1.1
Turkey: Collection of Two or More Human Geography Themes
1.1.1
The Economist
The Economist (http://www.economist.com) covers political and other news, as well as blogs
and debates.
1.1.2
Topix
Topix (http://www.topix.com) aggregates and delivers updated news from various sources,
including forums.
1.1.3
The New York Times
The New York Times (http://topics.nytimes.com) provides current news, as well as archived
articles and commentaries.
1.1.4
World Bank
World Bank’s datasets (http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog) provide a variety of national
level thematic indicators. Access to raw data requires registration, but reports on a
national level are availably freely. For Azerbaijan, seven surveys are available:
Azerbaijan - Global Financial Inclusion (Global Findex) Database 2011 (by Development
Research Group, Finance and Private Sector Development Unit - World Bank);
Azerbaijan - Enterprise Survey 2002, 2005 and 2009 (by World Bank, European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development); Azerbaijan - Financial Literacy Survey 2009 (by
Azerbaijan Micro-finance Association); Azerbaijan - Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey
2000 (by State Statistical Committee of the Azerbaijan Republic, UNICEF Multiple
Indicator Cluster Surveys); and Azerbaijan - Survey of Living Conditions 1995 (by Social
Studies Center, Institute of Sociology and Political Science (SORGU) and the World
Bank).
1.1.5
United Nations
United Nation’s datasets (http://data.un.org/) provide data from its constituent agencies on
population, Millennium Development Goals, mortality and other social and economic
information on a country level.
1.1.6
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (http://www.internal-displacement.org) provides
information and analysis on IDP (internal displace population) situation and
background worldwide, with social and economic data on IDPs being most readily
available on a country level.
1.1.7
WikiMapia
WikiMapia (www.wikimapia.org) is a collaborative project, where users can create their own
or update existing map data worldwide. WikiMapia’s data may be extracted as a Google
Earth file with .kml extension though an application programming interface (API). Data
coverage differs by individual country, and urban areas are typically covered more
extensively.
1.1.8
OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap (http://www.openstreetmap.org/) creates and distributes free geographic
data for the worlds; the users are allowed to make changes to the maps and to add new
content by uploading GPS data. Available data layers may include settlements, railway
stations, transportation networks, water features, random points of interest (schools,
hotels, banks, ATMs, etc.), land use, natural reserves and vegetation.
1.1.8.1 GeoFabrik.de
GeoFabrik.de (http://download.geofabrik.de/openstreetmap/) creates extracts of
OpenStreetMap data.
1.1.8.2 BBBike.org
BBBike.org (http://download.bbbike.org/osm/) creates extracts of OpenStreetMap data.
1.1.8.3 GIS-Lab
GIS-Lab (http://gis-lab.info/projects/osm_shp/region) creates extracts of OpenStreetMap data.
1.1.9
USGS Earth Explorer
The USGS Earth Explorer (http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/) has a variety of aerial, satellite, and
radar map projects, including digital elevation data and water body data for different
uses.
1.1.10
EDENext Data Portal
The EDENext Data Portal (http://www.edenextdata.com) provides datasets on a variety of
topics, primarily related to climate change, biodiversity and agriculture. Links to
additional global datasets are available at http://www.edenextdata.com/?q=content/global-gisdatasets-links-0.
1.1.11
Global Administrative Areas Database
Global Administrative Areas Database (GADM, http://www.gadm.org) provides access to
administrative boundaries, hydrologic, road, railroads, ports, airports, and populated
places data.
1.1.12
Natural Earth
Natural Earth (http://www.naturalearthdata.com) provides access to administrative
boundaries, hydrologic, road, railroads, ports, airports, and populated places data.
1.1.13
DIVA-GIS
DIVA-GIS (http://www.diva-gis.org/Data) provides access to administrative boundaries,
hydrologic, road, railroads, ports, airports, and populated places data.
1.1.14
Second Administrative Level Boundaries Database
Second Administrative Level Boundaries (SALB, http://www.unsalb.org/) Database provides
access to standardized maps of subnational administrative boundaries, which are widely
used in other research projects.
1.1.15
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations GeoNetwork
FAO GeoNetwork (http://www.fao.org/geonetwork/srv/en/main.home) provides access to
georeferenced databases, interactive maps, and satellite imagery. The Global
Administrative Units Database (http://www.fao.org/geonetwork/srv/en/metadata.show?id=12691)
provides access to first and second level administrative levels, and to lower levels, if
available. FAO also provides access to the Relational World Database II (RWDB2),
which can be accessed by entering the search term. RWDB2 is a collection of accurate
second level and in some cases third and fourth level administrative unit shapefiles,
rivers, roads and other administrative data.
