Getting Started: It is rare to find a website or book that explains in detail all aspects of your country's policy on a particular issue. It is more often the case that you will find bits and pieces of information here and there and will end up using what you have learned through research to fannulate, and articulate your country's stance. As a result, when getting started its important to remember that the best way to know your policy and what to say in your paper and in conference is by getting to know your country.

Step 1. Where is your country located?
Tools to use: maps, an Atlas, online map databases
Questions to answer or keep in mind:

1. What continent or geographic region is your country a part of?
2. Are you landlocked or do you border a body of water such as an ocean or sea or a waterway that provides access to water such as the Panama Canal?
3. What countries share a border with your country?
4. If you are an island nation, what nations a're in close proximity to yours?
5. Does your country claim a disputed border, region or island; a region can include either land or water?
6. What physical features make up your nation? Think of mountains, desert or arid regions. large bodies of water such as lakes, rivers. plains, and forested regions. Having now

Step 2. What is your country's basic history?
Tools to use: Encyclopedia, almanac, history books, online sites, current newspapers and periodicals
Questions to ask or keep in mind:

1. When did your country become a member of the United Nations?
2. When did your country become incorporated as a modern nation state and what factors caused this development.
3. What role, if any, did your country play in World War II or the Cold War, and in what ways has your country been militarily active in this century and the two centuries preceding?
4. Were you a former colonial possession, if so, why and when did you gain your independence from another nation?
5. Is your country experiencing now or has ever experienced what could be termed a civil war, and what are or were the circumstances and result?
6. Is your country nuclear capable, if so when did this occur and does your nation continue to test and develop this capability?

Step 3. What are some basic religious. social and cultural characteristics of your country?
Tools to use: Encyclopedia, almanac, history books, online sites, current newspapers and periodicals
Questions to ask or keep in mind:

1. Does your country have an officially recognized state religion, if so, what is it and to what degree do government and religion in your country affect and influence each other?
2. What are the different religious groups in your country, can you identify the majority and minority groups and how they interact with each other and the state?
3. What are the different ethnic and/or racial groups in your country, carr you identify the majority and minority groups and how they interact with each other and the state?
4. Has there ever been or is there now a concern voiced in your country about racial, ethnic or religious inequality, if so, describe the circumstances and what the response of the government was, if any?
5. Does your country have any unique cultural traditions that are different from other nationstates in your region and the world, if so what are they?
6. What proportions of different age groups are represented in your country :md what percentage of male to female ratios are there.
7. Does your country have conditions of; overcrowding, a low birth rate, high divorce rate, high number of infant fatalities, inadequate food supplies and/or starvation?
8. What type and level of educational institutions are available in your country and who is eligible to receive education?

Step 4. What are some basic economic characteristics of your country?
Tools to use: Encyclopedia, almanac, online sites, newspapers and periodicals
Questions to ask and keep in mind:

1. What type of economic system(s) is in place in your country? For: example, free market or open economy, closed economy, mixed
2. What is your country's GDP, chief imports, chief exports, national and international debt, natural resources and level of industrialization?
3. Who are your principal trading partners and with whom do you have ongoing trade agreements?
4. Does your nation have trade barriers or tariffs in place?
5. Are you a party to any international trade agreements, organizations, summits etc?
6. Does your country consider itself to developed or developing?
7. Are you currently receiving some kind of foreign aid, monetary or otherwise, describe the circumstances?
8. What is your country's official position on the World Trade Organization and the World Bank?

Step 5. What are some basic political characteristics of your government?
Tools to use: Encyclopedia, almanac, online sites, newspapers and current periodicals
Questions to ask and keep in mind:

1. What type or system of government does your country have?
2. What are the name(s) and party affiliation if applicable of your current head(s) of state?
3. Does your government incorporate parties or political factions with different and/or similar views?
4. How do people obtain power in your system of government? For example, are they elected, chosen, is it a tradition of hereditary rule etc.
5. If citizens in your country voice views about your governmental system, what type of concerns do they have?
6. Describe the legaI system in your country.
7. What involvement, if any, does your government play in the economy and/or society?
8. . Is your government heavily influenced by other nation-states or non-governmental organizations?
9. Are you a member of a Bloc, if so, what are the other members of your bloc?
10. What major treaties or agreements is your country either a signatory and/or party to?

Remarks:
The above questions and tools to consider should aid you in formulating your country policy. It gives you a good place to start but is by no means everything you need to know and in some cases could be more than you need to know. When you obtain the basic factual infonnation about your nation it then allows you to infer with a higher degree of certainty what your policy may be on certain tricky issues.

Research Hints:

1. Many libraries have newspapers and periodicals on searchable databases that will allow you to view and print old articles.
2. Be sure to use only current encyclopedias and almanacs when researching.
3. When researching online, remember to verify the validity of your information and its source.
4. Research not only your country policy but also your country's history of involvement with the UN.
5. At www.un.org, the official UN website, is a wealth of information including press releases, current event and issue news, UN history articles and most importantly, links to official web pages of UN member states that provide a great deal of current infonnation about the country.