Still, Tokyo is the world's most expensive city for expatriates to live in, according to international human-resources consulting firm Mercer.

WSJ: Pampered in Tokyo

President Yahya Jammeh is not known for his disciplined approach and has exasperated international donors by issuing decrees without consulting his administration.

BBC: Gambia struggles with economic reform

I'm not the only one who has fallen for Taipei's newfound appeal: Last year, British consulting firm ECA International ranked it sixth among Asia's most livable cities, ahead of Seoul and Kuala Lumpur.

WSJ: In Taipei, Taiwan, Life in the Slow Lane

Citing data from Deloitte, the consulting firm McMillan Doolittle projects that between 2010 and 2015 international growth for the four giant companies will be at a compound annual growth rate of 9.8% for Walmart, 7.7% for Carrefour, 10.5% for Tesco and 7.4% for Metro.

FORBES: Successful Global Growers: What We Can Learn From Walmart, Carrefour, Tesco, Metro

She advises consulting a good travel doctor for a list of recommended vaccines and medications (the International Society of Travel Medicine has a global directory online).

CNN: Breathe easy: Frequent flyer health tips

She spent several years in strategic consulting and worked with the Dubai International Financial Centre before joining the family business, Depa, for which she then led the IPO.

FORBES: Dubai: The Sanctuary

Many actuaries, such as those in the international consulting firm Oliver Wyman, are now predicting an average increase of roughly 50% in premiums for some in the individual market for the same coverage.

WSJ: Matthews and Litow: ObamaCare's Health-Insurance Sticker Shock

Speaking at a conference in Dublin this week, organised by the Institute of International and European Affairs and the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas, Chris Skrebowski, a consulting editor of Petroleum Review, argued that spare capacity in the oil market could be eroded by 2015.

ECONOMIST: The economic impact of high oil prices

Reputation Institute, a global private consulting firm based in New York, recently ranked 100 businesses that have successfully established strong international names for themselves.

FORBES: Magazine Article