South Korea's high suicide rate seems to be at odds with that country's economic and social progress of the past half century. This article from the Economist takes a look at how cultural factors may play a role.

Foreign Policy magazine profiles the worst of the worst. Paul Collier, professor of economics at Oxford University neatly classifies the world's dictators into kleptocrats, tyrants, and psychopaths.

Middle Eastern countries, not surprisingly, have a significant representation on this list due mostly to wealth derived from oil and gas. The top country might come as a surprise to some.

It is estimated that about 30 percent of all marriages in the Central Asian country are the result of often violent abductions of young women.

Corporate risk intelligence firm, Maplecroft, recently released a report that evaluates the water security of 165 countries. Country ratings vary from low risk to extreme risk. Nations in the highest risk category include neighboring countries that compete over limited critical water resources. One such case is the observed tension that exists between Pakistan and India over the disputed Kashmir region which is a primary source of the waters of the Indus river basin.

The J.D Power and Associates 2010 U.S. Initial Quality Study has identified Porsche as the brand with the highest initial quality. The survey takes into account defects or malfunctions reported per 100 vehicles for each of the car brands in its evaluation of thirty-four brands.

Despite or perhaps because of the recent economic downturn, there are more people volunteering in the US than in previous years. 63.4 million Americans volunteered in 2009 according to the Corporation for National & Community Service. Utah had the highest volunteer rate at 44.2% while New York had the lowest volunteer rate of any state at 19%.

1. Compare World Cup Countries
   
2. Countries to have Won the Most World Cups
   
3. Non-european World Cup Teams with the Most Players Based in European Clubs
   
4. Countries that have Hosted the Most World Cup Tournaments
   
5. Players with the Most Goals Scored in the World Cup
   
6. Most Populous Countries of the 2010 World Cup
   
7. Richest Countries of the 2010 World Cup
   
8. Highest Earning Soccer Players
   
9. Most Valuable Soccer Teams
   
10. World cup Countries with the Most Medals Won at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
    

The International Congress and Convention Association has published country and city rankings of destinations that welcome the most business travelers to events which take place regularly and rotate between a minimum of three countries.

Oil-rich West African economy derives 90% of its export earnings from petroleum.