The World Factbook
Emblem of The World Factbook | |
| Language | American 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, is a reference resource produced by the United States' 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, 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. It is also frequently used as a resource for academic research papers and news articles. As a work of the U.S. government, it is in the public domain in the United States.