In marked contrast to the United States, with its territorial stability, some countries, such as Bulgaria and Ethiopia, reorganize their regional subdivisions frequently. This large-format reference work simplifies the comparison of decades' worth of data from such countries: "With this book in hand, one can answer any administrative subdivision question about any state or province in the world from 1900 through 1998"—Abstracts of Public Administration, Development and Environment.

For each country there is at least one table, and usually several. Histories of subdivision changes and lists of alternate names for subdivisions in each country add to the work's research value. All relevant national and international standards such as ISO and FIPS codes are listed, as well as time zones, populations, areas and capitals for each subdivision. There is a comprehensive index of names.