Key to Reading the World
Information Pages
Please Note: For you to be able to gain full value from this web
site you will need to learn what all of the symbols below mean.
Various data bases throughout the world show different statistics, and
so we have done our best to check with governments and some other
reliable sources (including our friends, members, supporters and our
many contacts in the Diplomatic Corps and the International Media
Community, living in the countries involved). If you should find a
mistake on our site, or just know a better source of facts and data;
please let us know.
Wake Island ~ Wallis &
Futuna ~ Western Sahara
Find the Country you wish to research ~ then click on the icons as shown
below for
info
CLICK ON THE NATIONAL FLAG FOR COUNTRY FACTS
We have
linked each country to the United States of America Department of State.
90%
We have
noted the majority
Religion of each Country listed using a well recognized symbol (see
RELIGION
below), the % number is the estimated size of the Majority.
Map of the Religious World
Embassy
Each
country's Embassy located in Washington DC is shown thus. Strange as it
may seem in the 21st Century but some countries still do not have an
Embassy web site. Others have to be linked to their UN Delegation
web site.
British Foreign Office Travel Safety Alerts
for business & tourist travellers.
The
British Foreign Office provides travel advice for business and tourist
travel to most countries. This link will connect you.
UNITED
NATIONS
We have
listed the countries that have permanent missions to the United Nations
with this link to their United Nations Mission web site.
The United
States Central Intelligence Agency's report on countries in our
listing.

Link to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Country Profiles for
the countries in our listing.
Australian
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Country Profiles.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Country Reports.
Link to World Governments - Ministries, Departments and contacts.
Link to overview of country listed, including political and topographic
maps.
National Intelligence Services
We have listed the National
Intelligence Services links for those countries where such data is
available.
Languages
A primer on
the languages spoken in the country.
Travel Guide
All you need to know if travelling to the country.
Pictures
Pictures of the country, its
people and its cities.
Universities
A listing of major Universities
within the country.
NATIONAL STATISTICS
The
Official Government Reports of a Nation's Statistics. For countries that
do not post Statistics (English) we use data from the World Bank.
GDP $
We give WHO
economic statistics on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita for
almost every Country listed.
Click on the blue number given to see a regional comparison chart. For
countries not listed by the WHO we give CIA data.
Population -
Accepted
number of people living in the country
- (July 2009 est.)
Living In Poverty
Note:
Living in Poverty in Afghanistan or Mozambique is far different to
living in poverty in Northern Europe or the United States. In
Developed Countries N/A means Not Applicable - in Un-Developed Countries
N/A means Not Available.
-
Population
Reference Bureau Data Finder Information. The % after the entry is the
Growth or Decline in population expected between 2000 and 2050 (including
migrations.)
See: Population
Land Area -
The number
of sq. km. shown is the actual land area of the listed country, bodies of
water within that country are not included.
Population Density - The
number of people now living within the country per sq. km. of land area -
these are United Nations statistics.
Literacy
-
We have listed the latest percentages
of the population over the age of 15 years able to read and write. i.e.
male: 47%, female 15%
Life Expectancy - We
have listed life expectancy of men and women at birth.
Environmental & Ecological Factors -
Link to
information on this subject by Country. Click on the link, then click on
the subject you wish to research (i.e.: Water Resources) then scroll
down to and click on the Country you require data for.
Trafficking in Human
Beings Report -
US
Department of State Report.
Source
Human Rights Report
-
US Department of State Country Briefs
on Human Rights.
Age of Consent.
-
Legal Age of Sexual Consent.
Source
International Migration
Profile
-
United Nations Data on Migration.
Source
Adults 15-49 with
HIV/AIDS -
Percentage of the Population
infected.
Source
National Intelligence
Quotient
-
The Average
Intelligence Quotient is 100. Source
Corruption Index
-
Transparency
International Data.
Armed Forces -
Includes various data on Land, Sea and Air Forces and Budgets.
World Bank
Report -
World Bank
Country Report
International Monetary Fund
-
International Monetary Fund
Country Report
USAID Grants taken
1962-2003 - $
United States authorized Grants
to foreign Nations.
News Sources -
English Language Local News
sources.
World Health Organization
-
An overview of the Health
situation within the country.
Freedom House Report
-
Freedom House Country Freedom
Rankings.
World Trade Organization -
WTO Member Nations Report.
Newspaper
-
National
Newspapers & Business Publications published in English.
Stock Exchange -
Stock Exchanges that are
presented real-time in English.
Chambers of Commerce
-
Link takes
you to the World Chambers Network. Pick the Country or Territory you
want and click on search for the links you will require.
Wikipedia
Overview
-
Link takes you to the Wikipedia Encyclopaedia.
Current Conflicts
-
Link takes
you to an update on conflicts the Nation is engaged in.
TODAY'S NEWS -
News
relating to the country from around the world.
Currency
exchange rates for Local Currency.
Local
weather conditions today.
Local Time. This link will take you to an International Time
locator, find the name of the country in the listing, click, and you
have the time there now.
Link to Amnesty International - Country Human Rights Report.
Prison Population of the World (by Country)
Slavery in the 21st Century - Data on Modern Day Human Trafficking &
Slavery.

