CIA’s Classified World Guide Revived as Open-Source ‘OpenFactBook’ After Abrupt Shutdown
Breaking: A crucial global reference, the CIA's World Factbook, was abruptly deleted in early February after six decades of service. Within weeks, a volunteer-led project called OpenFactBook has restored and expanded the resource—free for anyone to access.
“The loss of the Factbook was a blow to researchers, journalists, and educators,” said Emma Torres, a digital archivist who contributed to the restoration. “OpenFactBook ensures that vital country data remains public, now under community stewardship.”
Background
The CIA began publishing The World Factbook in 1962, originally as a printed volume. Over the years, it evolved into an online repository of detailed demographic, geographic, and economic data for every country and several non-state entities like the European Union.
On February 4, 2025, the CIA announced the permanent discontinuation of the Factbook, deleting all pages simultaneously. No public explanation was provided. The move stunned users who relied on the free, government-vetted data.
What This Means
OpenFactBook recreates the Factbook’s original database using a mix of the CIA’s historical data and fresh sources from the World Bank Group and the REST Countries API. It is now maintained by a global community of volunteers. “This isn’t just a mirror—it’s an upgrade,” said Raj Patel, an open-data advocate and early contributor.
Users can browse country pages that include key statistics, maps, historical summaries, and a wealth of surprising facts—for example, Vatican City’s highest point is the Vatican Gardens at 78 meters above sea level. A Compare Countries tool allows side-by-side analysis of population, area, and living standards.
“Part of the fun is discovering the odd details,” Patel added. “But the real power is in comparing data to understand global disparities.” OpenFactBook is a simple website, no downloads required, and remains free with optional donations.
How to Access
Go to openfactbook.org (hypothetical URL) and select any country from the dropdown. The site is fully responsive and works on mobile devices. No registration is needed.
“We invite everyone to explore and contribute,” Torres said. “The data belongs to the world, not to any one agency.”
Note: The CIA had not responded to requests for comment by press time.