The following outline is the Bentley Model UN Club’s recommendations for country research. It is up to you how much research you do, but keep in mind that you are representing your country and should be familiar with as many aspects of that country as possible. The more information you have, the more you will get out of the Model UN conference!
I. General Information and Statistics
A. Size of the country
B. Location (make sure to identify its neighboring countries)
C. Population
D. Population Density
E. Population Growth Rate
F. Average Life Expectancy
G. Language(s) Spoken
H. Literacy Rate
I. Religion
J. History
K. Form of Government
L. Leader of Government
M. Economic System (capitalism, socialism, communism, etc.)
N. Type of Economy (agricultural, industrialized, diversified, etc.)
O. Gross National Product
P. Average Income per Person
Q. National Resources
R. Imports (value and items)
S. Exports (value and items)
T. Trading Partners
U. Aid (received/given, from whom/to whom, what form of aid)
V. Allies and/or Enemies
W. Member of which Bloc in the UN?
X. Member of which International Organization
Y. Are there Strong Minorities or Opposing Political Factions within Your Country?
II. Geography and History
What is the location?
What is the capital? Are there other large and/or important cities?
What is the climate? What is the impact of the climate and geography on agriculture and possibilities of import and export?
What are the neighboring countries?
Are there any border problems with the neighbors?
Were there any problems with the neighbors in the past?
Is there still animosity between your country and its neighbors?
Is there history of imperialism? Was your country a colony?
III. People
How large is the population?
How is it distributed in the country?
What are the ethnic groups?
What are the religious groups?
Are there other factors that divide the population (such as language)?
Is the sense of national strong (is the population united)?
IV. Economy
What are the primary natural resources and are they used appropriately?
Is the country industrialized?
Is it a developing or developed country?
Are most people organized in agriculture, industry or trade?
What are major imports and exports?
Who are the major trading partners?
V. Politics and Government
What type of government is it?
Who is the current leader?
When did your country become independent (from whom did they gain independence)?
What political parties exist and which one is in power now?
Are there any internal political problems?
What alliances or memberships does it have in international organizations? What is their significance?
How powerful is your country (in terms of military, alliances, strategic position, and nuclear capability)? Does the power it has play a major role in the way it co-exists with both friends and enemies?
Did your country participate in any recent or current international conflicts?
