country, by region, by commodity and by trading partners.

International Trade (U.S. Business Advisor)
Created by the Small Business Administration, the International Trade section of the U.S. Business Advisor serves as a portal for international trade information from dozens of federal government agencies.

Tariff and Import Fee Information (U.S. International Trade Administration)
Link to helpful tariff sites, including a tutorial and information on tariffs in 97 countries.

Trade Information Center (U.S. Department of Commerce)
Find answers to export questions from the Trade Information Center. Site includes information on countries, industries, tariffs and taxes, export resources and trade events.

UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database (UN Comtrade)
Find imports and exports of products for countries worldwide. Search by product and country of import and/or export or view the country's imports or exports worldwide. Includes annual historical data.

Web Resources for International Trade (Federation of International Trade Associations)
The Federation of International Trade Associations' searchable database of hundreds of international trade Web sites.

2004 Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (Office of the United States Trade Representative)

Find reports on trade barriers for more than 50 countries and alliances, including information on tariffs and export subsidies.

Top of Page

Labor & Employment

Bureau of Labor Statistics (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Employment, unemployment, inflation, consumer spending, wages, earning, productivity, labor force demographics, foreign labor statistics -- if it has to do with labor -- this site has it!

Handbook of U.S. Labor Statistics: Employment, Earnings, Prices, Productivity, and Other Labor Data Ref HD 8051 .H36 2004
This annual handbook provides detailed labor force, employment, unemployment, occupation, earnings, prices, living conditions, consumer expenditure, labor management, occupational safety and health data for the United States. The final chapter covers foreign labor and price statistics for selected industrialized nations.

International Labour Organization (United Nations)
This agency sets standards for international labor and provides technical assistance in areas such as working conditions, social security, employment policy, vocational training & rehabilitation. The Web site features labor statistics and information on all aspects of labor with a global perspective.

Trade Statistics

Foreign Trade Statistics (U.S. Census Bureau)
A fully searchable database of import and export statistics including data by product, state and country. Includes regulations, trade highlights and historical series.

Global Data Links (U.S. International Trade Administration)
Link to sources of foreign trade data by country or subject.

International Trade Statistics Yearbook (United Nations) Ref HF91 .U473
Country tables list five years of imports & exports by principal countries, by principal commodities, by broad product categories and by industrial origin (e.g., agriculture, textiles manufacturing). Commodity tables list five years of commodity import and export data by region and country and are listed by 3 digit Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) codes. Values are given in U.S. dollars.

Trade and Economy: Data and Analysis (U.S. International Trade Administration)
Find foreign trade highlights, industry sector data, monthly or annual import/export data, and state and metropolitan area export data. Use the U.S. Trade Quick-Reference Tables to quickly locate U.S. exports of specific products by country. From this page, select either full-year or latest month data on exports. After selecting dates, choose a Chapter, then select a Subheading to get data for specific products. The data will be displayed by country.

Trade Stats Express (U.S. Office of Trade and Economic Analysis)
Quickly find U.S. merchandise exports, imports and trade balances as well as U.S. state and regional exports. Data is presented graphically and numerically.

USITC Tariff Database (U.S. International Trade Commission)
Type a product name and find tariff, customs and import data for thatproduct. Import data by source country, port of entry and suffix entry (a breakdown of more specific products) are available.

Top of Page