Presents text, statistics and directory information on the geography, recent history and economy of the Western European countries and territories.
Key features include:
* Contributions from acknowledged experts
* Includes a definitive factual and statistical survey of each country
* Over 700 pages of impartial data.
General Survey
* Introductory essays written by acknowledged experts cover issues or regional importance, such as: The European Union Towards 2004; Europe's Defence Arrangements; The Politics of Immigration and Asylum in Western Europe; European Monetary Union and Western Europe and the Developing World.
Country Surveys
* A separate chapter for every country in the region providing details of geography, recent history and the economy; a demographic and economic survey using the latest available statistics on finance, industry, agriculture, trade, population, education, transport and tourism; a directory of essential names, addresses, contact numbers, e-mail and internet addresses, for key areas such as, the constitution, government and politics, diplomatic representation, the judicial system, religion, the press, publishers, broadcasting and communications, finance, trade and industry, transport and tourism; a select bibliography is also included.

Anders Bäckström is Professor of the Sociology of Religion, Uppsala University, Sweden; Grace Davie is Professor Emerita of Sociology, University of Exeter, UK; Ninna Edgardh is Associate Professor of Ecclesiology, Uppsala University, Sweden; Per Pettersson is Associate Professor of the Sociology of Religion, Uppsala and Karlstad Universities, Sweden. All four authors have worked together on a number of projects. These include: From State Church to Free Folk Church (a study of the constitutional changes in the Church of Sweden), Welfare and Religion in a European Perspective (the basis of this book) and Welfare and Values in Europe (an EU funded project). They are currently engaged in a new Linneaus Research Programme, entitled The Impact of Religion: Challenges for Society, Law and Democracy. This is based at Uppsala University and is funded by the Swedish Research Council.