University of South Carolina Libraries

General International Business Information:

CIA World Factbook - Provides country profiles that include country maps as well as information about the geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues of countries. The site is provided by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Country Briefing - Collection of country news, profiles, forecasts, and statistics provided by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The country profiles contains economic indicators over the four years in a downloadable excel spreadsheet. All information pieces are free unless denoted with a red "E."
Country Studies - Country studies that provides a description of the history, social, economic, political, and national security systems/institutions of lesser known areas of the world. The original studies were published in print by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Army.
Geographic Background Notes - Country background notes on people, history, government, political conditions, economy, foreign relations, U.S. relations, and travel/business provided by the U.S. Department of State.
GlobalEdge Resource Desk - International Business directory maintained by the Michigan State University - Center for International Business Education and Research (MSU-CIBER). The provides links to journals/publications, country information, statistical data, trade portals, trade leads, company directories, etc.
Global Financial Data - Fee-based database of historical and current financial and economic data worldwide. The site provides some free data file samples such as commodity prices, Dow Jones Industrials Average, and others.
International Chamber of Commerce - Homepage of the International Chamber of Commerce, the world business organization. The site provides policy statements, guidelines, codes, and rules for business practices in advertising/marketing, business law, e-commerce, the environment, intellectual property, etc.
International Finance Corporation (IFC) - Homepage of the International Finance Corporation, which promotes private sector investment in developing countries. The site provides information about investment regions/industry sectors, projects/policies, and the impact of direct foreign investment.
International Inter-governmental Organization Web Page Finder - Directory of international inter-governmental organizations (IGOs) sites including the United Nations, European Union, the World Trade Organization, etc. compiled by Dr. Robert Williams of the University of South Carolina at the College of Library and Information Science.
Market Research Library - Provided by the US Commercial Service, searchable by country or region. Use drop-down menu to obtain commercial country guide, best market reports or market research reports. *Registration is required; reports are free. Thank you!
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) - Homepage of the OECD, an international organization that helps governments face the economic, social, and governance challenges of a globalized economy. The site provides publications and statistics on economic/social issues, macroeconomics, trade, education, development, and science/innovation.
Public Services International Research Unit - Database of information on the economic, political, financial, social, and technical experience with privatizations of public services worldwide. The site focuses on water, energy, waste management, and healthcare. The site is provided by the School of Computing and Mathematics, University of Greenwich.
Site by Site Global and Domestic Investment Information - International investment portal that provides research, daily market data, news, economics research, analysis, and commentary.

World Chambers Network - Directory of chambers of commerce and industry. The site provides economic and trade information, customs information, and country reports.

Africa:

African Development Bank Group - Homepage of the African Development Bank, a multinational development bank that helps combat poverty through promotes economic development and social progress. The site provides loan/grant statistics about development projects as well as strategies, policies, and guidelines on development topics such as agriculture, energy, good governance, industry, urban development, etc.
AllAfrica - Directory of African news and information. The site is available in both English and French.
MBendi Information for Africa - Africa's business website that provides links and information on countries, industries, companies, organizations, business opportunities, international trade, trade leads, stock exchanges, etc.
United Nation's Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) - Homepage of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the branch of the UN that supports the economic and social development of Africa, fosters regional integration, and promotes international cooperation for Africa?s development. The site information provides social and economic development projects in Africa as well as links to sites for further information on topics including gender issues in Africa, food security and sustainable development,information technology (IT), and more.

Asia:

Asian Development Bank - Homepage of the Asian Development Bank, a multilateral development finance institution that fosters economic development to reduce poverty in Asia and the Pacific. The site provides information about economic development projects/opportunities by topic, financial resources available for development projects, and economic statistics.
Business in Asia - Source of information about doing business in Asia including tips for starting a business in Asia, guidelines for financing, country profiles, etc. The site is provided by Runckel and Associates, an international business consulting firm based in the U.S. that helps U.S. and Asian companies open new markets, expand sales, and develop business relationships.

