This annual publication is prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency for the use of US government officials. It contains comparable basic reference information on the countries of the world, available as of 1 January 2005. For each country it gives information on its geography; people; government; economy; communications; transportation; military; and transnational issues. It contains appendices which include a list of international organisations and a cross-reference list of geographic names, and is supplied with three maps giving political and physical geographical information, as well as the standard time zones of the world.