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.
Qatar
Find
the Country you wish to research
~
then click on the icons as shown below for
information
CLICK
ON THE NATIONAL FLAG FOR COUNTRY FACTS
We have linked each country to the United States of America
Department of State - Background Notes. Click on the
country's
flag to access this information.
90%
Muslim Catholic Protestant Orthodox Alternative Buddhist
Hindu Jewish
Atheist Communist
The majority Religion of
each Country is listed using a 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 or other sources.
GDP
$
We give economic statistics on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita for almost every Country we have listed.�
Source
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.
Public
Debt
(National Debt) -
is provided as a percentage (%) of
GDP. In
Developed Countries N/A means Not Applicable - in Un-Developed Countries N/A
means Not Available.
Source
-
Population Reference Bureau Data Finder Information. The
% after the entry is the Growth or Decline in population expected (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
United States US AID Payments
-
U.S. authorized financial aid 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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