Research ToolsBackgrounders

United States

Affirmative action, America's schools, America's taxes, Armed forces, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barack Obama, Budget deficit, Campaign-finance reform, The CIA, Crime, Death penalty, Dick Cheney, Gay marriage, George Bush, Gun control, Hillary Clinton, Homeland security, John McCain, Michael Bloomberg, Missile defence, Religious right, Supreme Court, Trade policy, US immigration, Welfare reform

The Americas

Argentina's economy, Argentina's politics, Bolivia, Brazil's economy, Brazil's politics, Canada's economy, Canada's politics, Chile, Colombia's drug wars, Colombia's politics, Cuba, Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico's economy, Mexico's politics, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela

Asia

Afghanistan's economy, Afghanistan's politics, Australia's politics, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China's foreign policy, China's politics, Fiji's politics, Hong Kong, India's economy, India's politics, Indonesia's politics, Indonesia's separatists, Japan's foreign policy, Japan's politics, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia's politics, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, Pakistan's politics, The Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan's politics, Thailand's politics, Timor-Leste

Europe

Albania, Azerbaijan, Baltic states, Belarus, Catalonia, Cyprus, ETA, EU constitution, EU enlargement, Europe's far right, European defence, France's economy, France's politics, French corruption, Georgia, Germany's economy, Germany's politics, Italy's politics, Montenegro, Poland, Russia's politics, Serbia, Silvio Berlusconi, Slovakia, Turkey's politics, Ukraine

Britain

The BBC, Britain's intelligence services, Britain's railways, Britain's royal family, Britain's schools, Britain's universities, British immigration, British race relations, Church of England, David Cameron, Devolution, Gordon Brown, House of Lords, Liberal Democrats, London's transport network, The NHS, Northern Ireland, Tony Blair

Middle East & Africa

Algeria, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq's troubles, Israel's politics, Kenya, Kuwait, Liberia, Muammar Qaddafi, Nigeria, Palestine's politics, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Zimbabwe

International

Al-Qaeda, Catholicism, Euthanasia, The International Criminal Court, Islam, The Kurds, NATO, Nuclear arms control, Peacekeeping, War-crimes tribunals, World Health Organisation