Countries of the World and International Organizations: Sources of Information
Released: 2008-01-30T00:00:00

Summary:
This report provides a selection of authoritative materials for locating information on foreign countries and international organizations. In the general information section, it presents sources giving an overview of politics, economics, and recent history. A specialized information section cites sources on human rights, immigration, international organizations, military strengths, terrorism, and other topics. Included are titles of some of the most frequently consulted bibliographic sources that are available for use in many libraries. Electronic information on foreign countries is also provided, via the Internet, by agencies of the federal government, official foreign government websites, international organizations, and related sources. Included is a current list of foreign chanceries located in Washington, DC, as of the date of this report. This report will be updated periodically through the year as new materials become available.

subsections: section_title: General Information
paragraphs: This report provides a selection of materials for locating information on foreign countries and international organizations. This first section presents sources giving an overview of politics, economics, and recent history; the next section covers specialized topics. Included are titles of some of the most frequently consulted bibliographic sources that are available for use in many libraries. The third section provides Internet addresses for travel and international information. Finally, included is a list of foreign chanceries located in Washington, DC. Those who may wish to write to the U.S. government agencies included here can consult local libraries for addresses.
Background Notes (Washington, GPO) are published by the U.S. Department of State for each country of the world and revised intermittently. Profile information is given on the people, geography, economy, government, and U.S. relations with the country. Also included is tourist information and a basic reading list.
Europa Yearbook (London, Europa Publications), an annual publication, is valued for its economic statistics and trade figures, as well as for its brief historical and economic background. It contains listings of cabinet members and media in each country, and a section on international organizations including the United Nations.
Statesman ' s Year - Book (New York, St. Martin's Press) contains similar information in a more abbreviated form.
General encyclopedias, such as Encyclopedia Americana (New York, Grolier), World Book Encyclopedia (Chicago, Field Enterprises), American Academic Encyclopedia (Danbury, CT, Grolier) and New Encyclopedia Britannica (Chicago, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.), provide detailed narratives on the history, geography, culture, economics, etc., of various nations. Pictures, maps, and charts are also featured.
Political Handbook of the World (Binghamton, NY, CSA Publications) is an annual publication that contains narrative information on the government, politics, political parties, legislature, and news media of each country in the world.
Statistical Abstract of the United States (Washington, GPO), an annual publication by the Bureau of the Census at the Department of Commerce, includes comparative international statistics on population, households, health, education, economic measures, and a guide to foreign statistical abstracts.
World Almanac and Book of Facts (New York, Funk & Wagnalls) and Time Almanac (New York, Little, Brown) are two annual publications with sections on countries of the world. They include statistics on population, geography, names of government officials, and brief historical background.
World Factbook (Washington, GPO) is a popular annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which contains statistics and facts on the land, language, people, economy, defense, religion, literacy, etc., of each country of the world.
section_title: Specialized Information
paragraphs: Listed below are selected sources on the following topics: human rights, immigration, international organizations, international trade and business, maps, military strengths, people, terrorism, travel, and working/studying abroad.
subsections: section_title: Human Rights
paragraphs: Amnesty International Report (New York, Amnesty International USA) documents Amnesty International's work annually throughout the world. Entries contain accounts of imprisonment, torture, and killing by repressive governments.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices (Washington, GPO) is an annual publication by the U.S. Department of State. Contains information on respect for and violation of civil liberties and political rights in each country.
section_title: Immigration
paragraphs: Statistical Yearbook (Washington, GPO) is an annual publication of the Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) of the Department of Justice). Provides a wide array of statistical information including immigration to the United States by country and region, naturalization, and border enforcement.
World Refugee Survey (Washington, GPO), prepared annually by the U.S. Committee for Refugees, documents and reports the conditions of displaced persons worldwide and provides statistics for a given year.
section_title: International Organizations
paragraphs: Encyclopedia of Associations, International Organizations (New York, Gale Research) is published annually and gives brief descriptions of thousands of international nonprofit membership organizations.
Yearbook of International Organizations (Munich, Germany, K.G. Saur), edited annually by the Union of International Associations (UIA), is divided into three densely packed volumes by organization description, country, and subject index. Each entry provides a description of the organization, its publications, affiliations, and address.
section_title: International Trade and Business
paragraphs: Country Reports on Economic Policy and Trade Practices (Washington, GPO) is an annual publication by the State Department that contains information on individual countries key economic indicators, debt management policies, exchange rates, structural policies, worker rights, and trade policies.
Exporters ' Encyclopedia (New York, Dun & Bradstreet) is an annual publication that profiles U.S. commercial requirements for main export areas of the world. Traditionally focused on U.S. exports to Europe and Japan, it now includes profiles on emerging Asian and Latin American markets.
Handbook of International Economic Statistics (Washington, GPO) is compiled by the CIA's Directorate of Intelligence and published intermittently. The Handbook provides basic statistics in comparing worldwide economic performance and is divided by chapters into overall economic profiles by regions of the world.
International Financial Statistics (Washington, IMF) is a monthly publication by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that provides information on exchange rates, money and banking, international transactions, government accounts, and national accounts for IMF member countries.
Principal International Businesses (New York, Dun & Bradstreet) is published annually and provides business addresses worldwide by geographical areas and by standard industrial classification (SIC) codes.
section_title: Maps
paragraphs: Map Catalog (New York, Tilden Press) is an annual publication that lists government and commercial sources by subject and by state for specialized maps of countries such as topographical, political, and aerial/satellite reproductions.
section_title: Military Strengths
paragraphs: Military Balance (London, Brassey's) is updated each year to provide timely and quantitative assessment of military forces and defense expenditures of various countries. Data, compiled by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), include statistics on manpower, equipment, and weapons systems.
World Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers (Washington, GPO) is prepared by the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. Published biennially, it provides statistical tables of military and economic variables including arms transfer deliveries by major supplier and recipient country.
World Military and Social Expenditures (Washington, World Priorities), by Ruth Leger Sivard and contributing writers, is a biennial reporting of world resources for social and military purposes by geographic region. Included are summaries of recent conflicts and the ranking of countries by military and social indicators along with detailed maps.
section_title: People (Heads of State, Diplomats, Etc.)
paragraphs: Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments (Washington, GPO) is issued monthly by the Central Intelligence Agency. It provides a listing of names without biographical material.
Congressional Directory (Washington, GPO) is published biennially. It contains a section listing foreign diplomatic representatives and consular offices in the United States; it also lists ambassadors and U.S. diplomatic and consular offices abroad.
Current Biography (New York, H.W. Wilson) has been published monthly except December since 1940 and compiled annually as Current Biography Yearbook . It provides background information on people prominent in the national news and international affairs. Selected references are listed at the end of each entry.
Diplomatic List (Washington, GPO) is issued quarterly by the Department of State. It contains the names of foreign diplomats assigned to Washington, DC.
International Who ' s Who (London, Europa) is published annually, a ready reference source that provides biographical information on the world's most influential people.
International Year Book and Statesman ' s Wh o ' s Who (West Sussex, England, Reed Information Services) is an annual compilation that provides biographies of leading politicians, diplomats, and businessmen worldwide. Divided into three sections, it also contains background on international organizations and a brief overview of the nations of the world.
Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts (Washington, GPO), revised and issued quarterly by the Department of State, provides names of key U.S. personnel at embassies abroad as well as addresses and telephone numbers for all U.S. embassies.
section_title: Terrorism
paragraphs: Patterns of Global Terrorism (Washington, GPO), an annual publication of the Department of State, reviews terrorist activities from the past year. It includes a chronology of terrorist incidents and descriptions of selected terrorist organizations.
section_title: Travel and Travel Advisories
paragraphs: Culturgrams: The Nations Around Us (Provo, UT, Brigham Young Univ.), published annually and developed by the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, summarizes the unique customs, traditions, and lifestyles within a country and includes greetings and gestures, languages spoken, and national holidays.
The Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs issues current information on areas of the world that may be hazardous for American citizens traveling abroad through its Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, and its Bureau of Consular Affairs, Overseas Citizens Services, [phone number scrubbed] or on the Internet at http://www.travel.state.gov where country information is updated regularly.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), based in Atlanta, Georgia, have an international travelers' hotline for the latest information on immunization requirements, recommendations, and health conditions for countries around the world. To receive information, contact the CDC at 877-FYI-TRIP toll free or on the Internet at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx .
Current travel guides for regions and countries of the world can provide up-to-date information on entry requirements and documents, monetary exchanges, historical background, as well as information on restaurants and hotels. A reliable travel agent can be a valuable source of service and information for planning a trip abroad, and most countries maintain official tourist information bureaus in major cities such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. These offices are often excellent sources of free printed matter—brochures, maps, posters, etc. A directory of tourism offices worldwide is also available on the Internet (see " Selected Topics of Interest " below). Many countries also have similar information available on the Internet. Refer to the section on " Internet Sources for Countries of the World " (below) for further details.
section_title: Treaties
paragraphs: Treaties in Force (Washington, GPO), compiled annually by the Department of State, provides information on treaties and other international agreements entered into by the United States and recorded by the Department of State as being in force as of January 1 of each year. Note: This publication is no longer available in print. However, it is available on the Internet only at http://www.state.gov/s/l/treaty/treaties/2007/index.htm .
section_title: Working and Studying Abroad
paragraphs: Academic Year Abroad and Vacation Study Abroad (New York, Institute of International Education) are annual publications of the Institute of International Education (IIE), the largest U.S. higher education exchange agency. Both provide details on international education and work opportunities by regions of the world. Recent statistics on study and work abroad are listed in the appendixes.
How To Find an Overseas Job With the U.S. Government: A Complete and Comprehensive Guide (Oakton, VA, Cantrell Corporation). Published intermittently, it provides a comprehensive agency-by-agency guide to international federal government positions abroad, including position descriptions and qualifications.
Vacation Work ' s Work Your Way Around the World and Teaching English Abroad (Distributed in the U.S. by Peterson's Guides, Inc.). Published irregularly, these sources offer information by field of work (agriculture, business and industry, teaching English, etc.) and by country as well as information on certification, taxes, training, and visa regulations.
World of Learning (London, Europa), is an annual publication that lists the addresses and telephone numbers of colleges, universities, research institutions, and libraries, alphabetically by country and briefly describes selected educational organizations.
section_title: Internet Sources for Countries of the World
subsections: section_title: Search Engines
paragraphs: Internet search engines (Altavista, Google, Yahoo!, etc.) scan the Web on a given topic, then index and create sets for each entry. Below are some examples of search engines for general country and regional information.
Altavista World at http://world.altavista.com . Translations of any text in English to one of 12 other languages listed and vice versa, using Babelfish.
Google at http://directory.google.com/Top/Regional/Countries . Also click on "Language Tools" at http://www.google.com/language_tools for translation of text or websites.
InfoPlease - Countries of the World at http://www.infoplease.com/countries.html .
