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The World Factbook (ISSN 1553-8133; also known as the CIA World Factbook)[Central Intelligence Agency (2008-01-03). Where in the World is Mt. Kilimanjaro? Visit the CIA World Factbook to Find Out. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.] is an annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. The Factbook provides a two- to three-page summary of the demographics, geography, communications, government, economy, and military of 266[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Notes and Definitions: Entities. Retrieved on 2008-02-29. “"Independent state" refers to a people politically organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory. * * * There are a total of 266 separate geographic entities in The World Factbook that may be categorized as follows...”] 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.[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Contributors and Copyright Information. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. “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 permission of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).”] However, it is frequently used as a resource for student papers, web sites and non-governmental publications.[Central Intelligence Agency (2006-04-05). "CIA World Factbook 2006 Now Available". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-01-11. “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.”] As a work of the U.S. government, it is in the public domain.[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Can I use some or all of The World Factbook for my Web site (book, research project, homework, etc.)?. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. “The World Factbook is in the public domain and may be used freely by anyone at anytime without seeking permission.* * * As a courtesy, please cite The World Factbook when used.”]
Factbook sources
In researching the Factbook, the CIA uses the sources listed below. Other public and private sources are also consulted.[
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Copyright
 The World Factbook website as it appeared in January 2008. Because the Factbook is in the public domain, people are free to redistribute and modify it in any way that they like, without permission of the CIA.[ However, the CIA requests that it be cited when the Factbook is used.][ The official seal of the CIA, however, may not be copied without permission as required by the CIA Act of 1949 (50 U.S.C. section 403m). Misuse of the official seal of the CIA could result in civil and criminal penalties.][Central Intelligence Agency. Use of the Central Intelligence Agency Seal. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. “Federal law prohibits use of the words "Central Intelligence Agency," the initials "CIA," the seal of the Central Intelligence Agency, or any colorable imitation of such words, initials, or seal in connection with any merchandise, impersonation, solicitation, or commercial activity in a manner reasonably calculated to convey the impression that such use is approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Central Intelligence Agency.”]
Frequency of updates and availability
Before November 2001, The World Factbook website was updated yearly.[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): How often is The World Factbook updated?. Retrieved on 2008-01-02. “Formerly our Web site (and the published Factbook) were only updated annually. Beginning in November 2001 we instituted a new system of more frequent online updates. The World Factbook is currently updated every two weeks. The annual printed version of the Factbook is usually released about midyear.”] Since then, the Factbook website is updated every two weeks; the print edition is still updated annually.[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Notes and Definitions: Date of information. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. “In general, information available as of 1 January 2007 was used in the preparation of this edition.”] is used in preparing the printed Factbook, which is released around the middle of each year.
The government edition of the Factbook
The first classified edition of Factbook was published in August 1962 and the first unclassified version in June 1971.[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook -- History. Retrieved on 2007-03-03. “The first classified Factbook was published in August 1962, and the first unclassified version was published in June 1971.” ] The World Factbook has been available to the public in print since 1975[Miller, Jill Young. "CIA puts data on the internet." Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel 12 December 1994.] The Web version gets an average of 6 million visits per month;[ it can also be downloaded.][Central Intelligence Agency. CIA Download Page. Retrieved on 2007-06-10.] The official printed version is sold[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Purchasing Information. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. “Other users may obtain sales information about printed copies from the following: Superintendent of Documents...National Technical Information Service”] at cost by the Government Printing Office and National Technical Information Service. In past years, the Factbook was available on CD-ROM,[Directorate of Intelligence (1999). The World Factbook 1999 - Purchasing Information (mirror). Retrieved on 2006-09-24. “The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) prepares The World Factbook in printed, CD-ROM, and Internet versions.”] microfiche, magnetic tape, and floppy disk.[Directorate of Intelligence (1995). Publication Information for The World Factbook 1995 (mirror). Retrieved on 2006-09-24. “This publication is also available in microfiche, magnetic tape, or computer diskettes.”]
Reprints
 The World Factbook 2008 (Skyhorse Publishing reprint edition) cover.  The World Factbook 2008 (Potomac Books reprint edition) cover. Many Internet sites use information and images from the CIA World Factbook.[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): I am using the Factbook online and it is not working. What is wrong?. Retrieved on 2006-09-24. “Hundreds of “Factbook” look-alikes exist on the Internet. The Factbook site at: www.cia.gov is the only official site.”] Several publishers, including Grand River Books,[Texas A&M University Libraries. Introduction to Comparative Politics POLS 329. Retrieved on 2008-01-02. “The world factbook (Handbook of the Nations). Detroit, Mich.: Grand River Books, 1981-.”] Potomac Books (formerly known as Brassy\'s Inc.),[Potomac Books. The World Factbook 2008 CIA\'s 2007 Edition. Retrieved on 2008-01-02.] and Skyhorse Publishing[Skyhorse Publishing. CIA World Factbook 2008, The. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.] have re-published the factbook in recent years.
