William Brace

The Europa World Book. 1989. London: Europa Publications Limited, 1989. 2 vols. ISBN 0-946653-49-6. $400.00.

Europa World Year Book has established itself as one of the consistently authoritative reference works in the areas of political, economic, and commercial information about the countries of the world. The work goes into as much detail for small countries as for larger countries. Published annually since 1926, the work has been published in two volumes since 1960. The customary format, followed in 1989, is to put information about international organizations and part of the alphabetical coverage of the countries in volume one. Volume two completes the alphabetical coverage and includes an "Index of Territories." The information presented comes from a variety of sources, including a survey mailed to institutions. The individual articles do have a few citations appended, but mainly documentation is lacking throughout. The "Foreword" indicates that many standard reference books are used to augment the survey. Abbreviations for many common terms, acronymic names for organizations, and a table of international comparisons-giving area, population, and GNP-precede the information on the United Nations. A two-page summary of "Late Information" is also part of the preliminaries.

The information presented about international organizations is very helpful and is possibly the most complete survey of such institutions in print. For example, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is detailed as to organization, activities, subsidiary organs, and related organizations. In the case of larger, better-known organizations such as OPEC there is a "Record of Events" that chronicles the activities in full.

In the alphabetically arranged section of individual countries there appears for each: some introductory information, a statistical summary, government structure and organization, political organizations or parties, constitution, judicial system, diplomatic representation, religion, press, publishers, radio and television, finance, trade and industry, transportation, tourism, and education. United States territories are listed after the United States, with each of the territories treated as fully as the individual countries.

The amount of material presented for each country is greater in detail than what is found in other standard reference tools. Larger type, the use of capitals and boldface type, and a larger page format make Europa a more satisfying type of reference work to use. On the other hand its volumes are heavy and cumbersome to hold. The running page heads are not outstanding. Information is presented objectively but not always informatively; e.g., the information on religion for the United States does not indicate that the Baptist Churches constitute the second largest church in the country; one must figure that out by comparing the membership of the various churches listed. Size is not necessarily the main reason for emphasizing certain churches with boldface entries: the Sikhas, for example, are thus singled out although they have only 9,500 members in North America.

Controlling interests of newspapers are not indicated, nor are political leanings. Objectivity of treatment gives as much space to The Anchorage News with its circulation of 56,000, as to The Washington Post, with a circulation of 1,113,000. Cultural life--such as symphonies, choirs, etc.--is not described in Europa.

Information is very current, with some "Late Information" from March, 1989, included in the preliminary pages.

Although The Europa World Year Book brings together an exceedingly valuable amount of detail, and presents it in a very usable, easily read fashion, its cost will be a factor for many libraries. Third World libraries may wish to consider instead The Statesman 's Yearbook, which has nearly as much information and sells for $65.00. Statesman's also provides a helpful list of further readings for each country.

About the Author

William Brace is Associate Professor of Library Science at Rosary College. His doctorate is from Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Brace has been a reference librarian and an administrator in several academic libraries, and has taught at the Florida State University library school.