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
President Donald Trump abruptly canceled planned U.S. strikes against Iran on Thursday, saying a multinational agreement to end the conflict had been approved by top Iranian leadership and was awaiting final documents and a formal signing.
Federal authorities said Thursday they have accounted for 146,000 unaccompanied migrant children who entered the United States during former President Joe Biden’s administration, while roughly 300,000 minors remain unaccounted for, amid allegations that many vulnerable children were placed with fraudulent sponsors and exposed to abuse, labor exploitation, and sex trafficking.
Congress left Washington without renewing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, allowing a key foreign surveillance authority used to track foreign terrorists and national security threats to expire Friday.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on June 11 temporarily allowed President Donald Trump’s 10 percent global tariffs to remain in effect, extending a pause on a lower court ruling that had struck down the duties as unlawful.
Dutch police detained a young man l man after four people, including three children, were killed when a car struck a group of cyclists during a school outing near the Belgian border on Thursday, officials said.
The leaders of Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia are expected to meet this month amid growing debate within the European Union over how future member states should be admitted and monitored.
China has condemned the European Union’s ban on public funding for Chinese-made solar inverters, a move that analysts say could affect more than a fifth of new solar capacity and complicate efforts to meet the bloc’s self-imposed “climate targets.”
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