Entities in the Factbook
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As of February 2008, The World Factbook consists of 266 entities.
- Independent countries
- This category has independent countries, which the CIA defines as people "politically organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory".
- Others
- The Other category is a list of other places set apart from the list of independent countries. Currently there are two: Taiwan and the European Union.
- Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty
- This category is a list of places affiliated with another country. They may be subdivided into categories using the country they are affiliated with:
- Miscellaneous
- This category is for Antarctica and places in dispute. There are six entities.
- Other entities
- This category is for the World and the oceans. There are five oceans and the World (the World entry is intended as a summary of the other 265 entries).
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Oddities and controversies
Political
- Areas not covered
Specific regions within a country or areas in dispute among countries, such as Kashmir, are not covered,[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Why don’t you include information on entities such as Tibet, Kashmir, or Kosovo?. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. “Also included in the Factbook are entries on parts of the world whose status has not yet been resolved (e.g., West Bank, Spratly Islands). Specific regions within a country or areas in dispute among countries are not covered.”] but other areas of the world whose status is disputed, such as the Spratly Islands, have entries.[Directorate of Intelligence (2006-09-19). The World Factbook - Spratly Islands. Retrieved on 2006-09-24.] Subnational areas of countries (such as US States or the Canadian provinces and territories) are not included in the Factbook. Instead, users looking for information about subnational areas are referred to "a good encyclopedia" for their reference needs.[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Why doesn\'t The World Factbook include information on states, departments, provinces, etc., in the country format?. Retrieved on 2007-05-26. “The World Factbook provides national-level information on countries, territories, and dependencies, but not subnational administrative units within a country. A good encyclopedia should provide state/province-level information.”] This criterion was invoked in the 2007 edition with the decision to drop the entries for French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion. They were dropped due to the fact that besides being overseas departments, they were now overseas regions, and a part of France.[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Why has The World Factbook dropped the four French departments of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, and French Guiana?. Retrieved on 2007-05-26. “The reason the four entities are no longer in The World Factbook is because their status has changed. While they are overseas departments of France, they are also now recognized as French regions, having equal status to the 22 metropolitan regions that make up European France.”]
- Kashmir
- Maps depicting Kashmir have the India–Pakistan border drawn at the Line of Control, but the region of Kashmir administered by China drawn in hash marks.
[Directorate of Intelligence (2006-09-19). The World Factbook - China (map). Retrieved on 2006-09-24.]
- Northern Cyprus
- Northern Cyprus is not given a separate entry or listed as part of Turkey because "territorial occupations/annexations not recognized by the United States Government are not shown on U.S. Government maps."
[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Why are the Golan Heights not shown as part of Israel or Northern Cyprus with Turkey?. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. “Territorial occupations/annexations not recognized by the United States Government are not shown on US Government maps.”]
- Taiwan/Republic of China
- Taiwan has a separate entry not listed under T, but at the bottom of the list.
[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Country Listing. Retrieved on 2006-09-23.] The name "Republic of China" is not listed as Taiwan\'s "official name" under the "Government" section,[Directorate of Intelligence (2006-09-19). The World Factbook - Taiwan. Retrieved on 2006-09-23.] due to U.S. recognition of Beijing\'s One-China policy according to which there is one China - the People\'s Republic of China - and Taiwan is a part of it.[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Why are Taiwan and the European Union listed out of alphabetical order at the end of the Factbook entries?. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. “Taiwan is listed after the regular entries because even though the mainland People\'s Republic of China claims Taiwan, elected Taiwanese authorities de facto administer the island and reject mainland sovereignty claims. * * * The European Union (EU) is not a country, but it has taken on many nation-like attributes and these are likely to be expanded in the future.”] The name "Republic of China" was briefly added on January 27, 2005[Directorate of Intelligence (2005-01-27). The World Factbook - Taiwan (mirror). Retrieved on 2006-09-23.] but has since been changed back to "none".[Directorate of Intelligence (2006-09-19). The World Factbook - Taiwan. Retrieved on 2006-09-23.] (See also: Political status of Taiwan, Legal status of Taiwan)
- Burma/Myanmar
- The U.S. does not recognize the renaming of Burma by its ruling military junta to Myanmar and thus keeps its entry for the country under "Burma". This is done because the name change "was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma". As a result, the US government has never adopted the name Myanmar.
[Directorate of Intelligence (2006-09-19). The World Factbook - Burma. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. “since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw”<]ref>
- Macedonia
- The Republic of Macedonia is entered under Macedonia.
