Why Did The CIA End 'The World Factbook'

The Central Intelligence Agency has abruptly shut down The World Factbook, ending decades of public access to one of the U.S. government’s most widely used reference tools.

The site disappeared on February 4 without prior notice or explanation, leaving educators, librarians, journalists, and researchers scrambling for alternatives.

First launched in 1962 for government use and later made public, the Factbook became a trusted source for country-level data on population, economics, health, and security.

CIA ends publication of World Factbook reference tool https://t.co/5NsL1jBwEb

— POLITICO (@politico) February 5, 2026

Teachers and librarians described it as free, reliable, and regularly updated, especially valuable for data on developing nations.

The CIA posted a brief farewell message but declined to clarify why the resource was terminated or whether its data will be archived. Independent technologists have preserved older versions, though recent updates are missing.

The shutdown follows broader concerns about reduced access to federal information since President Donald Trump returned to office. Critics warn the loss weakens public access to neutral, authoritative data.

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