The CIA World Factbook Lives On
After the CIA discontinued The World Factbook in February 2026, OpenFactBook continues its legacy as a free, community-maintained resource.
What Happened to The World Factbook?
On February 4, 2026, the Central Intelligence Agency announced the discontinuation of The World Factbook, a comprehensive resource that had provided country data to millions of users for decades. The entire site, including historical archives, was taken offline.
The World Factbook was one of the most trusted sources for country information, used by students, researchers, journalists, and anyone seeking reliable data about the world's nations.
OpenFactBook: Continuing the Mission
Same Comprehensive Data
Access detailed information on 261 countries and territories, including geography, demographics, government structure, economy, military, and more.
Enhanced with Modern Data
We've enriched the original Factbook data with World Bank historical trends, currency information, and additional metadata from REST Countries.
Free & Open Source
OpenFactBook is completely free to use. No registration, no API keys, no paywalls. The data is public domain and always will be.
Developer-Friendly API
Access all country data programmatically through our free JSON API. Perfect for applications, research, and data analysis.
What You'll Find
Location, climate, terrain, natural resources
Population, languages, religions, demographics
Political structure, leaders, legal system
GDP, industries, trade, economic indicators
Transportation, communications, energy
Armed forces, defense spending, capabilities
Start Exploring
The World Factbook's mission continues. Explore comprehensive, reliable country data—completely free.