[Directorate of Intelligence (2006-09-19). The World Factbook - Macedonia. Retrieved on 2006-09-23.] This is despite the fact that no international organizations such as the United Nations,[United Nations General Assembly. Admission of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to membership in the United Nations. Retrieved on 2008-02-08. “Decides to admit the State whose application is contained in document
]
A/47/876-S/25147 to membership in the United Nations, this State being
provisionally referred to for all purposes within the United Nations as "the
former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" pending settlement of the difference
that has arisen over the name of the State.” the European Union,[European Commission. Background information - The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Retrieved on 2006-09-24. “The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was the first country in the region to sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement in April 2001 (in force since April 2004).”] NATO,[North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "The situation in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is critical". Retrieved on 2006-09-24.] the European Broadcasting Union,[European Broadcasting Union. Members\' Logos. Retrieved on 2006-09-24.] and the International Olympic Committee[International Olympic Committee. List of National Olympic Committees Participating In the XIX Olympic Winter Games In Salt Lake City. Retrieved on 2006-09-24.] use this short form (they all use the phrase The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia). The history of the name used for the entry is a bit complex. In the 1992 edition of The World Factbook, the entry for the nation was listed under the former[Directorate of Intelligence (1992). The World Factbook 1992 - Notes, Definitions, and Abbreviations. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. “Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovenia have replaced Yugoslavia.”] (at the same time, new entries were added for the then 20 nations that were formed out of the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia; the latter two being dropped.) In the 1994 edition, the name of the entry was changed to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.[Directorate of Intelligence (1994). The World Factbook 1994 - Notes, Definitions, and Abbreviations. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. “The name of Macedonia was changed to The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).”] For the next decade, this was the name the nation was listed under. Finally, in the 2004 edition of the Factbook, the name of the entry was changed back to Macedonia.[Directorate of Intelligence (2004-11-30). The World Factbook - Macedonia (mirror). Retrieved on September 23, 2006.] This came after a November 2004 US decision to refer to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as the Republic of Macedonia.[Staff reporter. "US snubs Greece over Macedonia", BBC News, 2004-11-04. Retrieved on 2006-09-23. "Greece has protested strongly at a decision by the US to refer to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) simply as "Macedonia"." ] (See also Macedonia naming dispute.)
- European Union
- On December 16, 2004, the CIA added an entry for the European Union (EU).
[Directorate of Intelligence (2006-09-19). The World Factbook - European Union. Retrieved on 2006-09-23.] (Before this date, the EU was excluded from the Factbook.[Directorate of Intelligence. The World Factbook - Why doesn\'t The World Factbook include information on states, departments, provinces, the European Union, etc., in the country format? (mirror). Retrieved on 2007-06-02. “The World Factbook provides national-level information on countries, territories, and dependencies, but not on subnational administrative units within a country or supranational entities like the European Union.”]) According to the CIA, the European Union was added because the EU "continues to accrue more nation-like characteristics for itself". - United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges and Iles Eparses
- In the 2006 edition of The World Factbook, the entries for Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Kingman Reef, Johnston Atoll, Palmyra Atoll, and the Midway Islands were merged into a new United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges entry.
[Directorate of Intelligence (2006-09-19). The World Factbook - United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges. Retrieved on 2006-09-23.] The old entries for each individual insular area remain as redirects on the Factbook website.[For an example of a redirect, see what happens with the profile for Kingman Reef.] On September 7, 2006, the CIA also merged the entries for Bassas da India, Europa Island, the Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island into a new Iles Eparses entry.[Directorate of Intelligence (2006-09-19). The World Factbook - Iles Eparses (mirror). Retrieved on 2007-11-10.] As with the new United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges entry, the old entries for these five islands remained as redirects on the website.[For an example of a redirect, see what happens with the profile for Juan de Nova Island (mirror).] On July 19, 2007 the Iles Eparses entry and redirects for each island were dropped due to the group becoming a district of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands in February.[Directorate of Intelligence (2007-07-19). CIA - The World Factbook 2007: What\'s New. Retrieved on 2007-07-20. “The five former entities of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island, previously grouped as Iles Eparses (Scattered Islands), now constitute a district of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.”]
- Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro
- Yugoslavia has had a confusing history in the Factbook. Before 1992, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) was included in the Factbook.