Brazil:

Brazil Biz - Business-to-business directory for businesses in Brazil arranged by product/service. The site is provided in English and Portuguese.
Central Bank of Brazil - Homepage of the Central Bank of Brazil, the government agency that works to maintain the stability of the purchasing power of the Brazilian currency. The site provides financial/payment system, economic/financial time series data, inflation reports, etc.
Latin Focus - Directory of links to government sources, economic forecasts, market analysis, economic performance analysis, political risk assessments, and financial market developments for the countries in Latin America. The site also provides companies, central banks, stock exchanges, finance institutions, and statistical institutions in each country. The site is provided in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Latin Trade - Online version of Latin Trade magazine that provides free full-text access to the current issue of the magazine. The site provides lists of the top mergers/acquisitions, CEOs, banks, pension funds, and companies as well as an international business directory, trade leads, and an economic forecast map for the Latin American countries. The site is provided in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

China:

Business in China Net - Source of information about doing business in China including a country profile, economic data, business hours, making business contacts, corporate structure, etc. The site is provided by Runckel and Associates, an international business consulting firm based in the U.S. that helps U.S. and Asian companies open new markets, expand sales, and develop business relationships.
China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) - Homepage of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade of the China Chamber of International Commerce, which promotes foreign trade in China. The site provides news about China, Chinese trade laws/regulations, links to other sites about business in China, and information about China's economy, foreign commodities, technology trade/service trade, foreign investment, intellectual property rights, settlement disputes, and living/working conditions. The site also provides Chinese statistics including population, wages, employment, investment, production, industry, etc.
China Development Gateway - Portal to online information sources about China arranged by subjects including trade, the economy, agriculture, industry, society, the environment, technology, and education. The primarily provides economic development and poverty relief information and news.
China Internet Information Center - Source that provides news about China, Chinese government position papers, and information about Chinese history, politics, economics and culture.
Chinese Business World - Directory links related to business in China arranged by subjects including products, companies, investment, travel, shopping, online magazines, etc.
Expats in China - Directory of online sources and information about China including information about life, education, food, health care, housing, religion, shopping, sports, transportation, culture, arts, government, etc. in China.
Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) - Homepage of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the statutory organization of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region that promotes Hong Kong's trade in goods and services. The industry reports for products and services are very useful, and the emerging markets information includes market profiles on countries in different regions.
United States-China Business Council - Homepage of the United States-China Business Council, the principal organization of US companies engaged in trade and investment in the People's Republic of China. The site provides Chinese trade, investment, and economic statistics as well as analyses of the U.S.-China balance of trade, China's economy, foreign investment in China, and China's foreign trade.

France:

Bank of France - Homepage of the Bank of France, which provides banking and financial information, monetary statistics, international banking statistics, and information about bank notes.

Japan:

Bank of Japan - Homepage of the Bank of Japan, maintains price stability and ensures the stability of the financial system. The site provides information about Japan's monetary policy, financial/payment system, currency/exchange rates, lending rates, etc. The site is available in English and Japanese.
Business in Japan Net - Source of information about doing business in Japan including a country profile, economic data, business hours, making business contacts, corporate structure, etc. The site is provided by Runckel and Associates, an international business consulting firm based in the U.S. that helps U.S. and Asian companies open new markets, expand sales, and develop business relationships.
Development Bank of Japan - Homepage of the Development Bank of Japan that provides information about investing in Japan such as foreign direct investment programs, bond investor strategies, capital spending surveys, economic trend studies, etc.
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) - Homepage of the Japan External Trade Organization, which collects and provides information about doing business with Japan. The site provides information about the Japanese market, a Japan trade directory, guides to exporting to Japan, facts on U.S.-Japanese economic relations, etc.
Japan Information Network - Directory of online Japan information and sites arranged by subjects such as population, government, business, science, arts, history, education, culture, etc.
Japan Times - Online version of the Japan Times newspaper that provides free full-text access to articles from 1999-the present.
Japanese Patent Office - Homepage of the Japanese Patent Office that provides information about industrial property rights, property rights policies, and patent statistics in Japan. The site is available in English and Japanese.
J Guide - Guide to online Japan information resources provided and maintained by Stanford University's US-Asia Technology Management Center. The site is part of the WWW Virtual Library and provides links information sites about Japanese art, business, education, government, law, society, etc.
Nagoya Stock Exchange - Homepage of the Nagoya Stock Exchange The site is available in English and Japanese.
Nikkei Net Interactive - Source of business news, market data and the latest stock information from Tokyo. The site provides a searchable directory of corporate web sites in the Asia-Pacific region, economic statistics, industry reports, and news/information on major stock indices, government bonds, and foreign exchange markets. The site is subscription-based service, but users can register for a free trial.
Statistics Bureau and Statistics Center of Japan - Homepage of the Statistics Bureau and Statistics Center of Japan that provides population, labor, income, economic, financial, housing, retail, etc. statistical data for Japan. The site is available in English and Japanese.
Tokyo Stock Exchange - Homepage of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, which provides information about publicly traded companies, stocks, bonds, indices, market data, and investment statistics in Japan. The site is available in English and Japanese.