From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up-This revision of Kurian's Encyclopedia of the First World (1989), Encyclopedia of the Second World (1991; o.p.), and Encyclopedia of the Third World (1992; o.p., all Facts On File) encompasses all countries in alphabetical order. There are 30 separate categories of information for each of the 190 countries. Population data indicators and other statistics are presented as tables, governmental organization appears as a chart, and history is covered through narrative text. The article on Afghanistan discusses the role of Osama bin Laden and the Taliban in the September 11 terrorist attacks but it is noted that most general information is current through June, 2001. Hard-to-find social indicators appear, if known, such as the number of women in government, number of public libraries, and percentage of HIV-infected adults. The no-frills black-and-white maps and charts are clear and informative but there is only a written description of the national flags. A previously lengthy further reading section for each entry has been replaced by a more succinct list of books and Internet resources from official sites or statistical offices. An accessible and up-to-date revision of three resources combined into one.
Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NYCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Planned as a triennial,
Encyclopedia of the World's Nations replaces three Facts On File publications:
Encyclopedia of the First World (1990),
Encyclopedia of the Second World (1991), and
Encyclopedia of the Third World (1992). Its volumes contain entries for 190 independent countries. Each entry includes a map and a basic fact summary and covers major aspects of national life such as geography, climate, environment, economy, politics, legal system, ethnicity, and languages. The amount of statistical information for each country naturally varies, and some of the categories are simply left blank when the information is unavailable. Each entry also includes a bibliography, chronology, list of official publications, contact information, and a list of Internet resources. The bibliographies and lists of Internet resources are welcome inclusions. The third volume provides a useful index. The set contains some errors. For example, the title of the hereditary ruler of Liechtenstein is given as
prince con und zu Liechtenstein rather than
prince von und zu Liechtenstein, and the entry for Qatar gives the date for independence as 1981, although the correct date, 1971, is found in the chronology.
Encyclopedia of the World's Nations is one of many in a competitive field of reference sources. Similar information is available free online from the Library of Congress Country Studies [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/] and the CIA World Factbook [http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html]. Among print sources, The Europa World Year Book offers more comprehensive coverage that includes territories and dependencies, not just independent countries. Other print sources include the standard Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations (Gale, 10th ed., 2000) and Statesman's Year Book (Palgrave), which is also available as an online subscription database called SYBWorld [RBB Ja 1 & 15 03]. Encyclopedia of the World's Nations is a good effort, but it doesn't supersede or replace other print tools and reliable resources available online. RBB
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