Country+Research+Questions

=Collecting Country Information: Key Questions ...and scroll down for good resources!= First, you will need to learn about your country so you can address the issues raised at the conference as a real UN delegate from that country. To represent your country accurately, start by answering the following questions:
 * What sort of government does your country have?
 * What types of ideologies (political, religious or other) influence your country’s government?
 * Which domestic issues might influence your country’s foreign policy?
 * What are some major events in your country’s history? Why are they important?
 * Which ethnicities, religions and languages can be found in your country?
 * Where is your country located and how does its geography affect its political relationships?
 * Which countries share a border with your country?
 * Which countries are considered allies of your country?
 * Which countries are considered enemies of your country?
 * What are the characteristics of your country’s economy?
 * What is your country’s gross domestic product (GDP)? How does this compare to other countries in the world?
 * When did your country become a member of the UN?
 * Does your country belong to any [|intergovernmental organizations] outside the UN system such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)?
 * Does your country belong to any regional organizations such as the European Union (EU), the African Union (AU) or the Organization of American States (OAS)?

//adapted from www.una-usa.org//

=Helpful Resources for MUN Country Research and Current Events=

The first place to go for geographical information is to the [|Lands and Peoples] database found in the [|Groliers] section of the [|Database Page] of the [|MS Library OLC]. Not only will this database and the other databases like World Book and Britannica provide you with most of the information you need, but they will also provide information on how to cite the pages you use.

//Find out about your country and the UN.// []
 * Look up** your country’s [|permanent mission] to the UN. You can also call the mission directly to ask questions or request a position statement on an issue.
 * Find your country’s voting records** and read speeches on the [|United Nations Bibliographic Information System] website.

//More information on the nations of the world. // These web pages can provide more detailed information about different countries. 

[|BBC Country Profiles] Full profiles provide an instant guide to history, politics and economic background of countries and territories, and background on key institutions. They also include audio and video clips from BBC archives. []

[|InfoPlease Country Profiles] Each Country Profile provides information on: Geography · Maps · Flag · History · Current ruler · Area · Population · Capital · Largest cities · Languages · Ethnicity/race · Religion · Literacy rate · Economy · Government []

[|­­­­­­­­­­­­InfoPlease World Statistics] General World Statistics, Population Statistics, Health and Social Statistics, Economic Statistics, Political Statistics, Worldwide Conflicts and Wars []

[|The World Factbook] Provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 266 world entities. Reference tab includes: maps of the major world regions, as well as Flags of the World, a Physical Map of the World, a Political Map of the World, and a Standard Time Zones of the World map. The World Factbook is produced by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Would your country’s government agree with the way your country is characterized in the World Factbook? []

//Current news on the nations of the world. // These webpages can provide more detailed information about different countries. 
 * Check out** [|**news and media**] sources for recent developments in your country.

The place for the most up to date news on any country. The articles can be challenging but you can still find a lot of information including charts, maps, photos, video, and interactive media. Use the search box (right hand side of the webpage) to find any country in the world. You can also use the pull down menu or click on the many topics presented. [|Times Topics - Africa] [|Times Topics - Asia] [|Times Topics – Middle East] [|Times Topics – Europe] [|Times Topics – North and South Americas]
 * Times Topics - search for //New York Times// articles by country**

//Organizations watching and helping the nations of the world. //

[|The Freedom in the World 2009 survey] Contains reports on 193 countries and 16 related and disputed territories. Each country report begins with a section containing the following information: population, capital, political rights (numerical rating), civil liberties (numerical rating), status (Free, Partly Free, or Not Free), and a 10-year ratings timeline. Each territory report begins with a section containing the same information, except for capital. The population figures are drawn primarily from the 2008 World Population Data Sheet of the Population Reference Bureau. []

[|Statistics of the Human Development Report] You can access statistical data from the Human Development Report (HDR) and resources to help you better understand this data. You will also find helpful information about the human development index (HDI) and other indices, links to other background materials, data resources and on-going debates and discussions on human development statistics. This is a complicated database used by governments when they make decisions about aid and economics. The charts can give you a snapshot of issues in your country. []

[|UNICEF information by region and country] Learn about the issues children face around the world. []

Human Rights Watch: []

Amnesty International: []

World Wildlife Fund: []

Environmental News Network: []