The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has ceased publication of 'The World Factbook' after more than 60 years. This decision surprised many researchers and analysts who used the publication as an authoritative source of data on countries around the world. The last edition, released in 2020, contained information on the demography, economy, politics, and geography of 267 countries and territories. The CIA explained its decision by stating that the information in the book is now available in other open sources, primarily on the internet. Nevertheless, many experts regret the discontinuation of such a unique resource, which for many years remained an indispensable tool for scholars and diplomats.
