Author Description

CountryWatch.coms Country Reviews are concise, up-to-date sources for socio-cultural, political, economic, enterprise and environmental information on the 191 nations defined by the U.S. State Department as Independent States of the World. In addition, data on Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau are included in the Country Review for China. Each Country Review begins with an overview which provides key demographic and geographic information as well as full color regional and country maps by Magellan Geographix. Government and political information is provided in a format which enables the reader to get an overview of the historical and socio-cultural conditions, the organization of the various branches of the government, a brief summary of current political conditions, and a list of current leaders, including a biography of the head of government/state. Economic information, compiled and condensed from a large number of reliable sources, is presented in the Country Reviews in statistical tables on macroeconomic trends and key economic sectors. The economic data is organized in an easy-to-understand format. Foreign investment conditions are also covered along with a capsule description of stock market trends, for those countries where major stock markets exist, and a listing of key enterprises. Also includ! ed is a summary of current environmental issues, natural hazards, international environmental agreements, and for most countries, a table with time trends in greenhouse gas emissions.