CIA ends publication of popular World Factbook reference tool

By AP 5 February 2026, 7:51 am

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CIA Director John Ratcliffe, seated at center, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, standing in back, listen during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The CIA announces that after more than 60 years, it is shuttering the popular World Factbook reference manual.

The announcement posted to the CIA’s website offers no reason for the decision to end the Factbook, but it follows a vow from Director John Ratcliffe to end programs that don’t advance the agency’s core missions.

First launched in 1962 as a printed, classified reference manual for intelligence officers, the Factbook offers a detailed, by-the-numbers picture of foreign nations, their economies, militaries, resources and societies. The Factbook proved so useful that other federal agencies began using it, and within a decade, an unclassified version was released to the public.

After going online in 1997, the Factbook quickly became a popular reference site for journalists, trivia aficionados and the writers of college essays, racking up millions of visits per year.

The White House has moved to cut staffing at the CIA and the National Security Agency early in US President Donald Trump’s second term, forcing the agency to do more with less.

The CIA did not return a message seeking comment about the decision to cease publication of the Factbook.