Kasbah at http://www.kasbah.com/news/index.htm for world news, travel, and the latest news worldwide on the war in Iraq.
WorldLingo
http://www.worldlingo.com/en/products_services/worldlingo_translator.html . Translate English text, website, and email to languages listed and vice versa.
Yahoo! - Regional at http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries .
A listing and brief description of selected Internet sites for country information using the Web is itemized below.
section_title: Federal and Related Agencies
paragraphs: Bureau of the Census International Statistical Agencies
http://www.census.gov/main/www/stat_int.html . This website is a source of demographic, economic, and social statistics for several nations. Also available is the International Data Base (IDB), a databank containing demographic and socio-economic statistics (population, migration, ethnicity, etc.) for 224 countries and areas of the world at http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/ . A ranking of countries by total population is available from 1950 to 2050 by clicking on "Country Rankings."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at http://www.cdc.gov . This website provides the latest information related to travelers' health and high-risk areas worldwide at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx .
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) at https://www.cia.gov/ . The CIA Website provides information by selected topics—What's New, feature stories, related Web links, news and information, the current editions of the World Factbook at https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html and the Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/world-leaders-1/index.html ; and a listing of other publications at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/index.html .
Department of Commerce at http://www.doc.gov . This website provides information on U.S. trade with other nations and international statistics under the heading "International Outreach," and information on trade opportunities at http://www.commerce.gov/TradeOpportunities/index.htm . It also provides a listing of the Commerce Department agencies on the Web, such as the International Trade Administration (ITA), Economic Development Administration, and others.
Department of State at http://www.state.gov . This website provides current information on U.S. foreign policy, current hot topics of interest, travel and business information. It also provides Internet links to related agencies and international sources. Current editions of Background Notes, Consular Information Sheets, Country Commercial Guides, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, Patterns of Global Terrorism , and Travel Advisories/ Travel Warnings are available full text at http://www.state.gov/travelandbusiness/ . Foreign travel information is available through the Bureau of Consular Affairs at http://travel.state.gov . Information on foreign exchange and training programs, international broadcasting (including foreign commentary on the United States, Voice of America (VOA), Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe), international youth exchanges, and the Fulbright Program can be found at the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at http://exchanges.state.gov . Links to U.S. embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions abroad are available at http://usembassy.state.gov .
International Trade Administration (ITA) at http://www.ita.doc.gov . The International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce provides background and information on promoting trade and investment.
Library of Congress at http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/portals.html . This website provides "authoritative, in-depth information about the nations and other areas of the world." They are arranged alphabetically by country or area with links for each country sorted into a wide range of broad categories." It also has a link to "Selected Web Resources on Terrorism" at http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/hispanic/terrorism/terrorism.html .
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) at http://www.opic.gov . Official Website of OPIC, an independent government agency that assists and advises 140 economies around the world. Included is information on the organization, employment, publications and press releases, and Web links.
Peace Corps at http://www.peacecorps.gov . This website provides background information on its volunteer programs, countries where volunteers serve, press releases, and links to other government agencies.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at http://www.usaid.gov . This website of the USAID offers links to related government and international agencies dealing with development in the Third World. It includes background on USAID, press releases, and programs promoting economic growth, environmental protection, and basic health worldwide.
Voice of America (VOA) at http://www.voanews.com/english/portal.cfm . Official website of the VOA provides information on its history and current news releases. It lists the various languages the VOA broadcasts and links to websites in those languages at http://www.voanews.com/english/screen_map.cfm . It also includes a "Pronunciation Guide" for the names of some world leaders and regions of the world at http://names.voa.gov .
section_title: Foreign Embassies
paragraphs: The Electronic Embassy at http://www.embassy.org . This website links the staff and resources of selected embassies in Washington, DC, to their constituencies in business, education, and politics. It also provides links to other websites for the foreign affairs community.
section_title: International and Regional Organizations
paragraphs: African Union (AU), formerly the Organization of African Unity (OAU), at http://www.africa-union.org . This is the official website for the African Union (AU). In July 2002, the OAU, founded in 1963, was superseded by the AU. It provides information on its members, the OAU Charter, current activities, human rights, economy, peacekeeping, and conflict resolution available in Arabic, English, French, and Portuguese.
Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) at http://usinfo.state.gov/eap/east_asia_pacific/apec.html . U.S. State Department website on APEC that contains current news and background information and a link to the 2007 Annual Chair website - Australia at http://www.apec2007.org/ .
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at http://www.aseansec.org . This website contains background information on ASEAN and its members: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand (the original five members), Brunei, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar in the areas of politics, economics, business, trade statistics, and culture. It also provides links to each country's home page, the ASEAN Summit and past Summits, press releases, and related websites.
European Union (EU) at http://www.chemie.fu-berlin.de/adressen/eu.html . The European Union (EU), formerly known as the European Community (EC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), was founded in 1993. Currently, there are twenty-seven independent member states. Included are detailed maps of each nation, a map of Europe, historical information on the EU and its related agencies, and links to other European sites and the EU Home Page at http://europa.eu.int/abc/index_en.htm and summaries of EU legislation by topic at http://europa.eu.int/scadplus/scad_en.h t m .
G - 8 Summits at http://www.g8.gc.ca/menu-en.asp . This site is maintained by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. It provides background information on the next Summit in Hokkaido Toyako, Japan in July 2008. Last year's G-8 Summit in Heiligendamm, Germany, June 6-8, 2007, at http://w w w.g-8.de/Webs/G8/EN/Homepage/home.html , focused on climate protection to Africa policy to the newly launched "Heiligendamm Process." Included are links to previous summits, and documents including lists of delegations, communiques, etc. that can be found at http://www.g8.gc. c a/common/links-en.asp .
