Presents text, statistics and directory information on the geography, recent history and economy of the Western European countries and territories.

Key features include:

• contributions from acknowledged experts
• a definitive factual and statistical survey of each country.

General Survey

• introductory articles written by acknowledged experts cover issues of regional importance, such as: European Union for the Twenty-First Century; Europe's Defences; Migration Politics in a Globalizing Europe; Economic Survey of Western Europe and the European Union and Islam in Western Europe.

Country Surveys

Individual chapters on each country, which comprise of:

• an introductory survey, containing essays on the geography, history and economy of each country, which includes a full chronology and map
• an extensive economic and demographic survey of the latest available statistics on area and population, health and welfare, agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, industry, finance, trade, transport, tourism, communications media and education
• a full directory section with names, addresses, contact numbers and e-mail and internet addresses covering the constitution, government, legislature, judiciary, political organizations, diplomatic representation, religious groups, the media, finance, trade and industry, tourism, defence and education
• a select bibliography, containing suggestions for further research.