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The CIA World Fact Book 2008
From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, The CIA World Factbook 2008 offers complete and up-to-date information on the world’s nations. This all-inclusive reference guide has been updated for 2008 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.
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.
- GenresReference
904 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1993
About the author
Central Intelligence Agency
1,760 books94 followersThe Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the U.S. Government, tasked with gathering, processing and analyzing national security information from around the world, primarily through the use of human intelligence (HUMINT). As one of the principal members of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), the CIA reports to the Director of National Intelligence and is primarily focused on providing intelligence for the President and his Cabinet.
Unlike the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which is a domestic security service, CIA has no law enforcement function and is mainly focused on overseas intelligence gathering, with only limited domestic collection. Though it is not the only U.S. government agency specializing in HUMINT, CIA serves as the national manager for coordination and deconfliction of HUMINT activities across the entire intelligence community. Moreover, CIA is the only agency authorized by law to carry out and oversee covert action on behalf of the President, unless the President determines that another agency is better suited for carrying out such action. It can, for example, exert foreign political influence through its tactical divisions, such as the Special Activities Division.
Before the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, CIA Director concurrently served as the head of the Intelligence Community; today these functions and authorities reside with the Director of National Intelligence. Despite transferring some of its powers to the DNI, the CIA has grown in size as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks. In 2013, The Washington Post reported that in fiscal year 2010, the CIA had the largest budget of all IC agencies, exceeding previous estimates.
The CIA has increasingly expanded its roles, including covert paramilitary operations. One of its largest divisions, the Information Operations Center (IOC), has shifted focus from counter-terrorism to offensive cyber-operations. While the CIA has had some recent accomplishments, such as locating Osama bin Laden and taking part in the successful Operation Neptune Spear, it has also been involved in controversial programs such as extraordinary rendition and enhanced interrogation techniques.
Unlike the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which is a domestic security service, CIA has no law enforcement function and is mainly focused on overseas intelligence gathering, with only limited domestic collection. Though it is not the only U.S. government agency specializing in HUMINT, CIA serves as the national manager for coordination and deconfliction of HUMINT activities across the entire intelligence community. Moreover, CIA is the only agency authorized by law to carry out and oversee covert action on behalf of the President, unless the President determines that another agency is better suited for carrying out such action. It can, for example, exert foreign political influence through its tactical divisions, such as the Special Activities Division.
Before the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, CIA Director concurrently served as the head of the Intelligence Community; today these functions and authorities reside with the Director of National Intelligence. Despite transferring some of its powers to the DNI, the CIA has grown in size as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks. In 2013, The Washington Post reported that in fiscal year 2010, the CIA had the largest budget of all IC agencies, exceeding previous estimates.
The CIA has increasingly expanded its roles, including covert paramilitary operations. One of its largest divisions, the Information Operations Center (IOC), has shifted focus from counter-terrorism to offensive cyber-operations. While the CIA has had some recent accomplishments, such as locating Osama bin Laden and taking part in the successful Operation Neptune Spear, it has also been involved in controversial programs such as extraordinary rendition and enhanced interrogation techniques.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 17, 2011
Phenomenal reference material...you must own this!
February 15, 2017
The books from this series are an amazing source of information. Unless you are a geek however, reading it cover-to-cover is not going to happen. Also, spotted few inaccuracies that were annoying. Now starting the 2017 one, hope there are no glitches there...
June 29, 2007
Not much has changed in this one, no countries have fell yet (since 2006),but easier to read version.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews