Pathways to the Spanish- and French-speaking worlds! 

The most comprehensive site linking you quickly to any aspect of the Spanish-speaking world:  http://www.lawrence.edu/fast/faresg/sites.htm

To start general research on a particular country, the CIA World Factbook:  http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html can be useful.   You will find the most recently updated statistics and maps for any country in the world. 

For a general history of Spanish language and literature:
http://www.orbilat.com/Languages/Spanish/Spanish.html

For exploring African heritage in Latin America with Dr. Henry Louis Gates (includes many extra resources and activities): http://www.pbs.org/wnet/black-in-latin-america

To plan  and organize your research for projects, use the Research Project Calculator:  http://rpc.elm4you.org