Island
Vulnerability - Island Nations suffer vulnerabilities that other Nations
do not
have to
expect. This link leads to information regarding this factor of
Government.
Member of the League of Arab States -
Map
Member of the Commonwealth of Nations
(The British Empire) -
Map
Member of the Organization of American States -
Map
Member of
the African Union
Map
Member of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) -
Map
Member of the European Union -
Map
Member of the
Association of South East Asian Nations -
Map
Member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (ex-Soviet Union)
USAID
- Loans and Grants made by the United States Congress to Foreign Countries.
This
symbol indicates that the State Department of the United States Government
has deemed that this Country is considered a State Sponsor of International
Terrorism.
RELIGION
NATIONS WITH MAJORITY
MUSLIM POPULATIONS

Map of the Muslim World
(Showing Sunni & Shia
Majorities)
NATIONS WITH
MAJORITY CHRISTIAN POPULATIONS
Catholic
Protestant
Orthodox
NATIONS WITH
MAJORITY BUDDHIST POPULATIONS

NATIONS WITH
MAJORITY HINDU POPULATIONS

NATIONS WITH MAJORITY COMMUNIST POPULATIONS

NATIONS WITH MAJORITY JEWISH POPULATIONS

Major Religious Groups of the World Ranked by Number
of Adherents
Map of religious majority of the Worlds Countries
A Basic Overview of the World's Major Religions
Alphabetical Listing of the Worlds Religions
Religious Majorities by State in
the United States of America
Largest Religious Groups in the United States of America
The Central Intelligence Agency's
21st
Century World Facts Report
THE WAR ON TERRORISM

The States of
Iran, Syria, Cuba, North Korea and Sudan
are the five governments that the United States Secretary of State
has designated as state sponsors of international terrorism.
Department of State - Counter Terrorism
Department of Homeland Security

Nations with Colonies, Territories & Overseas Possessions
(AUSTRALIA)
Commonwealth of Australia
(CHINA)
People's Republic of China
(DENMARK)
Kingdom of Denmark
(FRANCE)
French Republic
(FINLAND)
Republic of Finland
(NETHERLANDS)
Kingdom of the Netherlands
(NEW ZEALAND)
New Zealand
(NORWAY)
Kingdom of Norway
(PORTUGAL)
Portuguese Republic
(SPAIN)
Kingdom of Spain
(U.K.)
United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
(U.S.A.)
United States of America
Could,
Should or Would be Countries
(Not Recognized
by the United Nations as Nations)
The Etiquette of
Formal & Business Dining

Hot Spots of the World
Freedom of the Press
Although
we have listed as many English Language newspapers and other business
publications as we can find, we would point out that not all publications
have the Freedom of the Press enjoyed by those in North America and Europe.
So, we suggest you check the
Freedom House - Freedom of the Press Report,
before reading any of the newspapers or other publications listed on this
site.
Flags & Animations Courtesy of:
3DFlags.com
Multimedia Palace
Webdeveloper.com

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World Information
should ever be construed to be the
opinion of, or condoned by, or advice from, The Business Forum, its
staff, officers, members, directors, sponsors or shareholders. We pass
no opinion whatsoever upon the content of what we publish, nor do we
accept any responsibility for the claims, or any of the statements made,
within anything published herein. We merely aim to provide an
academic forum and information sourcing vehicle for the benefit of the
business community of the Pacific States of America. Readers must
determine for themselves where the comments, statements and advice that
is published herein are gained from and act, or not act, upon what
is published herein entirely and always at their own risk. We
accept absolutely no liability whatsoever, nor do we take any
responsibility for what anyone does or does not do based upon what is
published herein, or the information gained through use of the links to
other web sites we have included herein.
Please refer to our:
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