are available for downloading - but not browsing - on the CIA Web
site. Hardcopy editions for earlier years are available from
libraries.

Would it be possible to set up a partnership or collaboration
between the producers of The World Factbook and other organizations
or individuals?

The World Factbook does not partner with other organizations or
individuals, but we do welcome comments and suggestions that such
groups or persons choose to provide.

Geography

I can't find a geographic name for a particular country. Why not?

The World Factbook is not a gazetteer (a dictionary or index of
places, usually with descriptive or statistical information) and
cannot provide more than the names of the administrative divisions
(in the Government category) and major cities/towns (on the country
maps). Our expanded Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names,
however, includes many of the world's major geographic features as
well as historic (former) names of countries and cities mentioned in
The World Factbook.

Why are Taiwan and the European Union listed out of alphabetical
order at the end of the Factbook entries?

Taiwan is listed after the regular entries because even though the
mainland People's Republic of China claims Taiwan, elected Taiwanese
authorities de facto administer the island and reject mainland
sovereignty claims. With the establishment of diplomatic relations
with China on January 1, 1979, the US Government recognized the
People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China,
acknowledging the Chinese position that there is only one China and
that Taiwan is part of China.

The European Union (EU) is not a country, but it has taken on many
nation-like attributes and these are likely to be expanded in the
future. A more complete explanation on the inclusion of the EU into
the Factbook may be found in the Preliminary statement.

Since we have an ambassador who represents the US at the Vatican,
why is this entity not listed in the Factbook?

Vatican City is found under Holy See. The term "Holy See" refers to
the authority, jurisdiction, and sovereignty vested in the Pope and
his advisors to direct the worldwide Catholic Church. The Holy See
has a legal personality that allows it to enter into treaties as the
juridical equal of a state and to send and receive diplomatic
representatives. Vatican City, created in 1929 to administer
properties belonging to the Holy See in Rome, is recognized un