 |
 Emblem of The World Factbook | |
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subject | General |
| Genre | Almanac about the countries of the world |
| Publisher | Central Intelligence Agency |
Publication date | See frequency of updates and availability, no longer published in paper book form by the CIA |
| Publication place | United States |
| Website | www |
The World Factbook, also known as the CIA World Factbook,[1] is a reference resource produced by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. The official print version is available from the Government Publishing Office. The Factbook is available in website and downloadable formats. It provides a two- to three-page summary of the demographics, geography, communications, government, economy, and military of 266 international entities,[2] including U.S.-recognized countries, dependencies, and other areas in the world.
The World Factbook is prepared by the CIA for the use of U.S. government officials, and its style, format, coverage, and content are primarily designed to meet their requirements.[3] It is also frequently used as a resource for academic research papers and news articles.[4] As a work of the U.S. government, it is in the public domain in the United States.[5]
- ^ Central Intelligence Agency (January 3, 2008). "Where in the World is Mt. Kilimanjaro? Visit the CIA World Factbook to Find Out". Archived from the original on January 14, 2009. Retrieved January 4, 2008.
- ^ "The World Factbook". CIA. January 5, 2023. Archived from the original on January 4, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ^ Directorate of Intelligence. "About The World Factbook—Copyright and Contributors". Archived from the original on December 30, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
The World Factbook is prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency for the use of US Government officials, and the style, format, coverage, and content are designed to meet their specific requirements. Information is provided by other public and private sources. The Factbook is in the public domain. Accordingly, it may be copied freely without the permission of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
- ^ "CIA World Factbook 2006 Now Available" (Press release). Central Intelligence Agency. April 5, 2006. Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved January 11, 2007.
The World Factbook remains the CIA's most widely disseminated and most popular product, now averaging almost 6 million visits each month. In addition, tens of thousands of government, commercial, academic, and other Web sites link to or replicate the online version of the Factbook. * * * Included among the 271 geographic entries is one for the "World", which incorporates data and other information summarized where possible from the other 270 country listings.
- ^ "The World Factbook - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)". CIA. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.