Resource Library
36 resources — PDFs, datasets, videos, audio, and interactive tools
Country Data Field Reference
Complete reference of all 200+ data fields used in the World Factbook, with descriptions, units, and data availability by edition.
World Geography Quick Reference
Compact reference card with key geographic facts: largest/smallest countries, highest/lowest points, longest rivers, and more.
CIA World Factbook 2024 (Full PDF)
Complete PDF version of the 2024 CIA World Factbook with all country profiles, maps, and appendices.
World Regions Classification Guide
Detailed guide to the geographic region classification system used in the Factbook, including country assignments and border cases.
Population Trends 1990-2024
Statistical analysis of global population changes across 33 editions, highlighting fastest growing and declining nations.
GDP Rankings Evolution
Visual report showing how GDP rankings have shifted over three decades of Factbook data.
Country Flag Identification Guide
Visual guide to identifying all 256 country flags with descriptions of symbols, colors, and historical significance.
World Factbook Country Comparison Guide
Reference guide for comparing country statistics across key indicators like GDP, population, and area.
Definitions and Notes
Official CIA definitions for all data fields used in the World Factbook, including methodology notes.
External Data Sources
CIA World Factbook Archives
Official CIA archives with yearly snapshots from 2000-2025
factbook.json on GitHub
Machine-readable JSON format of the World Factbook
Project Gutenberg Editions
Historical text editions from 1990-2010
UPenn Online Books
Serial listing of World Factbook editions
Wayback Machine
Archived snapshots of the CIA Factbook website
World Bank Open Data
Complementary economic and development indicators
CIA Original Factbook Editions
9 archived editions — browse the original CIA World Factbook files or download as ZIP
2019 Edition
CIA World Factbook
2018 Edition
CIA World Factbook
2017 Edition
CIA World Factbook
2016 Edition
CIA World Factbook
2015 Edition
CIA World Factbook
2014 Edition
CIA World Factbook
2013 Edition
CIA World Factbook
2012 Edition
CIA World Factbook
2011 Edition
CIA World Factbook
About CIA Original Factbook Archives
These are the original CIA World Factbook HTML files as published by the Central Intelligence Agency. Each edition contains country profiles, maps, and reference data as they appeared in that year. Browse them online or download the full ZIP archive for offline use via the Download Center.
Gutenberg Text Editions
22 plain-text editions from Project Gutenberg — read online or download
About Gutenberg Text Editions
These plain-text editions were sourced from Project Gutenberg and cover the years 1990–2010. Click "Read" to view the full text in your browser, or download the .txt file for offline use via the Download Center.
HathiTrust Text Editions
10 plain-text editions from HathiTrust Digital Library — read online or download
About HathiTrust Text Editions
These plain-text editions were sourced from the HathiTrust Digital Library, a partnership of academic and research institutions. Click "Read" to view the full text in your browser, or download the .txt file for offline use via the Download Center.