Portals to the World

Includes agriculture, banking, industry, investment, trade, chambers of commerce, directories of companies, economic statistics.
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Afrol News (http://www.afrol.com/)
A portal link to vast resources for sub-Saharan African countries.
Bioko - A conservation project (http://www.bioko.org/)
Site created and maintained by the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program, a joint initiative of Arcadia University (formerly named Beaver College) and the Universidad Nacional de Guinea. Annual expedition, study abroad program.
Directory of Development Organizations (http://www.devdir.org/)
" The Directory is a compilation of contact data of the main sources of assistance available for private sector development (micro, small and medium-sized enterprises) and poverty reduction. A wide range of organizations is included in the Directory: international organizations, government ministries, private sector institutions, development agencies, universities, research and training institutes, NGOs/PDOs, grantmakers, banks, microfinance institutions, and development consulting firms." Searchable by keyword.
Forests Monitor (http://www.forestsmonitor.org/index.htm)
"Investigating the forest industry to empower forest-dependent peoples and raise public awareness." Publications, maps, information on forest companies. Includes documents of Africa Forest Law and Governance Process (AFLEG). Links to bushmeat, training and capacity building, corporate and ethical investments, environmental, forests and logging issues, and general environmental sites. Countries featured are:Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Equatorial Guinea, Russia, Sarawak and Papua New Guinea.
Global Archive -- Total Search (http://search.ft.com/search/index.html)
Searches the archive of the British newspaper, Financial Times, online version.
International Monetary Fund (http://www.imf.org/)
The IMF is an "organization of 183 member countries, established to promote international monetary cooperation, exchange stability, and orderly exchange; to foster economic growth and high levels of employment; and to provide temporary financial assistance to countries to help ease balance of payments adjustment." A search by country will yield reports on the IMF's initiatives and programs in it.
Journal of Humanitarian Assistance (http://www.jha.ac/)
Published at the Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, Bradford, U.K., this site may be searched for articles in the journal concerning a particular country.
Links To Essential Web Sites for International Organizations (http://www.usemb.org.zm/wwwhint.htm)
Site of the Information Resource Center in Lusaka, Zambia. Links to parastatals such as Red Cross, Red Crescent, ICRC, IMF, NATO, OAS, OECD, World Bank, WHO, WTO, International Studies Association, and International Communications Union.
Mbendi, Information for Africa (http://www.mbendi.co.za)
" Africa's leading business website and one of the world's top mining, energy and international trade websites. The site has been designed to assist business-people to identify and research business opportunities in the country and industry sectors of their choice." Provides the economic profile, investment and information, such as visa requirements and currency exchange rates.
TradePort Directory (http://www.tradeport.org/countries/index.html)
Provides comprehensive trade information, trade leads, and company databases. Managed by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. Funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, and significant assistance was provided by the U.S. Commercial Service, the California Trade and Commerce Agency, and other sponsors.
UNRISD On-Line (U.N. Research Institute for Social Development) (http://www.unrisd.org/)
"UNRISD carries out research on the social dimensions of contemporary problems affecting development. Through its research, UNRISD stimulates dialogue and contributes to policy debates within and outside the United Nations system."
US. Trade Balance with Equatorial Guinea -.US Census Bureau (http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c7380.html)
Statistical tables begin with 1992.
United Nations (http://www.un.org)
The official site of the United Nations provides articles, reports, etc. in several languages on all aspects of the initiatives and mission of that organization as well as on the contemporary life, culture, society, international relations, etc. of all the countries and peoples of the world.
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (http://www.unicef.org/)
"Works for children's rights, their survival, development and protection, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child." Siteoffers reports and information about the status and living situations of children in many countries.
United States Trade Representative (http://www.ustr.gov)
As "America's chief trade negotiator and advisor to the President of the United States on trade policy, the USTR and the Agency itself work with other bodies, such as the World Trade Organization to create new job opportunities for American business, workers and agricultural producers." A search by country yields news, regulations, reports and initiatives on the United States' and USTR's dealings with it.
United States. Agency for International Development (USAID) (http://www.usaid.gov/)
"An independent agency that provides economic, development and humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States."

United States. Agency for International Development. Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC) (http://dec.usaid.gov/ )
"The purpose of the DEC is to strengthen USAID's development projects, activities, and programs by making ... developmentexperience documents available to USAID offices and mission staff, PVO's, NGO's, universities and research institutions, developing countries, and the public worldwide."
United States. Census Bureau. Foreign Trade Statistics (http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/index.html)
Offers valuable statistics by country and by commodity beginning in 1996 and information about the U.S. trade balance with individual countries from 1992 onward.

United States. Department of Commerce. International Trade Administration (ITA)(http://www.ita.doc.gov)
A branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the ITA site offers trade statistics, export data, publications and reports on a variety of issues related tointernational trade.
United States. Energy Information Administration (EIA)--Country Analysis Briefs (CAB): Sub-Saharan Africa. (http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/cabsaf.html)
Provides an overview of the energy situation for all countries that are of current interest to energy analysts and policy makers. Provides data on oil, natural gas, electricity, coal, synthetic fuels; export, consumption, exploration and production; includes economic, energy, and environmental overview; also gives information on various factors affecting the energy sector. Links to important U.S. government and worldwide sites. Country briefs for 2001 and 2002 provided for: Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Rep. of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Great Lakes, Horn, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan and the SADC countries.
United States. Energy Information Administration. Energy Data (http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/international/contents.html)
Annual energy, energy balance and other energy-related data for the period 1980-2000; presented by fuel category; includes forecasts.
Websites of U.S. embassies and consulates (http://usembassy.state.gov/)
Provides information on US government mission and services, and public and private sector information on each country.
The World Bank Group (http://www.worldbank.org)
A search by country yields numerous English language reports on the economic development of regions of the world and theWorld Bank Groups' advice, initiatives and warnings concerning them.

World Chambers Network (http://www.worldchambers.com/)
Searchable by country offers information about individual national chambers of commerce and about international trade includingnews and upcoming events of interest to the business world.
World Trade Organization (http://www.wto.org/)
Headquartered in Switzerland the WTO, made up of member governments from around the globe, is dedicated to topics concerning international trade and development. Its English language "website contains material for a range of users, from the general public to students, academics and trade specialists. It includes introductions to WTO activities and a large database of official documents."
Yahoo! Finance - Currency Conversion (http://finance.yahoo.com/currency?u)
This service provided by Yahoo offers up-to-the-minute universal conversion rates of foreign currencies.