Overview - Health and Societies Research Tools

By Region

Similar content, with additional resources according to your region.

Introduction

The resources listed here will assist you in answering the questions on the Timeline and Overview Assignment. They will also provide you with essential context for finding and understanding more information about your country.

Contemporary country overviews

Europa World Year Book
Overviews and basic statistics for all countries, focusing on the present. The most recent edition is available at the Van Pelt Reference Desk. Use the regional version of the Yearbook to find more information on your country.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Giant encyclopedia great for an online overview of the history and contemporary status of a country.
Library of Congress Area Studies Series
"Description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of countries throughout the world." Coverage often ends a decade or more ago.
CIA World Factbook
Similar coverage as Europa, but with much more superficial coverage.

Historical Overviews

Encyclopedia Britannica
Giant Encyclopedia great for an online overview of the history and contemporary status of a country.
Cambridge Histories Online
Thorough historical overviews-- including politics, demographics, and economics--of Latin America, Africa, South East Asia and other regions. To access, click on BROWSE and then choose REGIONAL HISTORIES

Contemporary health overviews

WHO--country overviews
Includes a country brief, health profile, and status reports on selected health indicators. If you see a "more country data" link then click it!
Human Development Reports
Encyclopedia of Global Health
Provides brief surveys of health conditions and the most serious health problems facing countries. Nearly comprehensive in its coverage.