Country Overviews
Contemporary Archive of the Islamic World
The book series Contemporary Archive of the Islamic World offers political and economic reports about the countries of the Islamic world from the mid-1970s until the present-day. The series is an invaluable resource for researchers and is also suitable for classroom use.
Title: Western Arabia in the Leiden Collections: Traces of a Colourful Past.
Authors: Mols, Luitgard E. M., and Arnoud Vrolijk.
Published: Leiden : Leiden University Press, 2016
Summary:
"In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century Dutch diplomats, scholars and travellers assembled unique collections in Jeddah, Mecca and Medina. The Dutch presence in Arabia, where they established a consulate in Jeddah, was intimately connected with the supervision of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca from the Netherlands East Indies, present-day Indonesia. Notable guests at this consulate included the formidable Dutch Islamicist Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje, visiting Arabia in 1884-1885. With the invaluable help of local Muslims, Dutch collectors tried to capture the essence of what they regarded as an 'authentic' Oriental culture in a period when Arabia was already looking towards modernity. These extensive collections are now preserved at the Leiden Museum of Ethnology (Museum Volkenkunde, est. 1837) and Leiden University (founded 1575). Together, they allow a glimpse into a colourful and vibrant society, one virtually vanished today under ever-growing numbers of pilgrims, changing political and religious allegiances and sudden economic prosperity."
The Foreign Official Gazette database (FOG) contains records for approximately 650 official gazette titles from countries outside the United States. It serves as a “union list” of holdings within the major collections residing in North America, encompassing both CRL holdings as well as the holdings of five other major libraries.
- Arab Countries Profiles byProfiles the 22 members of the Arab League on issues of governance: civil society, elections, legislature, local government, constitution, judiciary, human rights, financial transparency, fighting corruption. Also, the site features many more country resources (links on right side).
- Political Handbook of the World byCall Number: Olin Library JF37 .P76 + (Latest volume in Reference)"Features country profiles that provide key facts, history, politics and government, current issues and events, political parties both official and quasi-official, national election results and office holders, and communications outlets. Also provides profiles of major intergovernmental organizations." (Guide to Reference)
- The Statesman’s YearbookCall Number: Olin Library JA51 .S79 (Latest volume in Reference)Published since 1864, The Statesman's Yearbook provides a general survey of the history, politics, economics, trade and infrastructure for each country.
Middle East & North Africa Constitution Links
Afghanistan
Algeria
Egypt
Iraq
Jordan
Palestinian Territories
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
- Constitution of 1998
- "Draft Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan, 2005"
- Sudan: Text of Draft Constitution
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
Yemen
Information by Country
These are the countries included in the MENA region, listed in alphabetical order. The term covers an extensive region of the world and includes all Middle Eastern and Maghreb countries. Click on the name of the country to be redirected to the country's government webpage.
Algeriaالجزائر ; Algiers الجزائر
Bahrain مملكة البحرين ; Manama المنامة
Egypt مصر ; Cairo القاهرة
Iran ایران ; Tehran تهران
Iraq العراق جمهورية ; Baghdad بغداد
Israel إِسْرَائِيلُ ; Jerusalem القُدس
Jordan المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية ; Amman عمّان
Kuwait دولة الكويت ; Kuwait City مدينة الكويت
Lebanon لُبْنَان ; Beirut بيروت
Libya ليبيا ; Tripoli طرابلس
Morocco المملكة المغربية ; Rabat الرباط
Oman سلطنة عمان ; Muscat مسقط
Palestine فلسطين ; N/A
Qatar قطر ; Doha الدوحة
Saudi Arabia السعودية المملكة العربية ; Riyadh الرياض
Republic of Sudan جمهورية السودان ; Khartoum الخرطوم
Syria السورية العربية الجمهورية ; Damascus دِمَشق
Tunisia الجمهورية التونسية ; Tunis تونس
Turkey تركيا ; Ankara أنقرة
United Arab Emirates العربية المتحدة دولة الإمارات ; Abu Dhabi أبو ظبي
Yemen الجمهورية اليمنية ; Sanaa صنعاء
General resources (Free)
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Country Studies/Area Handbooks (Library of Congress)This website contains the on-line versions of books previously published in hard copy by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the U.S. Updated irregularly.
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CIA World FactbookProvides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 266 world entities.
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State Department Near Eastern Affairs: Countries and Other AreasInformation about countries under the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs of the US Department of State is available through the links on the page.
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The Cambridge History of Iran [8 vols.] by Call Number: Olin Library DS272 .C17ISBN: 9780521069359Publication Date: 1968-10-01The Cambridge History of Iran is an eight-volume survey of Iranian history and culture, and its contribution to the civilisation of the world. All aspect of the religious, philosophical, political, economic, scientific and artistic elements in Iranian civilisation are studies, with some emphasis on geographical and ecological factors which have contributed to that civilisation's special character. The aim is to provide a collection of readable essays rather than a catalogue of information. The volumes offer scope for the publication of new ideas as well as providing summaries of established facts. They should act as a stimulus to specialists, but are primarily concerned to answer the sort of questions about the past and present of Iran that are asked by the non-specialist. Volume I sets the physical stage for the human events which follow. In a sense it is a companion volume to the rest of the series. The whole volume is devoted to geography, geology, anthropology, economic life, and flora and fauna. The physical environment of Iran is seen not as an unmoving backcloth against which the human drama is played; rather it is seen as a natural element which shapes in distinct and recognisable ways the whole course of human activity in the country. Iran offers a picture of sharp identity as a geographical unit. In spite of highly varies and often harsh natural conditions at local level, a consistent and recognisable pattern of physiographical and climatic features emerges at the national level. Because of these features the Iranians as a people suffered many vicissitudes. The complex character of the relationship between terrain and people is the major theme of this volume.
