By intelligence officials for intelligent people

From the world’s most sophisticated intelligence gathering organization, here is the CIA’s official country-by-country data on nations around the world. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, The CIA World Factbook 2020-2021 offers complete and up-to-date information on the world's nations. This comprehensive guide is packed with data on the politics, populations, military expenditures, and economics of 2020 and looks ahead to 2021. For each country, The CIA World Factbook 2020-2021 includes: Detailed maps with new geopolitical data Statistics on the population of each country, with details on literacy rates, HIV prevalence, and age structure New data on military expenditures and capabilities Information on each country's climate and natural hazards Details on prominent political parties and contact information for diplomatic consultation Facts on transportation and communication infrastructure Also included are appendixes with useful abbreviations, international environmental agreements, international organizations and groups, weight and measure conversions, and more. Originally intended for use by government officials, this is a must-have resource for students, travelers, journalists, and business people with a desire to know more about their world.

From the world’s most sophisticated intelligence gathering organization, here is the CIA’s official country-by-country data on nations around the world. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, The CIA World Factbook 2020-2021 offers complete and up-to-date information on the world's nations. This comprehensive guide is packed with data on the politics, populations, military expenditures, and economics of 2021 and looks ahead to 2022. For each country, The CIA World Factbook 2020-2021 includes: Detailed maps with new geopolitical data Statistics on the population of each country, with details on literacy rates, HIV prevalence, and age structure New data on military expenditures and capabilities Information on each country's climate and natural hazards Details on prominent political parties and contact information for diplomatic consultation Facts on transportation and communication infrastructure Also included are appendixes with useful abbreviations, international environmental agreements, international organizations and groups, weight and measure conversions, and more. Originally intended for use by government officials, this is a must-have resource for students, travelers, journalists, and business people with a desire to know more about their world.

An up-to-date handbook providing an overview of every country in the world. Maps and geographical details are given along with the historical and contemporary social, economic, religious and political issues that shape each country. Also provides economic and social indicators, such as GDP and life expectancy, and hundreds of useful web links.

Seventeen in a series of annual reports comparing business regulation in 190 economies, Doing Business 2020 measures aspects of regulation affecting 10 areas of everyday business activity.

The 2022 edition of this annual bestseller has been completely revised and updated, with new features including the origins and destinations of migrants, the prevalence of paramilitary forces, levels of slum populations and a range of indicators tracking the effects of covid-19, among many others. It provides rankings on more than 200 topics covering 188 countries, together with detailed statistical profiles of 64 of the world's major economies, plus the euro area and the world itself, and challenges readers to test their knowledge with a quiz. If you want to know » which country imports the most arms » the countries with the highest life expectancy » where most mammal species are under threat » which country normally hosts most tourists » where to get the highest broadband speed » who has the highest percentage of covid-19 vaccinations this edition of Pocket World in Figures has the answers.

"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic marks the most significant, singular global disruption since World War II, with health, economic, political, and security implications that will ripple for years to come." -Global Trends 2040 (2021) Global Trends 2040-A More Contested World (2021), released by the US National Intelligence Council, is the latest report in its series of reports starting in 1997 about megatrends and the world's future. This report, strongly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, paints a bleak picture of the future and describes a contested, fragmented and turbulent world. It specifically discusses the four main trends that will shape tomorrow's world: - Demographics-by 2040, 1.4 billion people will be added mostly in Africa and South Asia. - Economics-increased government debt and concentrated economic power will escalate problems for the poor and middleclass. - Climate-a hotter world will increase water, food, and health insecurity. - Technology-the emergence of new technologies could both solve and cause problems for human life. Students of trends, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academics, journalists and anyone eager for a glimpse into the next decades, will find this report, with colored graphs, essential reading.

A country-by-country guide to the world. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, The CIA World Factbook 2017 offers complete and up-to-date information on the world’s nations. This comprehensive guide is packed with data on the politics, populations, military expenditures, and economics of 2016. For each country, The CIA World Factbook 2017 includes: • Detailed maps with new geopolitical data • Statistics on the population of each country, with details on literacy rates, HIV prevalence, and age structure • New data on military expenditures and capabilities • Information on each country’s climate and natural hazards • Details on prominent political parties and contact information for diplomatic consultation • Facts on transportation and communication infrastructure Also included are appendixes with useful abbreviations, international environmental agreements, international organizations and groups, weight and measure conversions, and more. Originally intended for use by government officials, this is a must-have resource for students, travelers, journalists, and businesspeople with a desire to know more about their world.

The ultimate, comprehensive guide to official country data and statistics, from the world’s most sophisticated intelligence-gathering organization. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, The CIA World Factbook 2022-2023 offers complete and up-to-date information on the world's nations. This comprehensive guide is packed with data on countries' politics, populations, economics, and environment for 2022 and looks ahead to 2023. The CIA World Factbook 2022-2023 includes the following for each country: Geopolitical maps Population statistics, with details on languages, religions, literacy rates, age structure, HIV prevalence, and much more Up-to-date data on military expenditures and capabilities Geography information, including climate and natural hazards Details on prominent political figures and parties Contact information for diplomatic missions Facts on transportation, trade, and communication infrastructure Also included are appendices with useful abbreviations, international environmental agreements, international organizations and groups, terror organizations, and more. Originally intended for use by government officials and policymakers as well as the broader intelligence community, this is a must-have resource for students, travelers, journalists, and anyone with a desire to know more about their world.

The war in Syria, now in its eighth year, continues to take its toll on the Syrian people. More than half of the population of Syria remains displaced; 5.6 million persons are registered as refugees outside of the country and another 6.2 million are displaced within Syria's borders. The internally displaced persons include 2 million school-age children; of these, less than half attend school. Another 739,000 Syrian children are out of school in the five neighborhood countries that host Syria's refugees. The loss of human capital is staggering, and it will create permanent hardships for generations of Syrians going forward. Despite the tragic prospects for renewed fighting in certain parts of the country, an overall reduction in armed conflict is possible going forward. However, international experience shows that the absence of fighting is rarely a singular trigger for the return of displaced people. Numerous other factors—including improved security and socioeconomic conditions in origin states, access to property and assets, the availability of key services, and restitution in home areas—play important roles in shaping the scale and composition of the returns. Overall, refugees have their own calculus of return that considers all of these factors and assesses available options. The Mobility of Displaced Syrians: An Economic and Social Analysis sheds light on the 'mobility calculus' of Syrian refugees. While dismissing any policies that imply wrongful practices involving forced repatriation, the study analyzes factors that may be considered by refugees in their own decisions to relocate. It provides a conceptual framework, supported by data and analysis, to facilitate an impartial conversation about refugees and their mobility choices. It also explores the diversified policy toolkit that the international community has available—and the most effective ways in which the toolkit can be adapted—to maximize the well-being of refugees, host countries, and the people in Syria.