Happy Presidents Day.
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Happy Presidents Day.
Two weeks ago, the CIA shut down the World Factbook - a public
domain reference on every country, used by 6 million people
monthly since 1997.We built a replacement:
https://openfactbook.org261 countries · Instant search · Country comparisons
Public data should stay public.
#OpenData #CivicTech #OpenSource #PresidentsDay
#PublicDomain #DataRescue@openfactbook this seems cool, but “we built a replacement for the world factbook in two weeks”seems like a red flag that you haven’t actually done that.
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Happy Presidents Day.
Two weeks ago, the CIA shut down the World Factbook - a public
domain reference on every country, used by 6 million people
monthly since 1997.We built a replacement:
https://openfactbook.org261 countries · Instant search · Country comparisons
Public data should stay public.
#OpenData #CivicTech #OpenSource #PresidentsDay
#PublicDomain #DataRescueShowing "Primary Timezone UTC-08:00" for the United Kingdom in the Quick Facts section is less than ideal, while it might be true for a dependency it very much isn't the case the main part of the UK that falls within the British Isles.
The above isn't a gripe in that I'd expect any new project of this size to have a few teething issues so let me wish you good luck sorting out both the teething issues and the further long term success of the project.
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Showing "Primary Timezone UTC-08:00" for the United Kingdom in the Quick Facts section is less than ideal, while it might be true for a dependency it very much isn't the case the main part of the UK that falls within the British Isles.
The above isn't a gripe in that I'd expect any new project of this size to have a few teething issues so let me wish you good luck sorting out both the teething issues and the further long term success of the project.
@happy
Good catch, thanks! The REST Countries API returns all timezones including overseas territories (Pitcairn Islands is UTC-08:00). Our enrichment script was naively taking the first one instead of the primary/mainland timezone. We're fixing this now. -
I'm not sure that the UK primary timezone is actually UTC-08:00.
https://openfactbook.org/countries/united-kingdom/@tpuddle Good catch, thanks! The REST Countries API returns all timezones including overseas territories (Pitcairn Islands is UTC-08:00). Our enrichment script was naively taking the first one instead of the primary/mainland timezone. We're fixing this now.
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@openfactbook this seems cool, but “we built a replacement for the world factbook in two weeks”seems like a red flag that you haven’t actually done that.
Quick clarification since this is getting attention: we didn't
recreate 60 years of CIA research in two weeks!The country data has been available as open-source JSON for years
(github.com/factbook/factbook.json - 1,000+ stars). The last
update was January 22, 2026.We built the front-end: search, compare tool, rankings, and a modern way to browse it all. The data is public domain we just made it accessible again.
Feedback welcome.
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@happy
Good catch, thanks! The REST Countries API returns all timezones including overseas territories (Pitcairn Islands is UTC-08:00). Our enrichment script was naively taking the first one instead of the primary/mainland timezone. We're fixing this now.After a read through of the UK page the one other significant issue is in the Administrative Divisions section where the words "City of London or Greater London" pop up a couple of times. Greater London is the county containing the London boroughs, City of Westminster, and the City of London administered by the Mayor of London and Greater London Authority, the City of London is the historic centre of the county, with a Lord Mayor and a more medieval system of local government.
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After a read through of the UK page the one other significant issue is in the Administrative Divisions section where the words "City of London or Greater London" pop up a couple of times. Greater London is the county containing the London boroughs, City of Westminster, and the City of London administered by the Mayor of London and Greater London Authority, the City of London is the historic centre of the county, with a Lord Mayor and a more medieval system of local government.
@happy Good catch! That's inherited from the original CIA data, which wasn't always precise on UK administrative geography. City of London and Greater London are very different entities with completely different governance structures. Noted for correction. Thank you!
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Quick clarification since this is getting attention: we didn't
recreate 60 years of CIA research in two weeks!The country data has been available as open-source JSON for years
(github.com/factbook/factbook.json - 1,000+ stars). The last
update was January 22, 2026.We built the front-end: search, compare tool, rankings, and a modern way to browse it all. The data is public domain we just made it accessible again.
Feedback welcome.
Feedback is bravo, brava, bravissimo!
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Happy Presidents Day.
Two weeks ago, the CIA shut down the World Factbook - a public
domain reference on every country, used by 6 million people
monthly since 1997.We built a replacement:
https://openfactbook.org261 countries · Instant search · Country comparisons
Public data should stay public.
#OpenData #CivicTech #OpenSource #PresidentsDay
#PublicDomain #DataRescue@openfactbook Great work, thank you.
