The first of two introductory essays in this handbook presents a historical perspective on international early childhood education; the second provides a cross-national analysis of themes in late 20th century child care and early education. The bulk of the document consists of essays that review early childhood, preschool, primary, or elementary education in Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, the People's Republic of China, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Yemen. Topics discussed in these essays include curriculum, teacher education, parent involvement and education, the historical background of education, special needs children, day care, school organization, and educational theories and philosophy. Most of the essays contain a reference list. The book itself contains a bibliography of approximately 300 works in English that present an overview of early childhood education in a particular country or compare early childhood education in two or more countries. (BC)