LibGuides: Government Publications: Foreign Relations

Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS)

The Foreign Relations of the United States series presents the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity that have been declassified and edited for publication. The series, which is produced by the U.S. Department of State's Office of the Historian, began in 1861 and is now comprised of more than 450 individual volumes.

FRUS, 1861-1960
FRUS, 1945-1988
FRUS, e-book Editions
Offers the full content of 260 select volumes, making use of full-text searching and other features of most e-book devices and applications, including bookmarking and note-taking.

On the shelf:

Call number: Government Publications S 1.1: year(s)

Additional Resources

Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets
Also known as the Background Notes, these publications of the U.S. Department of State include facts about the land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty.
Central Files
For most research topics, the central files are the largest and most important category of Department of State records. They are the most inclusive and authoritative repository of reporting by American diplomatic and consular posts overseas. There is at least some documentation in the Department’s central files on almost all topics relating to U.S. foreign policy and relations with other countries. The records include Department of State incoming and outgoing communications with U.S. diplomatic and consular offices in foreign countries; with foreign diplomatic and consular offices in the United States; and with other U.S. Government agencies, private organizations, and the public. The central files also include internal memorandums and reports.
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to helping government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.
Country Studies (Library of Congress)
Former publication of the Federal Research Division that describes and analyzes the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of countries throughout the world: useful primarily for historical research.
Guide to Country Recognition and Relations
Provides historical reference information on aspects of the United States’ relations with the countries of the world. The central component is a guide to matters of diplomatic recognition and the establishment and maintenance of diplomatic relations between the United States and states of the world, from 1776 to the present. From the U.S. Department of State.
National Security Archive
An independent, non-governmental research institute and library located at The George Washington University, the National Security Archive combines a unique range of functions: investigative journalism center, research institute on international affairs, library and archive of declassified U.S. documents, leading non-profit user of the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, public interest law firm defending and expanding public access to government information, global advocate of open government, and indexer and publisher of former secrets.
Treaties in Force
Published annually by the Department of State to provide information on treaties and other international agreements to which the United States has become a party as of January 1st in its most recent publication year.
World Factbook
Produced for U.S. policymakers by the Central Intelligence Agency and coordinated throughout the U.S. intelligence community; marshals facts on every country, dependency, and geographic entity in the world.

On the shelf:

CIA World Factbook by Central Intelligence Agency
Call Number: Government Publications PREX 3.15: year(s)
ISBN: 9781634503280
From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, The CIA World Factbook 2016 offers complete and up-to-date information on the world’s nations. This comprehensive guide is packed with detailed information on the politics, populations, military expenditures, and economics of 2015. For each country, The CIA World Factbook 2016 includes: * Detailed maps with new geopolitical data * Statistics on the population of each country, with details on literacy rates, HIV prevalence, and age structure * New data on military expenditures and capabilities * Information on each country’s climate and natural hazards * Details on prominent political parties, and contact information for diplomatic consultation * Facts on transportation and communication infrastructure * And much more! Also included are appendixes with useful abbreviations, international environmental agreements, international organizations and groups, weight and measure conversions, and more. Originally intended for use by government officials, this is a must-have resource for students, travelers, journalists, and business people with a desire to know more about their world.