Global relationships. A useful next step.

A useful connection begins with your question.

You may be a business owner looking for customers, a city leader planning a delegation, a student studying a community, or a family preparing to move. The starting point is what you want to understand or do. Our role is to help you find the relevant facts and people.

We connect country evidence, community research, city relationships, and practical business guides. A reader can move from a broad idea to a specific place, a source-backed question, and a possible introduction.

The work draws on National Data System. Further reading includes the labeled community rankings at Follow Your Heart and ZIP housing tools at Move Where Love Is. Each source keeps its own definitions and purpose.

Try this: Tell us the place, the question, and the next step you want help preparing. Use the briefing form when you are ready.

YOUR QUESTION. YOUR WORKING NOTES.

My Diplomacy Notebook

Keep your goal, research, sources, and next step together. Open this notebook from any page and continue where you left off.

What do you want to accomplish?For example: “We want to meet someone who can help us find buyers for our food products.”Research notes and questions

Add sources, contacts, and a date

Sources or contactsGeographic definitionReporting year or periodLimits or unanswered questionsDate checked

My next step

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My Research Workspace →

Copy, download, and print include your goal, all saved notes, and saved research with its source details. For a PDF, choose “Save as PDF” in the print window.

Saved on this browser and device. Notes stay separate from contact forms. Clearing this site’s browser data removes saved notes. How notes are saved.

Why we do this

A city may have friends around the world. A business may have a great product. A family may be planning a move. Each needs a way to turn a big question into a useful next step.

Commercial Diplomacy Index brings relationships and evidence together. We ask who may need what a place offers, who can help, and what facts support the next conversation.

Powered by National Data System

National Data System provides the research foundation behind this publication. We connect place information, community evidence, and economic signals, while keeping the source and its limits clear.

Christopher C. Herring guides the development of this publication, bringing experience in international business, chamber leadership, and publishing.

Research international opportunities with evidence

Commercial Diplomacy Index is a National Data System research publication for comparing export markets, exploring Sister and Friendship City opportunities, and finding U.S. community connections. Cities, chambers, businesses, universities, and people planning a move can use the country scores, dated source records, and practical guides to prepare their next conversation.

The Country Readiness edition, Economic Opportunity component, and published Sister City research leads have separate purposes and methods. The wider six-pillar index remains under development. Read our site research guide in text format for a concise map of the publication and its sources.

What you can explore

Sister & Friendship City research helps you explore possible relationships.
Existing relationships shows connections listed in the source directory.
Four business questions help you think about customers, suppliers, investment, research, and useful introductions.
World city facts and country data help you learn about a place.
Diplomacy networks help you find people and organizations to learn from.
U.S. relocation tools connect housing research, Heritage Search, and requests for help finding a real estate agent.

Our Media Room brings together published video and audio conversations, summaries, and transcripts.

A connection is a starting point

A listing does not tell us what two places are doing together today. A research lead does not promise a sale. We keep possible connections, listed relationships, and measured results distinct so you can ask better questions.

The six-pillar Commercial Diplomacy Index is a framework under development. Published Sister City research has its own methods and source release. Read the methodology and coverage notes to understand what each part can show.

Every place deserves to be seen

Opportunity can begin in a large city or a small community. We aim to make places across the world easier to find. When evidence is missing, we say so. We do not treat a missing value as proof that a place lacks potential.

Build the next connection with us

We welcome questions from cities, chambers, businesses, universities, community groups, and people planning a move. Tell us what you hope to do and where you want to begin.

Request a commercial diplomacy briefing

Global relationships.A useful next step.