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Business Research

Finding Country Information

For anyone considering doing business in a foreign country, it is imperative to conduct advance research in order to learn about the country: its culture, its economic system, its business practices and regulations, etc.

You can find country information in the following databases:

Print books in the Library's catalog (USMAI Book Search) and ebooks in ebook databases such as EBSCO eBooks contain country information as well.

A variety of country information is also available on the free Web.

Click on the links above to learn how to find country information in each of the sources listed.

ABI/INFORM Collection

Login to ABI/INFORM Collection.

First, click on the icon of three horizontal lines toward the top left-hand side of the page.

Next, click on the Browse link from the resulting sub-menu.

On the Browse page, scroll down to the "Country Reports" section to see available country reports.

Business Source Ultimate

Login to Business Source Ultimate.

Enter a country's name in the search box toward the top of the page and then scroll down the page to the "Publication Type" section, where you can select Country Report.

Gale Business: Insights

Login to Gale Business: Insights.

Click on the Browse All Countries/Territories button toward the bottom of the page, enter a country or territory’s name in the search box, and then click on the country’s or territory’s name on the search results page.

Nexis Uni

Login to Nexis Uni.

Click on the Market Insight link from the menu bar toward the top of the database's home page.

Click on the link for Selected Country Reports and then select a report category of interest. You can then enter a country name on the resulting search page.

Statista

Login to Statista.

Click on the Reports link from the menu bar toward the top of the page and then select Country & Region reports from the resulting sub-menu.

You can then use the Regions/Countries filter on the left-hand side of the Countries & Regions page to search for available information about a particular country.

Additional information in these and other databases

You may be able to find additional country information in the databases listed above and in other UMGC library databases (Academic Search Ultimate, Dissertations & Theses Global, etc.) by conducting a keyword search for a country's name, along with a keyword search for an aspect of the country that you're interested in studying (e.g., japan AND "business etiquette").

Finding Country Information in Print Books

There are numerous print books available in USMAI Book Search, the UMGC Library catalog, that discuss how to do business in other countries. These include:

You can find additional country information in print books in USMAI Book Search by clicking on the Advanced search link for the catalog. On the advanced search page, enter a country's name in the "Enter a search term" area and use the drop-down field selector menu to search for the country name in the subject field. Then enter additional terms of interest in the other "Enter a search term' area.

Finding Country Information on the Free Web

There are numerous free websites that contain reliable country information, including:

  • BBC Country Profiles
    This site provides access to the "history, politics and economic background of countries and territories."
  • Census Bureau International Data Base
    This site from the U.S. Census Bureau provides a variety of demographic data (fertility rates, mortality rates, migration rates, etc.) for countries and certain world regions.
  • CIA World Factbook
    This site from the Central Intelligence Agency provides information about the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, etc. for more than 250 countries.
  • Deloitte International Tax Source
    Consulting firm Deloitte's site provides access to tax rate information and country tax highlights for more than 130 jurisdictions worldwide.
  • Department of State Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets
    This site from the U.S. Department of State provides access to numerous country profiles, each of which contains links to sources of additional information.
  • Doing Business
    This site, maintained by The World Bank Group, provides information about "business regulations and their enforcement across locations" in various countries and regions. To use the site, select a country from the Select a subnational report menu on the site's home page.
  • Export Solutions
    This site, presented by the International Trade Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, presents data about U.S. exports and imports of goods by product and partner.
  • globalEDGE
    This site, maintained by Michigan State University, provides statistical data and other information (economic, historic, cultural, etc.) for 200+ countries.
  • International Monetary Fund
    The IMF website provides access to reports and data related to countries' finances. See especially the Countries link and/or the Data link toward the top of the page.
  • International Trade Centre
    The website of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, provides information for various world regions, countries, and territories. The Resources link toward the top of the page provides access to useful tools, publications, etc.
  • Lex Mundi Guides to Doing Business
    The Lex Mundi Guides to Doing Business series provides access to reports covering business, economic, political, and cultural trends in more than 100 countries. Reports are prepared by members of the Lex Mundi global network of law firms.
  • OECD iLibrary
    This site includes books and reports as well as statistics and other data from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and various other agencies. Click on the Browse by Country link and/or the Browse by Theme & Country link toward the top of the page.
  • Population Reference Bureau
    This site provides "population, health, and environment indicators for more than 200 countries and territories."
  • Santander Trade Markets
    This site provides access to information about the economy, politics, and trade profile of more than 160 countries. Information is provided about countries' consumers and how products can be distributed in a country, etc. Note that only some content is freely available; other content is restricted to Santander N.A. clients.
  • UNdata
    This site, created by the United Nations Statistics Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, provides access to millions of data points on a wide variety of topics from national and international databases.
  • U.S. Commercial Service Country Commercial Guides
    This site, offered by the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides access to reports about various countries' market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business customs.
  • World Bank Countries and Economies
    This site provides access to a variety of information, including world development indicators, financial information, and climate data. Search results can be exported in different formats.