This unique, nonpartisan survey, written by experts from around the world, is the second edition of the first general resource to explore the United States from the viewpoints of the peoples and nations of the world. The second edition combines update material from the three volumes of the first edition, all in one set of three books: A Nation by Nation Survey (volumes 1 and 2) and Issues and Ideas Shaping International Relations (volume 3). These compelling country profiles and essays on international relations provide in-depth analyses of the core characteristics of the United States, crucial historical events, US policies and programs, and cultural phenomena such as religion and pop culture. Updated material brings the reader up to date on the rise of the Obama administration, the global financial crisis, the always unpredictable spread of the internet and social media, and the Arab Spring, among other world events.