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AP
Washington, Updated At : 11:24 AM Feb 05, 2026 IST
Shut the cover on the CIA World Factbook: the agency announced Wednesday that it is ending the longtime reference guide after more than six decades.
The brief notice posted to the CIA’s website gave no explanation for the decision. The move comes after Director John Ratcliffe pledged to eliminate programs he judges are not central to the agency’s core missions.
The Factbook began in 1962 as a printed, classified handbook for intelligence officers, providing statistical and descriptive profiles of foreign countries, including their economies, militaries, resources and societies. Its usefulness led other federal agencies to rely on it, and an unclassified edition for the public followed within a decade.
Moved online in 1997, the Factbook became a widely used resource for journalists, trivia fans and students, drawing millions of annual visits.
The White House has pushed to reduce staffing at the CIA and the National Security Agency early in former President Trump’s second term, a shift that has required the agencies to operate with slimmer personnel levels.
The CIA did not respond Wednesday to requests for comment about discontinuing the Factbook.
