demographic data for all countries - entered into the database. Entries on religions, languages, ethnic groups, and literacy also updated.
February 06, 2009
Country information updated across all categories. Economic data now includes 2008 estimates where available.
November 05, 2008
In order to provide more information on the nature and global dimensions of the current financial crisis, five additional fields appended to the Economy category: "Central bank discount rate," "Commercial bank prime lending rate," "Stock of money," "Stock of quasi money," and "Stock of domestic credit."
August 06, 2008
In the People category, two new fields provide information on education in terms of opportunity and resources: "School Life Expectancy" and "Education expenditures."
November 06, 2007
In the Geography category, two new fields focus on the vital resource of water: "Total renewable water resources" and "Freshwater withdrawal."
October 31, 2007
Three new fields added to the Economy category: "Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad," "Stock of direct foreign investment - at home," "Market value of publicly traded shares."
Ongoing
Revision of some individual country maps, first introduced in the 2001 edition, continues. Several regional maps have been updated to reflect boundary changes and place name spelling changes.
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About :: DID YOU KNOW?
The World Factbook is one of the US Government's most accessed publications.
The World Factbook, produced for US policymakers and coordinated throughout the US Intelligence Community, presents the basic realities about the world in which we live. We share these facts with the people of all nations in the belief that knowledge of the truth underpins the functioning of free societies.
Who uses The World Factbook?
A wide variety of folks including US Government officials, researchers, news organizations, corporations, geographers, teachers, professors, librarians, and students. In short, anyone looking for an expansive body of international data on a recently updated Web site.
The World Factbook is a one-stop reference site.
Although many of the facts presented in The Factbook may be found in various other publications, they are conveniently gathered together in one place only at The World Factbook Web site.
The World Factbook is a unique reference in that it is updated continuously - on average, every week.
Information in The Factbook is collected from - and coordinated with - a wide variety of US Government agencies, as well as from hundreds of published sources.
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References :: Guide to Country Profiles
These are the Categories, Fields, and subfields of information generally recorded for each country. Links are to the Definitions and Notes about each entry.
Introduction ::
Background:
Geography ::
Location:
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Area:
total
land
water
Area - comparative:
Land boundaries:
total
border countries
Coastline:
Maritime claims:
territorial sea
contiguous zone
exclusive economic zone
continental shelf
exclusive fishing zone
Climate:
Terrain:
Elevation extremes:
lowest point
highest point
Natural resources:
Land use:
arable land
permanent crops
other
Irrigated land:
Total Renewable Water Resources:
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total
per capita
Natural hazards:
volcanism
Environment - current issues:
Environment - international agreements:
party to
signed, but not ratified
Geography - note:
People ::
Population:
Age structure:
0–14 years
15–64 years
65 years and over
Median Age:
total
male
female
Population growth rate:
Birth rate:
Death rate:
Net migration rate:
Sex ratio:
at birth
under 15 years
15–64 years
65 years and over
total population
Infant mortality rate:
total
male
female
Life expectancy at birth:
total population
male
female
Total fertility rate:
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk
food or waterborne diseases
vectorborne diseases
water contact diseases
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease
respiratory disease
animal contact disease
Nationality:
noun
adjective
Ethnic groups:
Religions:
Languages:
Literacy:
definition