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( CIA World Factbook)
The World Factbook (ISSN 1553-8133; also known as the CIA World Factbook)[2] 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[3] U.S.-recognized countries, dependencies, and other areas in the world. In researching the Factbook, the CIA uses the sources listed below. Other public and private sources are also consulted.[4] 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.[4] However, the CIA requests that it be cited when the Factbook is used.[6] 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.[7] Before November 2001, The World Factbook website was updated yearly.[8] Since then, the Factbook website is updated every two weeks; the print edition is still updated annually.[8] Generally, information currently available as of January 1 of the current year[9] is used in preparing the printed Factbook, which is released around the middle of each year.[8]
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