Internet connection is rising, too. Indeed, there's more reason than ever to seek that connection. Thousands of Web sites provide information about the region, creating a vast and useful electronic window. Many of these sites, although based on local-language information, are offered in English. Web Hotlist See CEER's picks for useful regional Web sites.
Problems can obscure the view, though.
Some sites are hard to open, hampered by unsophisticated national telecommunications systems. In addition, local-language fonts need to be downloaded to deal with the diacritical marks that grace the region's Latin alphabets, not to mention the various Cyrillic scripts used in many countries. Once you install the fonts and crack open the window, you're likely to be swamped by the Web's usual tidal wave of gibberish, gossip and garbage. But these sites contain enough of the right stuff to compel a daily trip to the Web. Inc. All Rights Reserved.