For research guides on individual countries, use the following sources:
An excellent source for current political, social, economic, demographic, and statistical information is Europa World Plus. This database includes individual country reports as well as nine regional reports, which include useful surveys of current topics of regional importance. The C.I.A. World Factbook contains much the same informataion, but in more summary form.
Library of Congress Country Studies provide brief, historical information about individual countries.
Deparatment of State Background Notes/Fact Sheets focus on U.S. relations with foreign countries.
If you have a citation you do not recognize, try finding it in the Cardiff Index to Legal Abbreviations. Publications from over 295 jurisdictions are featured in the Index. The database mainly covers law reports and legal periodicals.
The World Dictionary of Legal Abbreviations is another source, including abbreviations for legal terms as well as sources. it is shelved in the Reference Collection (K89 .K38 199).