Here are some resources to help you find information about contemporary life in different countries around the world. Use this guide to find information on the internet and in books available both in our school and in your local public library.
PRINT RESOURCES
A good starting point is the reference section where you can read illustrated articles about individual countries in general encyclopedias such as World Book or Colliers. You can also look in specialized encyclopedias such as People and Places and Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, which are both in our library at the location REF 910.3 WOR. Excellent reference books available in the public library are the Europa World Year Book and Countries of the World and their Leaders. Both books contain facts about individual countries and their economies, media, political parties and other general information about daily life.
Our school library uses the Dewey Decimal Classification system, which is also used in most public libraries. The Dewey number you will find helpful is the 900's where you will find books about individual countries. For example, books about Nigeria can be found at 966.9 and books about China at 951. Other Dewey numbers give information about religion (200's), holidays (394.2), international cuisine (640's), architecture (720) and flags (929.9). Use the online catalog to search for books about specific countries or regions and for books on particular topics.
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
1. Encyclopedias and Almanacs
CIA - The World Factbook. Contains statistical information about every country's geography, population, government, economy, communications and culture.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/profileguide.html
NationMaster. Contains statistics on every country. Data is drawn from authoritative sources such as the CIA World Factbook, the United Nations, World Health Organization, World Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF. http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php
Encylopedia Britannica Online. http://school.eb.com/
Global Statistics. An almanac that gives brief information on nations and regions of the world. There are also links to individual nations' information sites. http://www.xist.org/
The Library of Congress: Portals to the World. Links to electronic resources about different countries. http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/portals.html
2. Newspapers, Magazines and Media
ABYZ News Links. A portal to online news sources from around the world, including newspapers, broadcast media, internet, magazines and press agencies. Searchable.http://www.abyznewslinks.com/
All You Can Read. A portal to online magazines from around the world. http://www.allyoucanread.com/international-magazines/
Internet Public Library Newspapers Collection: Online Newspapers from around the world. http://www.ipl.org/div/news/
News and Newspapers Online from the University Libraries of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. http://library.uncg.edu/news/
Librarians' Internet Index provides links to English language editions of newspapers from several countries around the world. http://lii.org/pub/topic/newspapers_by_place
3. General Sites
U.S. Department of State Background Notes. This site gives up to date information about a country's infrastructure including land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy and foreign relations. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/
Cultural Profiles Project from the University of Toronto. Intended as a guide to aid in cultural awareness to new immigrants to Canada, this is a resource for learning about the life and customs of countries worldwide. http://www.cp-pc.ca/english/index.html
National Geographic - Travel and Cultures. Gives brief factual information about many countries and multi-media about many aspects of a country's cultural, political and economic life. http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/
InfoPlease from Pearson Education - Countries of the World. http://www.infoplease.com/countries.html
Embassies of the World. Links to embassy web sites. http://www.embassyworld.com/
Kids Around the World from Global Teach Net, a program of the National Peace Corps Association. This is a good place to find names of people in different countries and for links to additional sites. http://www.katw.org/
Celtnet Recipes from around the world from Celnet. http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/
Kate's Global Kitchen Archive from Global Gourmet Magazine. An archive of recipes from around the world. http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/kgk/kgkarc.html
Smithsonian Global Sound project. Listen to music segments from around the world. http://www.smithsonianglobalsound.org/
4. Maps
National Geographic Maps. http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/maps
Maps and Geography of the World. http://www.geography.about.com/library/maps/blindex.htm
World Atlas. http://www.worldatlas.com/
5. Flags
Flags of the World. http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags
World Flag Database. http://www.flags.ndirect.co.uk/
6. Other Useful Sites
Google Earth
PRINT RESOURCES
A good starting point is the reference section where you can read illustrated articles about individual countries in general encyclopedias such as World Book or Colliers. You can also look in specialized encyclopedias such as People and Places and Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, which are both in our library at the location REF 910.3 WOR. Excellent reference books available in the public library are the Europa World Year Book and Countries of the World and their Leaders. Both books contain facts about individual countries and their economies, media, political parties and other general information about daily life.
Our school library uses the Dewey Decimal Classification system, which is also used in most public libraries. The Dewey number you will find helpful is the 900's where you will find books about individual countries. For example, books about Nigeria can be found at 966.9 and books about China at 951. Other Dewey numbers give information about religion (200's), holidays (394.2), international cuisine (640's), architecture (720) and flags (929.9). Use the online catalog to search for books about specific countries or regions and for books on particular topics.
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
1. Encyclopedias and Almanacs
CIA - The World Factbook. Contains statistical information about every country's geography, population, government, economy, communications and culture.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/profileguide.html
NationMaster. Contains statistics on every country. Data is drawn from authoritative sources such as the CIA World Factbook, the United Nations, World Health Organization, World Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF. http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php
Encylopedia Britannica Online. http://school.eb.com/
Global Statistics. An almanac that gives brief information on nations and regions of the world. There are also links to individual nations' information sites. http://www.xist.org/
The Library of Congress: Portals to the World. Links to electronic resources about different countries. http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/portals.html
2. Newspapers, Magazines and Media
ABYZ News Links. A portal to online news sources from around the world, including newspapers, broadcast media, internet, magazines and press agencies. Searchable.http://www.abyznewslinks.com/
All You Can Read. A portal to online magazines from around the world. http://www.allyoucanread.com/international-magazines/
Internet Public Library Newspapers Collection: Online Newspapers from around the world. http://www.ipl.org/div/news/
News and Newspapers Online from the University Libraries of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. http://library.uncg.edu/news/
Librarians' Internet Index provides links to English language editions of newspapers from several countries around the world. http://lii.org/pub/topic/newspapers_by_place
3. General Sites
U.S. Department of State Background Notes. This site gives up to date information about a country's infrastructure including land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy and foreign relations. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/
Cultural Profiles Project from the University of Toronto. Intended as a guide to aid in cultural awareness to new immigrants to Canada, this is a resource for learning about the life and customs of countries worldwide. http://www.cp-pc.ca/english/index.html
National Geographic - Travel and Cultures. Gives brief factual information about many countries and multi-media about many aspects of a country's cultural, political and economic life. http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/
InfoPlease from Pearson Education - Countries of the World. http://www.infoplease.com/countries.html
Embassies of the World. Links to embassy web sites. http://www.embassyworld.com/
Kids Around the World from Global Teach Net, a program of the National Peace Corps Association. This is a good place to find names of people in different countries and for links to additional sites. http://www.katw.org/
Celtnet Recipes from around the world from Celnet. http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/
Kate's Global Kitchen Archive from Global Gourmet Magazine. An archive of recipes from around the world. http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/kgk/kgkarc.html
Smithsonian Global Sound project. Listen to music segments from around the world. http://www.smithsonianglobalsound.org/
4. Maps
National Geographic Maps. http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/maps
Maps and Geography of the World. http://www.geography.about.com/library/maps/blindex.htm
World Atlas. http://www.worldatlas.com/
5. Flags
Flags of the World. http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags
World Flag Database. http://www.flags.ndirect.co.uk/
6. Other Useful Sites
Google Earth