International Monetary Fund (IMF) at http://w w w.imf.org . This website provides links to IMF Country Reports on economic trends in IMF member countries, IMF Working Papers, press releases, annual meetings, and general background information on the IMF. It also provides links to other international organizations and can also be translated online into Arabic, Chinese, French, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at http://www . nato.int / home.htm .
This website provides background information on NATO including its members, related agencies, documents, press releases, and links to related websites. Current issues of NATO Review are available at http://www.nato.int/docu/review.htm .
Organization of American States (OAS) at http://www.oas.org . The OAS is the world's oldest regional organization (conceived in 1826 and OAS Charter created in 1890). This website provides information on the political, social, and economic issues in the region (today comprising Canada, the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean). Information on the member states, text of speeches, and reports from the General Assembly are included in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) at http://www.o e cdwash.org . The OECD is an international organization composed of industrialized market-economy nations since 1960. This website is the home page of the OECD's Washington Center. It provides information on its members, OECD publications, and frequently requested statistics. It also offers links to related agencies and to OECD's Paris Headquarters Home Page.
Summit of the Americas at http://www. s ummit-americas.org . The official "Summit of the Americas Information Network" with information and Web links to all summits at http://www.summit-americas.org/eng-2002/previous-summits.htm . Included are texts of the summit declarations and information on the summit process.
United Nations (U.N.) at http://w w w.un.org . The official Internet site for the U.N. in either graphic or text versions. An overview of the U.N. system, including its Charter, member states, conferences, and publications, is provided. This website also provides numerous links to U.N. organizations at http://www.uns y stem.org ; printable world maps at http://www.un.or g /Depts/Cartographic/english/ htmain.htm ; and InfoNation for statistical data by member states by selecting basic or advanced at http:// c yberschoolbus.un.org/infonation3/menu/advanced.asp .
World Bank at http://www. w orldba n k.org . This website provides a detailed collection of worldwide economic data, socioeconomic indicators, and links to other international organizations. It includes also information on country projects.
World Trade Organization (WTO) at http://w w w .wto.org . This official website of the WTO provides information on the organization, WTO publications, news releases, links to U.N. and other related sites in English, French, and Spanish.
section_title: Regional Areas
paragraphs: Africa
Country Specific Page for Africa at
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studi e s/Home_Page/Country.html . Maintained by the African Studies Program at the University of Pennsylvania, this site lists each African nation alphabetically and provides a country map, African embassies in the United States, related links, and background from the CIA's World Factbook .
Asia and the Pacific
Asia Source at http://www.asi a so u rce.org . A source of current news on the region and sources of scholarly material on many aspects of Asia from the Asia Society. Included are maps, bibliographies, statistics, and country comparisons at http://www. a siasource.org/profiles/ap_mp_04.cfm .
Pacific Islands Internet Resources at
http://www2.hawaii.ed u /~ogden/ p iir/index.html . This website offers numerous links and information on the nations of the Pacific such as Hawaii and Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Tonga, and others.
Australia and New Zealand
Australian Bureau of Statistics at http://www.abs.gov.au . This website provides links to statistical information on its states and territories as well as key national indicators (social and economic), census, media releases, and international statistics.
New Zealand at http://www.sta t s.govt.nz . Official New Zealand country website provides a variety of information on its land, people, economy, international comparisons, and links to statistics in the Commonwealth and abroad.
Canada
Statistics Canada at http://www.stat c an.ca . This website provides statistical data on health, education, foreign trade, the labor market in Canada, census data, and selected international comparisons in English and French.
Europe
Europa at http://europa.eu . int . Europa is a Web server offering information on the EU's policies and current agenda. Provides Web links to European governments (in English and various other languages) as well as information by special topics and themes via Eurostat at http://europa.e u .int/en/comm/eurostat .
Latin America (Central and South America)
Latinworld at http://latin w orld.com . Self-proclaimed "premier search engine for Iberoamerica and the Caribbean." This website is searchable in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Click on "Countries" for information on Spain and countries in North, Central, and South America, and is a forum for Latin Americans and people interested in Latin America.
WWW Virtual Library: Latin American Studies at http://lanic.utexas.edu/las.html . Maintained by the University of Texas at Austin, this website is a comprehensive source of information on Latin America and the Caribbean. It allows searches by key word, country, or selected topics and provides links to related Web sources in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Middle and Near East
Center for Middle Eastern Studies at http://ww w .ias.berkeley.edu/cmes . Maintained by the University of California at Berkeley, this site contains links to many Middle East country servers, Islamic studies, Judaism and Jewish studies, and Middle East centers in the United States.
Middle East Studies at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indi v /mideast/cuvlm . Maintained by Columbia University, this website provides information to resources on the Middle East and Jewish Studies by region and by country. It also provides Web links to Middle East news sources, bibliographies, and libraries.
Russia and Eastern Europe
Russian and Eastern European Studies at http://www.ucis. p itt.edu/crees/ . Maintained by the University of Pittsburgh, the Center for Russian and East European Studies (CREES), this site provides information by subject, geographical region, and links to electronic resources on the Baltic states, Central and Eastern Europe, the CIS, the Russian Federation, and the former Soviet Union at http://www. u cis.pitt.edu/crees/internet.html .
section_title: Selected Topics of Interest
paragraphs: Armed Forces Worldwide/Foreign Military at http:// w ww.military.com/Resources/ResourceSubmittedFileView?file=world_map_front_door.htm . This website is maintained by Military.com, which provide descriptive and statistical information. Click on the map to access data on armed forces by individual country or by continent.
