The 2010 CIA World Factbook

About this book

The 2010 CIA World Factbook is a comprehensive reference work compiled by the United States Central Intelligence Agency, covering world politics, geography, political science, and statistical data. Its opening pages launch a rapid succession of updates, noting new fields such as rare‑earth element listings, national anthem details, and expanded definitions for legal systems, while chronicling weekly revisions to economic, demographic, and environmental statistics for every recognized entity, now 267 in total. The text reads like a log of continual enhancements, from added photographs of specific nations to the introduction of “Country Comparisons” and refined monetary categories, all anchored in a meticulous schedule of bi‑weekly and weekly releases.

The voice is that of a government‑produced handbook: formal, data‑driven, and devoid of narrative flourish, reflecting the early‑2010s era of digital information gathering. Its style is terse, entry‑by‑entry, with occasional explanatory notes that assume a reader comfortable navigating technical tables. Scholars, policy analysts, educators, and anyone needing authoritative, up‑to‑date country profiles will find this factbook a valuable, if dense, tool for research and comparative analysis.