The 1996 CIA World Factbook

The CIA's secret gift to the curious public. Originally compiled for government eyes only, this compendium of facts about every nation on Earth became an unlikely bestseller, and a fascinating time capsule of how the world looked in 1996. Flip through these pages and you'll find the Soviet Union still haunts certain maps, the internet is still a novelty in most countries, and every statistic, from population to GDP to military spending, captures a planet on the brink of massive change. Afghanistan appears as a different nation here. Yugoslavia still exists. Hong Kong prepares for a handover. For researchers, travelers, journalists, and anyone who wants to understand how we got from there to here, this Factbook offers something Google never can: a precise, officially sanctioned snapshot of a world that no longer exists.