Conflicts at http://www.flashpoints.info/FlashPoints_home.html . This website, Flash Points, provides information and links to contemporary conflicts worldwide by country as well as other related links. See also Peace and Conflicts.
Constitutions of the World at http://www.oefre.unib e .ch/law/icl/index.html . From the International Constitutional Law Project, this website offers links to sources for the text of constitutions of selected countries and lists recent changes with dates.
Country Studies at http://lcweb2.loc.gov/f r d/cs . Produced by the Federal Research Division at the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Army. This website contains electronic versions of the Country Studies book series. The majority of the text of the published books are included, but without tables, graphs, and other appendixes. Currently, 101 countries are available online.
Crime and Justice Information at http://www.uncjin.org . United Nations Crime and Justice Information Network (UNCJIN) in Vienna, Austria, provides statistical information on crime prevention and criminal justice issues for numerous countries, including a link to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Currency Converter at http://www.oanda.com/converter/classic . Maintained by OANDA, the Internet arm of Olsen & Associates of Switzerland, this website allows currency conversion for 164 currencies, both current and historical.
Distance (How Far Is It?) at http://www.indo.com/distance . This website is a service of Bali Online and uses data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census and a supplementary list of cities around the world to calculate the distance (in miles and kilometers) between any two places worldwide, and also give their respective latitude and longitude as well as a map showing the two places.
Elections and Electoral Systems at http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/election.htm . This website is a valuable source of information based in the United Kingdom on recent or upcoming elections for a selected list of countries, including the United States. It also provides links to government home pages, local elections, and electronic media.
Expatriates at http://www.e s capeartist.com . The EscapeArtist website provides information on "overseas living for international job seekers, expatriates, adventurers, and tax exiles." It lists Web links to living overseas, country destination profiles, investing, expatriate magazines, and resources for global relocation.
Foreign Governments at http://www.library.northwestern.edu/govinfo/resource/internat/foreign.html . Maintained by Northwestern University, this website provides official government links worldwide and Internet links to selected international organizations. See also National Parliaments.
Foreign Languages at http://www.travlang.com/languages . Foreign Languages for Travelers allows users to search for a particular word or phrase for 80 languages available at this website.
Human Rights at http://www.am n esty.org . Amnesty International on the Internet provides links to all Amnesty Web pages by country, including Amnesty International USA at http://www.amnesty.org/en/worldwide-sites .
International Affairs Resources at http:// w ww.etown.edu/vl . Maintained by the Political Science Department of Elizabethtown College, this website provides more than 2,600 annotated links related to international affairs in broad categories: media sources, organizations, regions and countries, and by topic.
International Business Resources at http://globaledge.msu.edu/ . Now known as Global Edge, this site maintained by Michigan State University, offers an exhaustive listing of companies, directories, and yellow pages with regional or country specific information under the headings "Country Insights" and "Resource Desk."
International Business and Economic Sources at http://library.uncc.edu/display/?dept=reference&format=open&page=68 . The Virtual International Business and Economic Sources (VIBES) on the Internet is accessed and maintained by the J. Murrey Atkins Library at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Entries in VIBES include 3,500 comprehensive Web links to business and economic information by country, region, and various subject areas, including industry sector (commodities), foreign exchange rates, banking, exporting/importing, trade issues, trade law, and intellectual property.
International Security at http://www.isn.ethz.ch . The International Relations and Security Network (ISN) on the Internet is maintained by the Center for Security Studies and Conflict Research in Zurich, Switzerland. It is a comprehensive network for information on global security and defense issues, and allows searching by subject or region, and Web links to news and other institutions worldwide.
Maps http://www.lib . utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection/Map_collection.html .
Maintained by the Perry-Castañeda Library at the University of Texas at Austin, this website provides electronic copies of maps by current interest, region (Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, polar regions and oceans, etc.) and selected world cities. Also provides links for maps by country, city, and state and maps of special interest for hot spots like Iraq. See also the entry for the U.N. for a link to printable maps online and Maps area at http://www.mapsarea.com , for a portal of world maps and atlases.
National Parliaments at http://wc.wustl.edu/parliaments.html . Maintained by the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy at Washington University in St. Louis, this site provides links to selected national parliaments. It is arranged alphabetically from the Albanian Parliament to Zimbabwe's Parliament.
News Link at http://newslink.org . This site offers links to major news sources (newspapers, magazines, radio/TV programs, etc.) nationally and for selected areas worldwide.
Newspapers at http://ww w .newspapers.com . This website offers worldwide listings of newspapers by regions and then by country in that region.
Peace and Conflicts at http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/ . Maintained by the University of Maryland's Center for International Development and Conflict Management (CIDCM), this website provides an annual publication that updates its descriptions of the status of major armed conflicts worldwide.
Political Leaders/Chiefs of State/World Rulers at http://www.govspot.com/categories/worldleaders.htm . This website lists current political leaders worldwide by clicking on "Chiefs of State" or 'World Rulers." This website also lists present and past world rulers by individual country. See also "World's Statesmen," below.
Political Resources on the Net at http://www.politicalresources.net . This website lists political sites on the Internet by country, and has links to parties, organizations, and national governments worldwide as well as international organizations such as the European Union and United Nations. A unique feature called "Political Site of the Week" focuses on the political activity of one nation for a given week.
Refugees at http:// w ww.unhcr.org . The official website of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) offers background on the UNHCR, map-based and text-based access to country-specific information about refugees, Refugees magazine, and related Web links.
