World Information

         United Nations                                                 World Information                                        World Population Clock

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

We welcomed 30,087 Visitors from 157 Countries in June 2015

Key to Reading our 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 shown 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.

CLICK ON THE FLAG OF THE COUNTRY YOU WISH TO RESEARCH IN THE COLUMN ON THE RIGHT
THEN SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE YOU RETRIEVE TO FIND THE COUNTRY THAT YOU WANT

CLICK ON THE NATIONAL FLAG FOR COUNTRY FACTS
We have linked each country to the United Nations - Country Statistics. (When the UN does not provide data we give local National Statistics). Click on the country's flag to access this information.

RELIGION

budded cross Greek cross 90%
Islamic Catholic Protestant Orthodox Syncretism Buddhism Hinduism Judaism Communism

The majority Religion of each Country is listed using a recognized symbol
(see RELIGION below), the % number is the estimated size of the Majority.

Embassy Each country's Embassy located in Washington DC is shown thus.

British Foreign Office Travel Advice for business and tourist travellers.

United Nations Mission The Nation's permanent mission to the United Nations.

Diplomatic Missions Foreign Representation in Country and National Representation abroad.

Languages A listing of 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.

BBC British Broadcasting Corporation Country Profile

Etiquette, Customs and Protocol Guide

Country Profiles

   United States Central Intelligence Agency
       United States Department of State
   British Foreign & Commonwealth Office
   Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
   Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Peoples Republic of China

   German Federal Foreign Office

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (Use Site Search)

EUEA European Union External Action

   Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs

       United Nations Children's Fund

    World Bank Report

World Health Organization

World Trade Organization

International Monetary Fund

Freedom House Report

Prison Population Statistics

Amnesty International Report

Data on Human Trafficking & Slavery

Transparency International Corruption Report

Link to overview of country listed, including political and topographic maps.

National Intelligence Services

Population January 2014

- Population Growth Reference Bureau Data Finder Information. The % after the entry is the Growth or Decline in native population expected between 2000 and 2050 (not including migrations.)

U.S. State Dept. Trafficking in Human Beings Report - US Department of State Report.

U.S. State Dept. 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

National Intelligence Quotient - The Average Intelligence Quotient is 100.

Armed Forces - Includes various data on Land, Sea and Air Forces and Budgets.

United States US AID Payments U.S. authorized financial aid to foreign Nations.

News Sources - English Language Local News sources.

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.�

Wikipedia Overview - Link takes you to the Wikipedia Encyclopaedia.

Current Conflicts - Link takes you to an update on conflicts the Nation is engaged in.

Currency exchange rates for Local Currency.

Local weather conditions today

     Local Time

Island Vulnerability

Member of the League of Arab States

Member of the British Commonwealth of Nations (The British Empire)

    Member of the Organization of American States

    Member of the African Union

   Member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

     Member of the European Union

   Member of the Association of South East Asian Nations

Member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (ex-Soviet Union)

TODAY'S NEWS - News relating to the country from around the world.

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

Syncretism
The combination of different systems of philosophical or religious belief or
practice, often incorporating some Christian beliefs and Bible references.

NATIONS WITH MAJORITY BUDDHIST POPULATIONS

NATIONS WITH MAJORITY HINDU POPULATIONS

NATIONS WITH MAJORITY JEWISH POPULATIONS

NATIONS WITH MAJORITY COMMUNIST POPULATIONS

Major Religious Groups of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents

A Basic Overview of the World's Major Religions

Alphabetical Listing of Alternative Religions

Map of Religious Majorities by State in the United States of America

Largest Religious Groups in the United States of America

THE WAR ON TERROR

The States of Cuba, Iran, Syria and Sudan are the four
governments that the United States Secretary of State
has designated�as being state sponsors of terrorism.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Nations with Overseas Territories & 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

Entities that are Colonies, semi-autonomous Administrative Regions or are Foreign Territories
we have identified on this page by putting the Flag of the Sovereign Nation next to their listing

Could, Should or Would be Countries

Functioning Countries Not Recognized by the United Nations Organization

Those Nations that are not recognized by the United Nations we have
identified on this page with the following caption next to their listings

NOT RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED NATIONS

Hot Spots of the World

War, Insurrection, Terrorism & Genocide
Reports from around 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.

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Editorial Policy:

Nothing you read in 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: legal disclaimer

John H. Hathaway-Bates
Director
The Business Forum Institute

John was born and educated in Oxford, England. He served with the Royal Air Force in the 1950�s serving in Africa, the Persian Gulf and on the Arabian Peninsula. During the 1960�s he was the lead singer with The Tribe, and later with The Foundation in Great Britain. He also held a contract as a song writer with Acuff Rose in Nashville, Tennessee. In the 1960's and the 1970�s. John was recognized as one of the leading commercial Interior Designers in the United Kingdom, and he completed projects for multi-national corporations, restaurants and academic institutions. He also wrote the "Contract Procedure and Specification Advice" sections of the Architect's and Specifier's Guide Series (A4 Publications, Ltd.) and he innovated and wrote for The Office Planner (Benn Brothers Ltd.) He has published several articles on "Colour, Texture & Design", and once wrote a weekly Interior Design column for Westminster Newspapers Ltd. In the United States he wrote the "Executive Guide to Office Space Planning" for the American Management Association.

John has held positions as President, Managing Director or Corporate Vice President for multi-national corporations in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the United States of America. He moved to the United States in 1979; and in 1982 he founded The Business Forum in Beverly Hills, California. At the time of establishing The Business Forum, he was recognized as an accomplished Commercial Tactician on four continents. During his career John has been elected a Fellow of the British Society of Commerce, the Institute of Buyers, the British Institute of Directors, the British Institute of Administrative Accountants and the Institute of Purchasing and Supply; he was also elected to be a member of the British Institute of Marketing, the British Institute of Management, and the British Institute of Journalists

John has also written books on international and services Marketing, including: "Tactics" (Nerthus Publications Limited), and "How to Promote Your Business" and "How to Organize Your Marketing" (Asigan International Inc.) and "Fast Track Marketing in a Global Economy" (Van Nostrum Reinhold) He has published many articles and has lectured in both Europe and North America at Universities and to professional audiences on subjects ranging from business development and marketing to interior design. John is also an artist and his paintings hang today in countries all around the world.

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