Research Guides
? Ask Us / FAQS

History, Western Europe *: Counrty Information

This guide is intended to help any faculty, graduate, or undergraduate student find general resources in the area of West European history.

Research Databases

Country Studies Research Databases

  • Economist Intelligence Unit [EIU] -- a source of business intelligence on political and economic trends in 180 countries. An overall profile of each country is provided annually and a current report is produced quarterly. Both include current detailed statistics. Excellent resources for obtaining forecasts for future economic and political developments.
  • Economist Intelligence Unit [EIU] Country Reports Archive -- presents the historical reports from 1952 to 1995, with all data from the statistical tables fully captured and downloadable in spreadsheet form, providing an archive of analysis and explanation of political, economic and commercial developments, together with historical statistical data covering almost 200 countries. Each report presents detailed statistics alongside expert commentary and forecasting from the EIU’s analysts.
  • Europa World – a meticulously researched global resource including political, economic, and statistical information about more than 250 countries and territories, as well as international and regional organizations. Contents include authoritative information on every country, providing context for the world’s major political and economic developments; up-to-date government lists and recent election results for every country in the world; the ability to directly compare national statistics in graph and tabular form; coverage of 2,000 international organizations, commissions, and specialized bodies’ topical essays and commodity overviews for major regions of the world; current and comprehensive statistical and directory data for all countries and territories; impartial coverage of issues of national and regional importance from acknowledged experts; and, a directory of major political figures with biographical information and facts.
  • HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated -- this database includes the current constitution for every country in its original language format and an English translation, as well as substantial constitutional histories for most countries. It also includes periodicals, full-text books, bibliographic references and links to scholarly articles and online resources. Access by clicking on link in left-hand column.

Descriptions of resources are adapted or quoted from vendor websites.

Country Information

Directories and Scholarly Web Sites

  • Countries and Their Cultures, World Cultures Encyclopedia -- provides succinct essays about the cultures and sub-cultures of individual countries and regions of the world. Helpful in understanding the internal cultural dynamics of a country. Essays include a bibliography of sources.
  • Country Studies/Area Handbook Series -- presents a description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of over 91 countries throughout the world. The series examines the inter-relationships of those systems and the ways they are shaped by cultural factors.
  • Global Edge Country Profiles -- source for statistical data for nearly every country around the world. In addition to statistics, the database includes summary information on historical, economic, and political conditions and risk assessment.
  • Human Development Reports -- site contains country-level data available for review and download from the United Nation's  annual Human Development Report.
  • List of Foreign Governments -- an alphabetical directory of links to the official websites of national government agencies provided by the Northwestern University Libraries.
  • World Economic Forum Global Risk Reports -- a comprehensive series of reports which examine in detail the broad range of global issues related to economic imbalances and social inequality risk.
  • Worldwide Governments on the WWW -- one of the most extensive lists of international, national, regional, and local governmental and government-related Web servers. It covers governmental institutions on the Web, including parliaments, ministries, offices, law courts, embassies, city councils, public broadcasting corporations, central banks, multinational organizations, and political parties. Arranged in a hierarchical index organized by continent, country, and smaller divisions with thematic groupings such as heads of states, parliaments, political parties, elections, and currency.

Descriptions of resources are adapted or quoted from vendor websites.

Subjects: Europe, History