Social Security in Other Countries at http://www.ssa.gov/international . Maintained by the Office of International Programs of the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA), this website provides details on 21 social security programs outside the United States and links to selected countries and their agencies.
Statistical Resources on the Web http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html . Maintained by the University of Michigan's Document Center, this website has numerous statistics on foreign economies, foreign trade, and foreign government data sources. It also provides links to U.S. government agencies, foreign governments, news sources, and related sites.
Terrorism at http://www.terrorism.com . The Terrorism Research Center is an independent institute dedicated to the study of terrorism and counter terrorism at home and abroad. Note: some premium content is based on subscription. It also offers related links to U.S. and international government sites at http://www.terrorism.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Web_Links&file=index .
Tourism Offices at http://www.towd.com . The Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory indexes only official government tourism offices, convention and visitors bureaus, and similar agencies. It also provides addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail (if available) for various countries including the United States.
Treaties and International Agreements
The Multilaterals Project at http://fletcher.tufts.edu/multilaterals.html is maintained by the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. This website offers selected international laws and treaties by subject and a chronological listing. It also offers links to historical foreign documents, selected treaties, and the U.N. Treaty Database with selected U.N. documents.
Treaties from the Avalon Project at Yale Law School are available at http://www.yale.edu:80/lawweb/avalon/avalon.htm . Maintained by Yale Law School, this website contains documents relevant in the areas of diplomacy, economics, history, government, law, and politics. It provides links supporting documents to the texts, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and Project Diana, an online human rights archive.
Work and Study Abroad at http://www.ciee.org . Maintained by the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), this website provides materials on work and study abroad opportunities for American students and recent graduates on summer jobs, internships, and overseas career opportunities with a link to GoAbroad.com at http://www.goabroad.com , a self-proclaimed "leading international education and experiential travel resource with directories containing over 25,000 opportunities abroad updated daily including study abroad, internships, volunteer opportunities, teach abroad, language schools and more."
Work Abroad and International Jobs at http://www.overseasjobs.com . Overseas Job Express provides links to numerous Internet resources such as international job mailing lists, summer opportunities, internships, and résumés on the Web.
Work Opportunities/Resources for International Jobs at http://www.rileyguide.com/internat.html . The Riley Guide to Job Resources includes a section on resources for international job opportunities for selected countries and Web links to multiple countries and regions.
World ' s Statesmen at http://www.worldstatesmen.org . Self-proclaimed "complete and up to date encyclopedia of all the leaders of nations and territories." International organizations and recent religious leaders are listed separately. This site also provides detailed chronologies, flags, national anthems, maps and information on global politics and history.
section_title: Foreign Chanceries in Washington, DC1
paragraphs: (Area Code 202)
Afghanistan, Republic of, 2341 Wyoming Ave., NW, 20008, 483-6410
Albania, Republic of, 2100 S St., NW, 20008, 223-4942
Algeria, 2118 Kalorama Rd., NW, 20008, 265-2800
Angola, Republic of, 1615 M St., NW, Suite 900, 20036, 785-1156
Antigua and Barbuda, 3216 New Mexico Ave., NW, 20016, 362-5122
Argentine Republic, 1600 New Hampshire Ave., NW, 20009, 238-6400
Armenia, Republic of, 2225 R St., NW, 20008, 319-1976
Australia, 1601 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20036, 797-3000
Austria, 3524 International Court, NW, 20008, 895-6700
Azerbaijan, Republic of, 2741 34 th St., NW, 20008, 337-3500
Bahamas, Commonwealth of the, 2220 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 319-2660
Bahrain, State of, 3502 International Dr., NW, 20008, 342-0741
Bangladesh, People's Republic of, 3510 International Drive, NW, 20008, 244-2745
Barbados, 2144 Wyoming Ave., NW, 20008, 939-9200
Belarus, Republic of, 1619 New Hampshire Ave., NW, 20009, 986-1604
Belgium, 3330 Garfield St., NW, 20008, 333-6900
Belize, 2535 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 332-9636
Benin, Republic of, 2124 Kalorama Road, NW, 20008, 232-6656
Bolivia, 3014 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 483-4410
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of, 2109 E St., NW, 20037, 337-1500
Botswana, Republic of, 1531-1533 New Hampshire Ave., NW, 20036, 244-4990
Brazil, 3006 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 238-2700
Brunei, 3520 International Court, NW, 20008, 237-1838
Bulgaria, Republic of, 1621 22 nd St., NW, 20008, 387-0174
Burkina Faso, 2340 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 332-5577
Burma (see Myanmar)
Burundi, Republic of, 2233 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 212, 20007, 342-2574
Cambodia, 4530 16 th St., NW, 20011, 726-7742
