Explainers

Backgrounders

Authoritative, accessible, and regularly updated primers on hundreds of foreign policy topics.

Taiwan

Why China-Taiwan Relations Are So Tense

Differences over Taiwan’s status have fueled rising tensions between the island and the mainland. Taiwan has the potential to be a flash point in U.S.-China relations.

Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland Feb 8, 2024

Energy and Environment

How the U.S. Oil and Gas Industry Works

The United States is the world’s top producer of oil and natural gas. Its decision to either continue at this pace or curb production to achieve its climate goals will have global consequences.

Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland and Anshu Siripurapu Aug 11, 2022

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United States
What Does the U.S. National Guard Do?
The National Guard is a special part of the U.S. military that answers to both state governors and the president. While it began as a “strategic reserve,” the guard has come to play an important role in domestic and overseas operations.
Backgrounder by Anshu Siripurapu and Noah Berman April 3, 2024
Canada
What Is Canada’s Immigration Policy?
With its comparatively open and well-regulated immigration system, Canada remains a top destination for immigrants and refugees.
Backgrounder by Diana Roy and Amelia Cheatham March 28, 2024
Refugees and Displaced Persons
How Does the U.S. Refugee System Work?
The United States has long been a safe haven for refugees from around the world. President Biden is working to expand the country’s resettlement program after the Trump administration made sharp cuts.
Backgrounder by Diana Roy , Claire Klobucista and James McBride March 26, 2024 Renewing America
China
China and Russia: Exploring Ties Between Two Authoritarian Powers
China and Russia have expanded trade and defense ties over the past decade, but they’re not formal allies. Experts say Russia’s war in Ukraine could be a turning point in the relationship.
Backgrounder by Clara Fong and Lindsay Maizland March 20, 2024
Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s Freedoms: What China Promised and How It’s Cracking Down
Beijing has tightened its grip on Hong Kong in recent years, dimming hopes that the financial center will ever become a full democracy.
Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland and Clara Fong March 19, 2024
India
India’s Muslims: An Increasingly Marginalized Population
India’s Muslim communities have faced decades of discrimination, which experts say has worsened under the Hindu nationalist BJP’s government.
Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland March 18, 2024
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
What Is NATO?
The alliance is bolstering its military deterrent in Europe amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has expanded to include Finland and Sweden.
Backgrounder by Jonathan Masters March 18, 2024
China
The China-North Korea Relationship
China is North Korea’s biggest trade partner and arguably has the most leverage over Kim Jong Un’s regime. Analysts say Beijing’s policies are focused on stability, though it signals ambivalence about its neighbor’s nuclear arms advances.
Backgrounder by Clara Fong and Eleanor Albert March 7, 2024
Haiti
Haiti’s Troubled Path to Development
Hobbled by foreign interventions, political instability, and natural disasters, the former French colony is paralyzed by multiple crises.
Backgrounder by Diana Roy and Rocio Cara Labrador March 4, 2024
United Nations
Funding the United Nations: How Much Does the U.S. Pay?
Many UN agencies, programs, and missions receive crucial funding from the United States. The Trump administration sharply reduced funding to some UN agencies, but President Biden has largely reversed those cuts.
Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors February 29, 2024
United Nations
The UN Security Council
The UN Security Council is the premier global body for maintaining international peace and security, but it faces steady calls for reform to better meet twenty-first-century challenges.
Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors February 26, 2024
United Kingdom
Moving Past the Troubles: The Future of Northern Ireland Peace
The Good Friday Agreement has dampened sectarian conflict and brought stability to Northern Ireland, but the peace deal has been challenged by Brexit-related border tensions that have thrown the region’s hard-won gains into doubt.
Backgrounder by Charles Landow and James McBride February 16, 2024
United States
The U.S. Vice President and Foreign Policy
Modern vice presidents can trace much of their political influence to the broad reforms that Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale made to the second-highest elected office in the late 1970s.
Backgrounder by Jonathan Masters February 8, 2024
Taiwan
Why China-Taiwan Relations Are So Tense
Differences over Taiwan’s status have fueled rising tensions between the island and the mainland. Taiwan has the potential to be a flash point in U.S.-China relations.
Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland February 8, 2024
Argentina
Argentina’s Struggle for Stability
Argentina has struggled with political dysfunction and financial crises for decades. What could firebrand President Javier Milei mean for Argentina’s economy and role in the world?
Backgrounder by Diana Roy February 5, 2024