With more in-depth coverage of current political controversies than any other reference guide, 'Political Handbook of the World 2012' is the most authoritative source for finding complete facts and analysis on each country's governmental and political makeup.

Now in its 152nd edition, The Statesman's Yearbook continues to be the reference work of choice for accurate and reliable information on every country in the world. Covering political, economic, social and cultural aspects, the Yearbook is also available online for subscribing institutions: www.statesmansyearbook.com .

For one hundred and forty-one years The Statesman's Yearbook has been relied upon to provide accurate and comprehensive information on the current, political, economic and social status of every country in the world. The 2005 edition is fully updated and contains more information than ever before. A foldout colour section provides a political world map and flags for the one hundred and ninety-two countries of the world. In an endlessly changing world the annual publication of The Statesman's Yearbook gives you all of the information you need in one easily digestible single volume. It will save hours of research and cross-referencing between different sources, and is an essential annual purchase.

First published in 1985, this study, focusing on Kuwait, looks at the underlying reasons why certain political, economic and social events have taken place in the country’s history. It provides vital analysis of the political and economic issues of the country, and those that have affected it, as well as providing statistical material on all the key data of the political economy. The book was originally published as part of the Middle East Research Institute (MERI) Reports on the Middle East which quickly established themselves as the most authoritative and up-to-date information on the state of affairs in the region.

For the last 137 years, The Statesman's Yearbook has been relied upon to provide accurate and comprehensive information on the current political, economic and social status of every country in the world. The appointment of the new editor - only the seventh in 137 years - brought enhancements to the 1998-99 edition and these have been continued since then. Internet usage figures are included. Specially commissioned essays from major political and academic figures supplement country entries in areas of major upheaval and change. A fold out colour section provides a political world map and flags for the 191 countries of the world. The task of monitoring the pattern or flow of world change is never-ending. However, the annual publication of The Statesman's Yearbook gives all the information needed in one easily digestible single volume. It will save hours of research and cross-referencing between different sources. A prestigious and popular book, The Statesman's Yearbook is updated every 12 months. In a world of continual change The Statesman's Yearbook is a necessary annual purchase.

Kuwait is one of the smallest Arabic countries but one of the wealthiest per capita, thanks to huge reserves of oil beneath its sands. It is a country of contradictions. While the capital city is modern and sophisticated, the rest of the country remains mostly undeveloped desert, unchanged for thousands of years. Although an Islamic state, Kuwait is one of the most democratic Muslim countries, even though it has been ruled by the same royal family for two centuries. Nestled between Iraq and Saudi Arabia along the Persian Gulf, the area has been an important trade hub since the time of Alexander the Great. With its rich history, natural (if harsh) beauty, friendly citizens, and intriguing culture, Kuwait is full of surprises. Come take a tour of this fascinating country, where the past coexists with the present to create a unique destination in the Middle East.

The first English language political history of Kuwaiti parliament, this book provides an unprecedented holistic treatment of grassroots contemporary Kuwaiti politics in English in over two decades, incorporating the country's political dynamics into broader debates about the limits of authoritarianism and the practice of democracy in the Arab world, particularly in oil-wealthy states. Author Courtney Freer uses the lens of parliamentary elections as a means of understanding the political ideologies that have dominated in Kuwait since independence. As such, it situates the dynamics of Kuwaiti politics within broader political science debates about whether democratic institutions in "hybrid regimes" are meaningful arenas for popular contestation or only serve to enhance autocratic rule. Given the varying portrayals of Kuwait as robust authoritarianism, "upgraded" authoritarianism, or a noteworthy site of democratic participation, The Resilience of Parliamentary Politics in Kuwait: Parliament, Rentierism, and Society focuses on the ideologies that have mobilized political blocs, rather than solely focusing on the institutions of political power themselves. Freer includes extensive fieldwork and the use of Arabic and English primary sources to assess and examine the institutional setting that Kuwait presents and traces the dominant ideological strands in the country, considering the comparative mobilizational potential of ascriptive identities like tribe and sect.