Cameroon, Republic of, 2349 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 265-8790
Canada, 501 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, 20001, 682-1740
Cape Verde, Republic of, 3415 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20007, 965-6820
Central African Republic, 1618 22 nd St., NW, 20008, 483-7800
Chad, Republic of, 2002 R St., NW, 20009, 462-4009
Chile, 1732 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20036, 785-1746
China, People's Republic of, 2300 Connecticut Ave., NW, 20008, 328-2500
Colombia, 2118 Leroy Place, NW, 20008, 387-8338
Congo, Democratic Republic of, 1726 M St., NW 20036, 234-7690 (formerly Zaire)
Congo, Republic of, 4891 Colorado Ave., NW, 20011, 726-5500
Costa Rica, 2114 S St., NW, 20008, 234-2945
Cote d'Ivoire, Republic of, 2424 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 797-0300
Croatia, Republic of, 2343 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 588-5899
Cuba (see Switzerland for Cuban Interests Section)*
Cyprus, Republic of, 2211 R St., NW, 20008, 462-5772
Czech Republic, 3900 Spring of Freedom St., NW, 20008 274-9100
Denmark, 3200 Whitehaven St., NW, 20008, 234-4300
Djibouti, Republic of, 1156 15 th St., NW, Suite 515, 20005, 331-0270
Dominica, Commonwealth of, 3216 New Mexico Ave., NW, 20016, 364-6781
Dominican Republic, 1715 22 nd St., NW, 20008, 332-6280
East Timor, 4201 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 504, 20008, 966-3202
Ecuador, 2535 15 th St., NW, 20009, 234-7200
Egypt, Arab Republic of, 3521 International Court, NW, 20008, 895-5400
El Salvador, 2308 California St., NW, 20008, 265-9671
Equatorial Guinea, 2020 16 th St., NW, 20009, 518-5700
Eritrea, State of, 1708 New Hampshire Ave., NW, 20009, 319-1991
Estonia, 1730 M St., NW, Suite 503, 20036, 588-0101
Ethiopia, 3506 International Drive, NW, 20008, 364-1200
Fiji, The Republic of, 2233 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 240, 20007, 337-8320
Finland, 3301 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 298-5800
France, 4101 Reservoir Rd., NW, 20007, 944-6000
Gabon, Gabonese Republic, 2034 20 th St., NW, Suite 200, 20009, 797-1000
Gambia, The, 1156 15 th St., NW, Suite 1000, 20005, 785-1399
Georgia, Republic of, 1615 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Suite 300, 20009, 387-2390
Germany, Federal Republic of, 4645 Reservoir Rd., NW, 20007, 298-4000
Ghana, 3512 International Dr., NW, 20008, 686-4520
Greece, 2221 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 939-1300
Grenada, 1701 New Hampshire Ave., NW, 20009, 265-2561
Guatemala, 2220 R St., NW, 20008, 745-4952
Guinea, Republic of, 2112 Leroy Place, NW, 20008, 986-4300
Guinea-Bissau, 15929 Yukon Lane, Rockville, MD 20855 [phone number scrubbed]
Guyana, 2490 Tracy Place, NW, 20008, 265-6900
Haiti, Republic of, 2311 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 332-4090
Holy See, The, 3339 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 333-7121
Honduras, 3007 Tilden St., NW, Suite 4-M, 20008, 966-7702
Hungary, Republic of, 3910 Shoemaker St., NW, 20008, 362-6730
Iceland, 1156 15 th St., NW, Suite 1200, 20005, 265-6653
India, 2107 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 939-7000
Indonesia, Republic of, 2020 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20036, 775-5200
Iran (see Pakistan for Iranian Interests Section)*
Iraq 1801 P Street, NW, 20036, 483-7500
Ireland, 2234 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 462-3939
Israel, 3514 International Drive, NW, 20008, 364-5500
Italy, 3000 Whitehaven St., NW, 20008, 612-4400
Ivory Coast (see Cote d'Ivoire)
Jamaica, 1520 New Hampshire Ave., NW, 20036, 452-0660
Japan, 2520 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 238-6700
Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of, 3504 International Dr., NW, 20008, 966-2664
Kazakhstan, Republic of, 1401 16 th St., NW, 20036, 232-5488
Kenya, Republic of, 2249 R St., NW, 20008, 387-6101
Korea, Republic of (South), 2450 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 939-5600
Kuwait, State of, 2940 Tilden St., NW, 20008, 966-0702
Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz Republic, 2360 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 338-5141
Laos, Lao People's Democratic Republic, 2222 S St., NW, 20008, 332-6416
Latvia, 4325 17 th St., NW, 20011, 726-8213
Lebanon, 2560 28 th St., NW, 20008, 939-6300
Lesotho, Kingdom of, 2511 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 797-5533
Liberia, Republic of, 5201 16 th St., NW, 20011, 723-0437
Liechtenstein, 888 17 th , NW, Suite 1250, 20006, 331-0590
Lithuania, Republic of, 2622 16 th St., NW, 20009-4202, 234-5860
Luxembourg, 2200 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 265-4171
Macedonia, Republic of, 1101 30 th St., NW, Suite 302, 20007, 337-3063
Madagascar, 2374 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 265-5525
Malawi, 2408 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 320, 20008, 797-1007
Malaysia, 3516 International Court, NW, 20008, 572-9700
Mali, 2130 R St., NW, 20008, 332-2249
Malta, Republic of, 2017 Connecticut Ave., NW, 20008, 462-3611
Marshall Islands, Republic of, 2433 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 234-5414
Mauritania, Islamic Republic of, 2129 Leroy Place, NW, 20008, 232-5700
Mauritius, 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 441, 20008, 244-1491
Mexico, 1911 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, 20006, 728-1600
Micronesia, Federated States of, 1725 N St., NW, 20036 223-4383
Moldova, Republic of, 2101 S St., NW, 20008, 667-1130
Mongolia, 2833 M St., NW, 20007, 333-7117
