Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
CIA’s World Factbook Suddenly Discontinued After Decades As Public Intelligence Resource
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – One of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) most recognizable intelligence publications, long sought by journalists and researchers seeking factual information about countries, has suddenly disappeared.
In an online statement seen by Worthy News during research for a separate story, the CIA announced that “The World Factbook has sunset.”
The agency acknowledged that “The World Factbook served the Intelligence Community and the general public as a longstanding, one-stop basic reference about countries and communities around the globe.”
Over “many decades, The World Factbook evolved from a classified to unclassified, hardcopy to electronic product that added new categories, and even new global entities,” the CIA added.
CIA WORLD FACTBOOK REACHES MASSES
The original classified publication, titled The National Basic Intelligence Factbook, was launched in print in 1962. The first unclassified companion version was issued in 1971. A decade later, it was renamed The World Factbook. In 1997, the publication went digital and debuted to a worldwide audience on the CIA.gov website, where it reportedly garnered millions of views each year.
“The World Factbook appealed to researchers, news organizations, teachers, students, and international travelers. Some readers even inquired whether their preferred geographic designation or world entity could be included on the high-profile site,” the CIA said.
“Finally, only CIA insiders would know that officers donated some of their personal travel photos to The World Factbook, which hosted more than 5,000 photographs that were copyright-free for anyone to access and use.”
The announcement posted on the CIA’s website offered no specific reason for ending the Factbook.
STAFF CUTS AND AGENCY PRIORITIES SHIFT
However, the move follows a vow by CIA Director John Ratcliffe to end programs that “don’t advance” the agency’s core missions.
The White House has moved to reduce staffing at the CIA and the National Security Agency early in President Donald J. Trump’s second term, requiring the agencies to operate with fewer resources.
“Though The World Factbook is gone, in the spirit of its global reach and legacy, we hope you will stay curious about the world and find ways to explore it… in person or virtually,” the CIA told readers.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
A damaged Russian gas tanker is drifting unmanned through the Mediterranean Sea, prompting Malta to prepare emergency measures while tensions linked to the war in Ukraine spill into Europe’s energy and security landscape.
Iran launched a new wave of drone and missile attacks on Gulf countries Thursday, the 13th day of the United States-Israel war against Tehran, with strikes reported in Bahrain and other states, sending oil prices sharply higher and raising concerns among foreign workers, including Christians.
Nearly 25,000 Christians, many of them impoverished sanitation workers and day laborers, face possible eviction from their homes in Pakistan’s capital after authorities ordered them to vacate two settlements within days, Christians familiar with the situation confirmed Thursday.
Law enforcement is responding to reports of an active shooter and a vehicle driven into Temple Israel synagogue and school, located in West Bloomfield Township.
U.S. Senate Democrats tanked the Department of Homeland Security funding bill for a fourth time Thursday, ensuring the department’s funding lapse will span at least a month.
A troubling wave of antisemitic incidents has struck Jewish communities across the United States, Canada, and Europe over the past week, prompting heightened security and renewed warnings from officials.
Israel intensified its campaign against Iran on Thursday, striking a nuclear-weapons development facility near Tehran while continuing operations against the regime’s missile and drone infrastructure.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com