[Directorate of Intelligence (1989). Yugoslavia Government - 1989: 1989 CIA World Factbook (mirror). Retrieved on 2006-10-29.] In 1992, the entry was dropped[ In doing this, the CIA listed the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) as Serbia and Montenegro.][Directorate of Intelligence (1992). 1992 CIA World Factbook: Serbia and Montenegro (mirror). Retrieved on 2006-10-29.] This was done in accordance with a May 21, 1992 decision[Department of State. Chiefs of Mission by Country, 1778-2005: Serbia and Montenegro. Retrieved on 2006-10-30. “On May 21, 1992, the United States announced that it did not recognize the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which was composed of the Republics of Serbia and Montenegro, as a successor state of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.”] by the US Government not to recognize the FRY (or any of the other republics)[White, Mary Jo (2000). 767 Third Avenue Associates v. United States: BRIEF FOR AMICUS CURIAE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SUPPORTING APPELLEES AND SUPPORTING AFFIRMANCE IN PART AND REVERSAL IN PART (MS Word). Retrieved on 2007-02-03. “Since 1992, the United States has taken the position that the SFRY has ceased to exist, that there is no state representing the continuation of the SFRY, and that five successors have arisen -- the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) (“FRY(S&M)”), the Republic of Slovenia ("Slovenia"), the Republic of Croatia ("Croatia"), the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina ("Bosnia-Herzegovina"), and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia ("FYROM")”] as successor states to the recently dissolved SFRY. The US Government also decided not recognize the FRY itself as a state.[Department of State (August 1999). Serbia and Montenegro (08/99) (See Yugoslavia). Retrieved on 2007-02-03. “(Serbia and Montenegro have asserted the formation of a joint independent state, but this entity
]
has not been recognized as a state by the United States.)”
- These views were made clear in a disclaimer printed in the Factbook:
[Directorate of Intelligence (1999). CIA -- The World Factbook 1999 -- Serbia and Montenegro (mirror). Retrieved on 2006-10-30. “Serbia and Montenegro have asserted the formation of a joint independent state, but this entity has not been formally recognized as a state by the US. The US view is that the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) has dissolved and that none of the successor republics represents its continuation.”]
- Besides the disclaimer, the republics of Serbia and Montenegro were treated separately in the data, as can be seen in the map to the right.
[For an example, see the profile for the FRY in the 1999 World Factbook.] In October 2000, Slobodan Milošević resigned after a disputed election held the previous month.[Staff reporter. "Kostunica sworn in as president of Yugoslavia", CNN, 2000-10-07. Retrieved on 2006-10-30. ] This event caused a change in the 2001 edition of the Factbook, with the Serbia and Montenegro entity being renamed Yugoslavia.[Directorate of Intelligence (2001). CIA -- The World Factbook -- Notes and Definitions. Retrieved on 2006-10-30. “The entity of Serbia and Montenegro is now officially known as Yugoslavia.”] On March 14, 2002, an agreement was signed to transform the FRY into a loose state union called Serbia and Montenegro;[Staff reporter. "Yugoslav partners sign historic deal", BBC News, 2002-03-14. Retrieved on 2006-10-30. "Serbia and Montenegro have signed an accord which will consign the name Yugoslavia to history and shelve any immediate plans for Montenegrin independence." ] it took effect on February 4, 2003.[Staff reporter. "Yugoslavia consigned to history", BBC News, 2003-02-04. Retrieved on 2006-11-17. "From now on it will be called just Serbia and Montenegro - the two remaining republics joined in a loose union." ] The name of the Yugoslavia entity was changed in the Factbook the month after the change.[Directorate of Intelligence (2003-03-19). CIA - The World Factbook 2002: What\'s new (mirror). Retrieved on 2006-10-29. “Yugoslavia has been renamed Serbia and Montenegro as of 4 February 2003.”]
- East Timor/Timor-Leste
- On July 19, 2007 the entry for East Timor was renamed Timor-Leste following a decision of the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN).
[Directorate of Intelligence (2007-07-19). CIA - The World Factbook 2007: What\'s New. Retrieved on 2007-07-20. “The US Board on Geographic Names (BGN) now recognizes Timor-Leste as the short form name for East Timor* * *”]
- Kosovo
- On February 28, 2008 the CIA added an entry for Kosovo
[Directorate of Intelligence (2008-02-28). The World Factbook - Kosovo. Retrieved on 2008-02-29.]; before this, Kosovo was not included in the Factbook["Kosovo\'s parliament declares independence", CTV.ca, 2008-02-17. Retrieved on 2008-02-29. ] and Serbia
Factual
Before 1998, the United Kingdom profile contained a sentence that asserted the UK had gained independence on 1 January 1801.[Directorate of Intelligence (1996). The World Factbook - United Kingdom (mirror). Retrieved on September 23, 2006.] This terse, confusing description in reference to the Act of Union 1801 has since been greatly expanded.[Directorate of Intelligence (2006-09-19). The World Factbook - United Kingdom. Retrieved on 2006-09-23.]
ISBN numbers
This is a list of International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) for the Government edition[The ISBN for each edition can be found on the Government Printing Office Bookstore website.] of The World Factbook. ISBNs for the Potomac Books and Skyhorse Publishing reprints of the Factbook are noted as well. For the reprint editions, the year of the data is in parentheses.
- government editions
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- Potomac Books reprints
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- Skyhorse Publishing reprints
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See also
Sources
This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.
External links
- 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia |
yes - 71.74%
no - 28.26%
