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The World Factbook

The World Factbook provides basic intelligence on the history, people, government, economy, energy, geography, environment, communications, transportation, military, terrorism, and transnational issues for 265 world entities.

Travel the globe with CIA’s World Factbook.

Fact of the Day

What's New

November 7, 2024

Fun Factbook Facts: Three countries on The World Factbook website are the only countries whose names begin with those letters -- Oman, Qatar, and Yemen. The most common first letter is "S," with a total of 33 countries.

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The World

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Part of a flag display in one of the buildings of the UN Office in Vienna.
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World Travel Facts

Travel more intelligently with The World Factbook Travel Facts. Here’s what you should know about each country before you go.

Country Factsheets

Pressed for time? Check out our factsheets for essential information on each country.

Flags of the World

Every flag has a story. View flags of all the world’s countries and territories to learn the symbolism behind each design.

Country Comparisons

Love data? The World Factbook has over 50 rank order pages that compare country data in specific fields.

World Factbook Is Just the Start. Apply for a Job at CIA.

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