Review of The World Factbook 2016-2017

1. Ready Reference
Instructional Presentation
LIS 704
Presented by Colleen Magruder
October 31, 2016

2. Assignment: Where Facts in Print
Resource for instruction:
The World Factbook, 2016-2017

3. Bibliographic Information
 Title: The world factbook.
 Uniform Title: World factbook (Washington, D.C.)
 Publication Information: Washington, D.C. : Central Intelligence Agency : Supt. of
Docs., U.S. G.P.O., [distributor], 1981-
 Physical Description: v. : maps (some col.) ; 28 cm.
 Frequency: Annual
 Serial Dates: 1981-
 Language: English
 General Note: Also published some years by Claitors Publishing.
 Genre: Handbooks and manuals.
 Subject Term: Geography -- Periodicals.
Political science -- Handbooks, manuals, etc.
 Added Corporate Author: United States. Central Intelligence Agency. National
Foreign Assessment Center (U.S.)
 Former Title: National basic intelligence factbook
 ISBN: 9780160933271 (2016/2017 pbk. : CIA's pbk)
 ISSN: 02771527
 OCLC Number: 07390695

4. Resource Access
Accessed through the reference services
desk at the Park Ridge Public Library
This is a non-circulating resource
The World Factbook is in the public
domain and may be copied freely

5. Facts about the Factbook
 Draws upon seventy years of CIA intelligence;
the CIA is responsible for providing national
security intelligence to US policymakers
 Originally used by government officials, now
resource for students, journalists, travelers and
businesspeople
 Contains details about populations, politics,
economics, military expenditures, climate,
transportation and much more for countries from
Afghanistan to Zimbabwe

6. Facts about the Factbook
 Contains detailed maps with geopolitical data
 Contains appendixes with weight and measures,
international organizations and groups,
environmental agreements and more
 Clearly laid out, easy to use format
 Good source for obtaining data under consistent
headings and subheadings on countries for
comparison

7. Facts about the Factbook
 Data for each country organized under headings
of:
- Introduction - Energy
- Geography - Communication
- People & Society - Transportation
- Government - Military
- Economy - Transnational Issues
 Note to the older eyes, have magnifying app
handy – print is very small and all type is black
or gray making it potentially difficult to read,
especially the maps

8. How to use the Factbook
 Review section of “Notes and Definitions”, pp. xi-
xxxii, that describes each heading and subheading
to better understand where information will be
displayed
 Locate table of contents with country names listed
alphabetically (pp. v-vii)
 Search for specific country and corresponding page
number
 Search for desired information under headings and
subheadings

9. How to use the Factbook - Exercise
Review country of Nepal (pp. 520-524) to
find the following facts:
Information displayed as “heading,
subheading, fact”
- Geography, Location, Southern Asia, between
China and India
- Geography, Map references, Asia

10. How to use the Factbook
Examples of facts found – con’t.
- People & Society, Languages, Nepali (official)
- People & Society, Median age, 22.9 years
- Government, Government type, federal
democratic republic
- Economy, Unemployment rate, 46%
- Transportation, Airports – with paved runways,
total: 11
- Transnational Issues, Illicit drugs, producer of
cannabis and hashish for domestic and
international drug markets

11. Additional Resources in the Factbook
Appendices & Corresponding page
numbers
- Abbreviations
- International Organizations & Groups
- Selected Environmental Agreements
- Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data
Codes
- Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names
- Weights and Measures

12. Additional Resources in the Factbook
Reference Maps
- 13 maps by continent or world region
- Additional maps:
 Physical map of the world
 Political map of the world
 Standard time zone of the world

13. Questions about how to use the
Factbook?
If you are unsure as to how to use this
resource, please contact me.