The longer your stay abroad, the more important the practical ‘details’ may be (in terms of being properly organised). It includes general information on the host country, as well as passports, insurances, health, vaccinations, visas, transport, communication, accommodation, money, emergency telephone numbers, removal, schools for children and so on!
The general information includes the history of the country (see next page), the main data (country size, population, political system, language, education, religion, legal system), economics (balance, focus on agriculture, industry or services, trade relations, income of the population) and the arts. This list is far from complete, and every aspect of the list can again be further developed.
Reliable, brief but rather complete factual information per country may be found in the CIA World Fact-book. On culture internet may be the best source (e.g. culture guides, expatriate guides, management