Download Researching Your Country In Model UN, being an expert on your

Researching Your Country
In Model UN, being an expert on your country is just as important as having the knowledge on your
topic. If you do not understand your country, you cannot properly represent it. So, before anything else,
you should do an in depth research of the nation that was assigned to you.
What you need to know about your country:
1. History
-Was it ever colonized by another country? What territories did it colonize?
-When did your country acquire its independence?
-How and when was the most recent constitution established? What are the most important rights and
obligations that citizens have according to this constitution?
-The conditions of the country during the past years— peace and stability, revolution, war, famine, etc.
What major problems or successes has your country experienced?
2. Geography
-What is your country’s area?
-What is your country’s population?
-What countries surround yours (bordering nations)?
-Is your country surrounded by any bodies of water? Which ones? Does your country control this body
of water? Are there any major rivers, lakes, etc. that are of importance to your country? How are they
important?
-How does geography affect your country?
3. Culture
-What are the predominant religions in your country? What role does religion play in the politics of your
country?
-What minority groups are found in your country? How are they treated?
-What are the main languages of your country?
-What is the literacy rate of your country?
-How is culture important in your country?
4. Economy
-What economic system does your country have?
-What is the per capita income of your nation?
-How stable has your country’s economy been in the past?
-What is the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of your country?
-What is the Human Development Index (HDI) of your country?
-Is your country’s economy based on agriculture, industry, or a mix of several?
-What are your country’s main imports and exports? Who are its main trading partners?
-What important natural resources does your country have?
-Does your country give or receive economic aid? To who, or from whom? Under what conditions?
-How does your country’s geography and natural resources affect its economy?
5. Your country and the world
-Which countries are your allies? Does your country have any enemies?
-Besides the UN, what other international organizations is your country a member of?
-What is your country internationally criticized or acclaimed for?
6. Government
-What kind of government does your country have?
-What is the name of the current head of state? What is the public opinion of him/her within your
country? What has he/she done for the country?
-How is the government divided up? Name and explain the main divisions of the government and how
they relate to each other.
-What are the main political parties in your country today? Which ones are the most influential?
-Does your country have military strength?
-Does your country host any important Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s)?
7. Your Country and the United Nations
-When did your country become a member of the UN?
-What UN committees is your country a part of?
-How has your country contributed to the UN? How much has it contributed to UN projects (such as
peacekeeping)?
-Has the UN ever intervened in solving a problem in your country?
-How else can you describe the role/position of your country within the UN?
-What are the main problems in your country today? Problems are any economic, social, cultural, or
political conflicts that lead to a country’s instability.
-What are international organizations doing to solve them? What are non-governmental organizations
doing to solve them?