Feedback: the design is not very mobile/smart phone friendly. Lots of impossibly small text requiring a lot of zooming which then reduces context. Maybe detect if the user agent is for a mobile device and adjust the styles appropriately.
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@openfactbook Great work, thank you.
Feedback: the design is not very mobile/smart phone friendly. Lots of impossibly small text requiring a lot of zooming which then reduces context. Maybe detect if the user agent is for a mobile device and adjust the styles appropriately.
@VisualStuart Mobile is tricky! We tried our best to account for standard screen sizes.
What device are you on so we can debug! And what areas are causing problems? We'll get right on it! -
Happy Presidents Day.
Two weeks ago, the CIA shut down the World Factbook - a public
domain reference on every country, used by 6 million people
monthly since 1997.We built a replacement:
https://openfactbook.org261 countries · Instant search · Country comparisons
Public data should stay public.
#OpenData #CivicTech #OpenSource #PresidentsDay
#PublicDomain #DataRescue@openfactbook Hi, I have question
This website hosted through an American hosting for them to have the "right" to shut it down? -
@VisualStuart Mobile is tricky! We tried our best to account for standard screen sizes.
What device are you on so we can debug! And what areas are causing problems? We'll get right on it!@openfactbook Yes, mobile is hard. I worked in software for four decades, I get it. I'm using a Pixel 10 with an Edge browser. Here's a screenshot. Notice the size of the title text (so big it has to wrap) compared to the labels and data text (which has the actual information). The general text size is also a bit small for reading.
I'd also say that mint green text on white is not great contrast for accessibility, even for sighted people in bright lighting. Again, not an easy design issue.
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Happy Presidents Day.
Two weeks ago, the CIA shut down the World Factbook - a public
domain reference on every country, used by 6 million people
monthly since 1997.We built a replacement:
https://openfactbook.org261 countries · Instant search · Country comparisons
Public data should stay public.
#OpenData #CivicTech #OpenSource #PresidentsDay
#PublicDomain #DataRescue@openfactbook @sunflowerinrain The United Kingdom has more than just English as a language. Official languages include Cornish, Welsh, Irish, Scots Gaelic. English is the defacto language.
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@openfactbook @sunflowerinrain The United Kingdom has more than just English as a language. Official languages include Cornish, Welsh, Irish, Scots Gaelic. English is the defacto language.
@cyberspice
You're right - we were only showing "English" without the recognized regional languages (it was in the notes of our data). Just pushed a fix: the Languages section now displays the full note from our source data, including Welsh, Scots Gaelic, Irish, and Cornish with their speaker estimates. (Will be shown in the Language below Quick Facts) -
@cyberspice
You're right - we were only showing "English" without the recognized regional languages (it was in the notes of our data). Just pushed a fix: the Languages section now displays the full note from our source data, including Welsh, Scots Gaelic, Irish, and Cornish with their speaker estimates. (Will be shown in the Language below Quick Facts)@openfactbook @cyberspice
Da iawn! -
Happy Presidents Day.
Two weeks ago, the CIA shut down the World Factbook - a public
domain reference on every country, used by 6 million people
monthly since 1997.We built a replacement:
https://openfactbook.org261 countries · Instant search · Country comparisons
Public data should stay public.
#OpenData #CivicTech #OpenSource #PresidentsDay
#PublicDomain #DataRescue@openfactbook some of the people who taught me about the CIA World Factbook also taught me about the strategic importance of the United States’ soft power, project through this and other outwardly altruistic endeavors such as USAID.
One would wish the people now in charge would have learned those lessons, if not the humanist ones.
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Happy Presidents Day.
Two weeks ago, the CIA shut down the World Factbook - a public
domain reference on every country, used by 6 million people
monthly since 1997.We built a replacement:
https://openfactbook.org261 countries · Instant search · Country comparisons
Public data should stay public.
#OpenData #CivicTech #OpenSource #PresidentsDay
#PublicDomain #DataRescue@openfactbook @jcdvore I just hope that someone is overseeing any edits. It would be tragic if it were filled with inaccurate information by people with an agenda to mislead.
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@cyberspice
You're right - we were only showing "English" without the recognized regional languages (it was in the notes of our data). Just pushed a fix: the Languages section now displays the full note from our source data, including Welsh, Scots Gaelic, Irish, and Cornish with their speaker estimates. (Will be shown in the Language below Quick Facts)@openfactbook Diolch yn fawr!
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