1.1.16
International Center for Tropical Agriculture
International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT, www.ciat.cgiar.org) focuses on
agriculture, food security and climate change research in Asia, African and Latin
America and the Caribbean. It provides access to data, models and web mapping tools
(Tools and Resources tabs at http://dapa.ciat.cgiar.org/).
1.1.17
World Values Survey
World Values Survey (www.worldvaluessurvey.org) provides access to surveys in 87 societies
including some major cities. Questions include socio-economic status, demographics,
and values related to religion, race, gender, government, politics and others. Surveys
have been conducted in 1981-2014; the most recent surveys will be released in 2014.
1.1.18
PreventionWeb
PreventionWeb (http://www.preventionweb.net/) is a project of the UN Office for Disaster
Risk Reduction. It provides access to data in vector and raster format on cyclones,
droughts, earthquakes, fires, floods, landslides, tsunamis and volcanoes.
1.1.19
Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center (http://www.pewresearch.org/) conducts annual surveys on various
topics, e.g., religion, inequality, corruption, freedom, attitudes towards current political
leaders and others. The following projects cover countries other than the Unites States:
Global Attitudes Project, and Religion and Public Life Project.
1.1.20
SETA Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research
SETA (http://setav.org/) is a non-profit research agency conducting work on national,
regional and interregional issues. Their reports may be useful for assessing situations on
a national and a sub-national level.
1.1.21
Carbon Monitoring for Action (CARMA)
CARMA (http://carma.org/) is associated with the Confronting Climate Change Initiative at
the Center of Global Development (http://www.cgdev.org). It is a global database with data
on the best available estimates for CO2 emissions around the world and the identities of
firms that own them.
1.1.22
The Guardian
The Guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/) makes a variety of data available for many
countries, in addition to providing news. The data be found through their Datastore
(http://www.theguardian.com/data) and Datablog (http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog). It is
most detailed for the UK but other countries can be found as well. The data are
frequently in an interactive map format.
CENTCOM Sources:
1.1.22.1 Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty
Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty (http://www.rferl.org) describes itself as an agency
working in the countries without free press and providing access to uncensored news
and debates.
1.2
EUCOM Sources
1.2.1
Collection of Four or More Human Geography Themes
1.2.1.1 . Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso
Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso (http://www.balcanicaucaso.org) provides news and analysis
of social and political changes in South-East Europe, Turkey and Caucasus.
1.2.1.2 European Union External Action
European Union External Action (http://eeas.europa.eu) delivers news on the relationships
within EU countries.
1.2.1.3 Portal on Central Eastern and Balkan Europe
Portal on Central Eastern and Balkan Europe by IECOB & AIS (PECOB,
http://www.pecob.eu) is primarily a collection of printed and online news resources.
1.2.1.4 Marilisa Lorusso's Blog
Marilisa Lorusso's Blog (http://marilisalorusso.blogspot.com/) describes the main events
(primarily political but including economic and social too) of Georgia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan.
1.2.1.5 The Caucasus Research Resource Centers
The Caucasus Research Resource Centers (www.crrccenters.org) is a program of the Eurasia
Foundation funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, which conducts research
in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Their research methods include desk reports and
surveys on such issues as corruption, religious beliefs, household skills, social cohesion
and political attitudes, to name a few. Studies including Azerbaijan are Caucasus
Barometer annual household survey about social, economic issues and political
attitudes; and Social Capital, Media and Gender Survey. The data is nationally
representative and can be aggregated to a larger geographic region (e.g., southwest,
northeast etc.).
1.2.1.6 Eurofound
Eurofound (http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/index.htm) is the European Union agency
conducting research in the areas of social and economic change. It conducts the
following surveys: the European Quality of Life Survey, the European Working
Conditions Survey and the European Company Survey. The surveys cover EU member
and candidate countries; are nationally representative; and are done in multiple waves.
The surveys cover a broad range of indicators, both objective and subjective.
1.2.1.7 European Social Survey
The European Social Survey (http://www.europeansocialsurvey.org/) is done biennially and it
covers such topics as the attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of people. Example questions
include those on politics and government, social life, terrorism, religion, economy and
others. Turkish survey was done in 2008.
