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ONLINE REFERENCE COLLECTION

ENCYCLOPEDIAS, DICTIONARIES & OTHER QUICK FACT SOURCES

Countries, States, Cities

EIU Country Intelligence UIUC access only--login required for off-campus use
In-depth analysis of current political, policy and economic trends with an 18 month outlook. Quarterly and annual statistics with at least 150 data points picked from the most reliable sources and reviewed by analysts to provide objective and impartial coverage. Equivalent coverage across over 195 countries worldwide. Country reports and profiles, risk ratings, licensing and trading information for the new economies, plus G-8 and regional forecasts.
Europa World Plus UIUC access only--login required for off-campus use
Europa World Plus is the online version of the Europa World Year Book and the nine-volume Europa Regional Surveys of the World series. First published in 1926, the year book is renowned as one of the world's leading reference works, covering political and economic information in more than 250 countries and territories.
CIAO (Columbia International Affairs Online) UIUC access only--login required for off-campus use
Collection of theory and research materials in the field of international affairs. Working papers from university research institutes, policy briefs, country data, journal abstracts, and conference proceedings are among the materials available from this resource.
Columbia Gazetteer of the World UIUC access only--login required for off-campus use
The online version of this authoritative reference source offers more than 165,000 entries for both political (countries, capitals, neighborhoods, etc.) and physical (mountains, islands, rivers, etc.) geographic expressions, including a total of 40,000 entries for the United States. Columbia also includes information for such 'special places' as airports, national parks, resorts, and mythic places.
CIA World Fact Book Free resource--no login required
Unclassified since 1971, The Central Intelligence Agency's annual World Fact Book provides a reliable resource for information on independent states, dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, uninhabitable regions, and oceans (a total of 267 entries). Each entry typically includes concise physical and demographic statistics, an economic overview, as well as communications, transportation, and military information.
Country Studies / Area Handbooks Free resource--no login required
Search or browse studies of 91 countries prepared by a multidisciplinary team of social scientists for the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress. The studies were originally published in print and focused on lesser-known areas of the world. Note the omission of certain countries such as Canada, France, the United Kingdom, and other Western nations, as well as a number of African nations.
State and Local Government on the Net Free resource--no login required
State and Local Government on the Net is a frequently updated directory of links to government sponsored and controlled resources on the Internet. It was created by Piper Resources, an Internet publishing firm, which has been providing the guide to the public for five years.
Foreign Government Resources on the Web Free resource--no login required
Created by the University of Michigan Documents Center, this site links to hundreds of diplomatic, legal and other pages for all regions of the world.
Portals to the World Free resource--no login required
This free website provides background information and internet links for countries of the world. Organized by broad topical areas (e.g., education, history), entries are selected and annotated by the reference librarians and area specialists at the Library of Congress.