~ Background Notes on the Countries of the World
This site contains statistical and general information on most of the countries of the world (but not the United States) and covers geography, people, education, economics, and membership in international organizations.
~ Centers for Disease Control
~ Country Destinations by Text Express
Designed for tourists, this site gives travel-related and background information on the countries of the world. It includes "Off the Beaten Path" and "Comments by Travelers" links. Travelers' comments are of anthropological interest as they reflect the things tourists find important about their travel experiences. Most comments focus on hotels and cuisine and indicate little interest in the lives and well-being of local peoples.
~ Country Studies/Area Handbook Program
The Country Studies/Area Handbook Program is an ongoing and continuously updated series of books prepared by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress. There are 71 country studies online. Each country study gives a comprehensive overview of the society, geography, economy, politics, history, people, and major institutions (religion, education, and medicine).
~ Ethnographic Studies Resources
1. General Sources
2. Directories
3. Scholarly Programs
4. Archives and Archival Collections
5. Grants
6. Journals and Newsletters
7. Societies
8. Ethnomusicology and Folksong Resources
9. Fieldwork
10. Indigenous People's Resources|
11. Mythology and Narrative
~ FedStats
~ International Demographic Data
This Census Bureau site includes data on the population of every country and territory in the world for 1950-present. Population is also projected to the year 2050, as is age-specific population.
~ The Library of Congress
~ One World
~ Peace Corps
Peace Corps volunteers work in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Inter-America and the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean in the areas of agriculture, education, forestry, health, engineering, skilled trades, business, the environment, urban planning, youth development, and the teaching of English for use in commerce and technology. This site gives information about the Peace Corps, becoming a Peace Corps volunteer, the places where Peace Corps volunteers work, and the Peace Corps global education program (which contains letters and interviews with Peace Corps volunteers).
~ Public Broadcasting Service
This is the home page of the Public Broadcasting Service. This is an amazing resource for in-depth coverage of headline news and social and cultural issues in general. The quality of the material on this site defies simple summary. Start with the "Online Newshour" and browse its "past programs" and "essays and dialogues." Plus in keywords of interest to anthropologists such as specific country names, culture, archeology, Native Americans, language, etc.
~ UC Berkeley Social Science and Government Data Library
~ U.S. Agency for International Development
The U.S. Agency for International Development, known as USAID, is an independent government agency that provides economic development and humanitarian assistance in order to advance U.S. economic and political interests overseas. This site contains information on USAID's record of accomplishments, its 1995 Agency Performance Report, and policy papers. There are also articles explaining the importance of foreign aid, the meaning of participatory development, and strategies for sustainable development. See also the "Lessons Without Borders" link, which seeks to share with readers lessons learned overseas.
~ U.S. Department of State Home Page
This site is an official U.S. Government source. The U.S. Department of State is the main U.S. foreign affairs agency and is responsible for implementing the President's foreign policies. The Hot Spot link updates you on most recent spotlighted information concerning foreign policies, such as "Patterns of Global Terrorism" and "Earth Day." The travel link gives you information on every area in the world and the traveling requirements to get there. This site also gives useful telephone numbers and a 1996 Department Telephone Directory.
~ Volunteers in Technical Assistance
Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA) is an organization that provides information services to people living in developing countries so that they can draw upon it to improve the quality of their lives. VITA "collects, refines, and disseminates information such as that necessary to improve food production, minister health needs, increase productivity of businesses, generate higher incomes, and preserve natural resources." Read descriptions of VITA projects in Benin, Guinea, the Central African Republic, Madagascar, and Chad. VITA also posts its monthly newsletter Develop Net which covers online news and views related to technology transfers. Example of new stories include: "Is There a Water Shortage?," "Distance Education in the Caribbean," and "Investing in Electricity in Latin America" (see January 1997 issue).
~ The World Bank Group
The World Bank Group is made up of five organizations: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development [IBRD], the International Development Association [IDA], the International Finance Corporation [IRC], the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency [MIGA], and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes [ICSID]. These five organizations work together and separately to help finance developing countries in an effort to reduce proverty around the world. At this Web site you can access about a dozen World Bank periodicals including: (1) World Bank News, a weekly publication highlighting events , activities, and initiatives involving the World Bank (2) Transition, "A newsletter analyzing economic and social developments in transition countries, and reporting on related research, books, working papers, conferences, and articles" (3) Development Briefs, background information aimed at the media, business, acacdemic, and government policy communities about the Bank's research, activities, and policies; and (4) Poverty Lines, "a brief, two-page newsletter which summarizes research on poverty."
~ The World Factbook
This CIA World Factbook includes a section that considers the world as a unit. For example, it gives the unemployment rate, population size, total fertility, and so on for the world.
~ World Health Organization
~ World Resources (latest edition)
This World Resources Institute Web site offers access to hundreds of country-level and regional-level research on the condition of the environment and the state of natural resources. Reports are available for the following geographic regions and countries within each region: Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Eastern Europe, Europe. New Independent States, North America, Oceania, South America, Commonwealth States, Latin America, and the Mediterranean.
~ Yahoo's Links to Specific Cultural Sites
This site currently has links to 118 areas/societies (many with multiple links) and more will be added in the future.