1.2.1.8 Eurobarometer
Eurobarometer programme (http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/index_en.htm;
http://www.gesis.org/en/eurobarometer/home/) conducts surveys on such topics as social
situation, health, culture, information technology, environment, the Euro, defense and
others.
1.2.1.9 European Environmental Agency
European Environmental Agency (http://www.eea.europa.eu/) is the European Union
agency responsible for conducting research and disseminating information on the
environment. Available datasets include national emissions, water quantity and quality,
natural protected areas, land cover and others. Some datasets cover parts of the
countries adjacent to Europe.
2
Azerbaijan Sources
2.1
Collection of Four or More Human Geography Themes
2.1.1
State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan
The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan at http://www.stat.gov.az
covers such topics as demographics (population, gender, labor market, education,
science, culture, health, and crimes), economy (agriculture, forestry, fishery, industry,
energetics, construction, trade, transport, telecommunications and postal, finances, and
tourism), and other (food related, entrepreneurship, environmental protection, and
information society). Data are available on a national, district (rayon), economic region
(an aggregation of several districts) and urban/rural level. While data are most readily
offered on a national and economic region levels, district level information constitutes a
significant percentage of all available data.
The State Committee provides some historical data (usually generic population data) as
well as more recent data extrapolated to 2010-2012 on the basis of 2009 Census. While
the website has nearly identical sections in English and Azerbaijani languages, the
Azerbaijani component has additional files with data for each district (however,
Nakhchivan economic region is not broken into districts).
The site additionally features an electronic library with reports on selected topics (e.g.,
children). Some of the reports are freely available while others are for sale only. Most of
the reports are in English though some are in Azerbaijani. Since the State Committee
publishes statistical yearbooks, the reports should be available through university
libraries in the US.
2.1.2
City of Baku
The city of Baku statistical data (http://www.baku.azstat.org) provides the same kind of
statistical information as the State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
2.1.3
Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan (http://mct.gov.az)
provides information in several languages, including English. It provides a link to an
online navigator GoMap (www.gomap.az) developed by a commercial company SINAM
(www.sinam.net). The purpose of GoMap navigator is to enhance tourism opportunities
and it thus features a great variety of data: administrative buildings, hotels and lodging,
educational and medical institutions, entertainment, points of interest, industrial,
nature, and other. While the navigator can be used for trip planning purposes, there are
no easy ways to download and save any data of interest.
2.1.4
Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Azerbaijan
The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Azerbaijan
(http://mlspp.gov.az/) features an interactive map (http://inforoom.mlspp.gov.az/) of districts.
The map covers most districts (excluding the Nakhchivan region) and for each district,
the following information is included: general information (e.g., number of enterprises,
number of secondary/primary/higher education schools etc.), population (including the
number of internally displaced persons), land area (including total area of cultivated
land, area of pastures etc.), the names of main agricultural and economic crops, and
poultry production. While the publication year of the data is not listed, the data are
presumably recent.
2.1.5
Gov.az
The website at www.gov.az provides a list of links to local government websites for each
administrative district. All websites are in Azerbaijani and are built using the same
template, and they feature the same categories of interest: economy, education, health,
culture and sports. However, the availability of information differs for each district and
in several cases is absent. Information on education and health usually includes a name
and an address of an educational institution and of a hospital or a clinic. Using other
information, such as a detailed street map and/or Google Earth maps, it may be possible
to indicate geographic coordinates of each institution and place them on a map. As for
the economy, the information can vary from purely descriptive (e.g., stating that a given
region specializes in meat production) to quantitative. While some websites organize
any quantitative information in an easy-to-read format (e.g., in a table), many simply
insert such information throughout a body of text.
2.1.6
Forum azeri.net
A forum in Azerbaijani language (http://forum.azeri.net/>) has some general discussion
topics, as such dating, internet (how to earn money using internet), cooking, culture and
other.
2.1.7
Ans Press
Ans Press is a news site (http://www.anspress.com/index.php?lng=ru) in Russian.
2.1.8
Apa News Agency
Apa News Agency is a news site (http://en.apa.az/) in English.
2.1.9
Azertag
Azertag is a national news agency (http://azertag.com/en) specializing in official
government news.
2.1.10
Day.az
Day.az – Today.az is a news site (http://today.az/) in English.
2.1.11
Novosti Azerbaijan
Novosti Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan News is a news site (http://novosti.az/) in Russian and Azeri.