The CIA World Factbook 2009 [Paperback]

Central Intelligence Agency (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 2008 | ISBN-10: 160239282X | ISBN-13: 978-1602392823

A country-by-country guide to the world—the product of 67 years of CIA intelligence.

From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, The CIA World Factbook 2009 offers complete and up-to-date information on the world’s nations. This all-inclusive reference guide has been updated for 2009 with detailed information on politics, populations, military expenditures, economics, and much more. It includes:
     • Useful maps with new geopolitical data
     • Details on prominent political parties, and contact information for diplomatic consultation
     • A full description of the population of each country, with information on literacy rates, HIV prevalence, and age structure
     • A complete economic overview, from household income to gross domestic product
     • Information on transportation and communication infrastructure.
     • New data on military expenditures and capabilities
     • User-friendly headings, sub-headings, an index, and a list of physical coordinates of major places for easy reading

There are also appendices offering useful abbreviations, a list of international organizations and groups, international environmental agreements, the conversion of weights and measures, and more. Originally intended for use by government officials, this amazingly useful reference guide is a must for every student, traveler, journalist, and businessperson. 160 black-and-white illustrations

Editorial Reviews

Review

There are great trivia nuggets amid the very detailed country-by-country reports. (Al Kamen - The Washington Post )

About the Author

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), established in 1947, is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior United States policymakers and is located in Langley, Virginia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 864 pages
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing (October 21, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 160239282X
• ISBN-13: 978-1602392823
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7.1 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #872,632 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The 2009 version looks clearer and works faster on the Kindle, August 12, 2009

By 

Linda Vasquez (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: CIA World Factbook 2009 - Complete Unabridged Edition. Detailed Country Maps and other information. Published by MobileReference (mobi). (Kindle Edition)

Excellent compilation of concise information about all countries in the world. The book has all kinds of maps: individual countries, continents, time zones, etc. The maps looks clear on my Kindle 2. To maximize map size I found that I could point and click the 5-was controller. That is sometimes helpful when reading small print on a map.

I first purchased the CIA World Factbook 2007 and used it for some time. I do not know what CIA did to the book, but the 2009 version looks clearer and works faster on the Kindle while it contains more updated information.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Morning, Mr. Phelps, April 15, 2009

By 

John W. Pearson "John Pearson Associates" (San Clemente, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The CIA World Factbook 2009 (Paperback)

You know where Somalia is, but maybe your spouse or friends can't peg it on a map of Africa. East? South? Is it near Ethiopia or Kenya, or both? You can google it, but you're on the Internet far too often anyway and two hours later, you will have forgotten why you began surfing.

Solution? Buy The CIA World Factbook 2009, prepared by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, and keep it by your favorite family room chair. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, the book includes massive amounts of information on every country in the world.

So back to Somalia and the pirate problem. How do you think (and pray) about this? How big is the problem? Well, the latest CIA figures show a population of 9.8 million in a country "slightly smaller than Texas" with 1.1 million IDPs (internally displaced persons). The median age is 17.5 and life expectancy for males is just under 48 years. There's a clue. If you serve with an international relief organization, skip the senior citizen outreach idea.

The CIA defines literacy as the percentage of those 15 and over who can read and write. Female literacy in Somalia is just 25.8 percent; male literacy is 49.7 percent for a total population literacy of 37.8 percent. There are seven airports with paved runways and 60 airports with unpaved runways. (Captain "Sully" recommends the paved runways.)

I bought the big and clunky $60 hardback coffee table book in 2006 and use it frequently, including last week while preparing for an international trip. The 2009 paperback, published in October 2008, has 864 pages. Happy surfing--the old-fashioned way. However, the CIA also publishes this information online. I dare you to check out Somalia (updated this month) and refrain from browsing other countries.

At your next office staff meeting, toss these questions to your team members:
1) Pop quiz! The G-20 countries just met. List all 20 countries.
2) "Good morning, Mr. Phelps. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to halt the piracy problem off the coast of Somalia--and restore growth and development to the country. We have grants available for faith-based organizations in this predominantly Sunni Muslim country. Any ideas? This tape will self-destruct in five seconds."

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thicker This Year, February 24, 2009

By 

Randy Given (Manchester, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The CIA World Factbook 2009 (Paperback)

One of the few international must-have books around. This year's edition is about the same number of pages but probably 50% thicker. That has pros and cons. It doesn't seem as thin or that the ink will rub off on your fingers but it's heftier to hold. Not a big deal, just noticeable. I was happy with some of the accurate updates I saw (no, I didn't read the whole thing).