Morocco, Kingdom of, 1601 21 st St., NW, 20009, 462-7979
Mozambique, Republic of, 1990 M St., NW, Suite 570, 20036, 293-7146
Myanmar, Union of, 2300 S St., NW, 20008, 332-9044
Namibia, Republic of, 1605 New Hampshire Ave., NW, 20009, 986-0540
Nepal, 2131 Leroy Place, NW, 20008, 667-4550
Netherlands, 4200 Linnean Ave., NW, 20008, 244-5300
New Zealand, 37 Observatory Circle, NW, 20008, 328-4800
Nicaragua, 1627 New Hampshire Ave., NW, 20009, 939-6570
Niger, Republic of, 2204 R St., NW, 20008, 483-4224
Nigeria, Federal Republic of, 1333 16 th St., NW, 20036, 986-8400
Norway, 2720 34 th St., NW, 20008, 333-6000
Oman, Sultanate of, 2535 Belmont Rd., NW, 20008, 387-1980
Pakistan, 3517 International Court, NW, 20008, 243-6500
Iranian Interests Section, 2209 Wisconsin Ave., NW, 20007, 965-4990
Palau, Republic of, 1150 18 th St., NW, Suite 750, 20036, 452-6814
Panama, Republic of, 2862 McGill Terrace, NW, 20008, 483-1407
Papua New Guinea, 1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 805, 20036, 745-3680
Paraguay, 2400 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 483-6960
Peru, 1700 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20036, 833-9860
Philippines, 1600 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20036, 467-9300
Poland, Republic of, 2640 16 th St., NW, 20009, 234-3800
Portugal, 2125 Kalorama Rd., NW, 20008, 328-8610
Qatar, State of, 2555 M St., NW, 20037, 274-1600
Romania, 1607 23 rd St., NW, 20008, 332-4848
Russian Federation, 2650 Wisconsin Ave., NW, 20007, 298-5700
Rwanda, Republic of, 1714 New Hampshire Ave., NW, 20009, 232-2882
Saint Kitts and Nevis, 3216 New Mexico Ave., NW, 20016, 686-2636
Saint Lucia, 3216 New Mexico Ave., NW, 20016, 364-6792
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 3216 New Mexico Ave., NW, 20016, 364-6730
San Marino, Republic of, 1899 L St., NW, 20036, 223-3517
Saudi Arabia, 601 New Hampshire Ave., NW, 20037, 337-4076
Senegal, Republic of, 2112 Wyoming Ave., NW, 20008, 234-0540
Serbia, 2134 Kalorama Rd., NW, 20008, 332-0333
Sierra Leone, 1701 19 th St., NW, 20009, 939-9261
Singapore, Republic of, 3501 International Place, NW, 20008, 537-3100
Slovak Republic, 3523 International Court, NW, 20008, 237-1054
Slovenia, Republic of, 2410 California St., NW, 20008, 386-6601
Somalia—Embassy ceased operations on May 8, 1991.
South Africa, 3051 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 232-4400
Spain, 2375 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, 20037, 452-0100
Sri Lanka, 2148 Wyoming Ave., NW, 20008, 483-4025
Sudan, Republic of the, 2210 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 338-8565
Suriname, Republic of, 4301 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 460, 20008, 244-7488
Swaziland, Kingdom of, 3400 International Dr., NW, 20008, 362-6683
Sweden, 2900 K St., NW, 20005, 467-2600
Switzerland, 2900 Cathedral Ave., NW, 20008, 745-7900
Cuban Interests Section, 2630 16 th St., NW, 20009, 797-8518
Syrian Arab Republic, 2215 Wyoming Ave., NW, 20008, 232-6313
Tajikistan, 1005 New Hampshire Ave., NW, 20037, 223-6090
Tanzania, United Republic of, 2139 R St., NW, 20008, 939-6125
Thailand, 1024 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 401, 20007, 944-3600
Togo, Republic of, 2208 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 234-4212
Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of, 1708 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20036, 467-6490
Tunisia, 1515 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20005, 862-1850
Turkey, Republic of, 2525 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 612-6700
Turkmenistan, Republic of, 2207 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 588-1500
Uganda, Republic of, 5911 16 th St., NW, 20011, 726-7100
Ukraine, 3350 M St., NW, 20007, 333-0606
United Arab Emirates, 3522 International Court, NW, Suite 400, 20008, 243-2400
United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland, 3100 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 588-6500
Uruguay, 1913 I St., NW, 20006, 331-1313
Uzbekistan, Republic of, 1746 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20036, 887-5300
Vatican City (see Holy See)
Venezuela, Republic of, 1099 30 th St., NW, 20007, 342-2214
Vietnam, Socialist Republic of, 1233 20 th St., NW, Suite 400, 20037, 861-0737
Yemen, Republic of, 2319 Wyoming Ave., NW, 20008, 965-4760
Zaire (see Congo, Democratic Republic of)
Zambia, Republic of, 2419 Massachusetts Ave., NW, 20008, 265-9717
Zimbabwe, Republic of, 1608 New Hampshire Ave., NW, 20009, 332-7100
Note: Cuba and Iran do not have official diplomatic relations with the United States and therefore do not have chanceries in Washington, DC. Their interest sections are located at other chanceries (Switzerland and Pakistan respectively). In addition, North Korea does not have diplomatic relations with the United States and has no interest section in Washington, DC.
In addition to the list of chanceries, these addresses may also be useful:
European Union Delegation of the European Commission to the United States 2300 M Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 [phone number scrubbed] Fax: [phone number scrubbed] http://www.eurunion.org
Hong Kong Trade Development Council 219 East 46 th Street New York, NY 10017 [phone number scrubbed]
Taiwan Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) 4201 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 [phone number scrubbed]
American Institute in Taiwan 1700 North Moore Street Suite 1700 Arlington, VA 22209 [phone number scrubbed]
Note: The United States maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan through the American Institute in Taiwan.