In general, information available as of January 1, 2008 was used in the preparation of this edition. Provides brief information on the geography, people, government, economy, communications, and defense of countries and regions around the world. Contains information on international organizations. Designed to meet the specific requirements of United States Government Officials in style, format, coverage, and content. Includes 3 unattached maps. Cover title reads: The 2008 World Factbook. Item 856-A-07.

This factbook presents numbers and facts behind the stories of international migration and remittances, drawing on authoritative, publicly available data. It provides a comprehensive picture of emigration, skilled emigration, immigration, and remittance flows for 210 countries and 15 country groups. Some interesting facts: More than 215 million people, or 3 percent of the world population, live outside their countries of birth. Current migration flows, relative to population, are weaker than those of the last decades of the nineteenth century. The volume of South-South migration (migration between developing countries) is larger than migration from the South to high-income OECD countries. International migration is dominated by voluntary migration, which is driven by economic factors. Refugees and asylum seekers made up 16.3 million, or 8 percent, of international migrants in 2010. Worldwide remittance flows are estimated to have exceeded $440 billion in 2010, of which developing countries received $325 billion. Remittances proved to be resilient during the recent global financial crisisùthey fell only 6 percent in 2009 and registered a quick recovery in 2010. The top migrant-destination country is the United States, followed by the Russian Federation, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. The top immigration countries, relative to population, include Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Andorra, and the Cayman Islands.

By intelligence officials for intelligent people

The Factbook is the OECD's most comprehensive and dynamic statistical annual. More than 100 indicators cover a wide range of areas: economy, agriculture, education, energy, environment, foreign aid, health and quality of life, industry, information and communications, population and labor force, trade and investment, taxation, public expenditure, and R&D. The focus of the 2009 edition is on inequalities in income, earnings, health, and education. Each indicator has a two-page spread: the left page provides a short introductory text followed by a detailed definition of the indicator, comments on comparability of the data, an assessment of related long-term trends, and a list of references for further information. The right page contains a table and a graph that provide--at a glance--the key message conveyed by the data. A dynamic link (StatLink) is provided for each table. It directs the user to a web page where the corresponding data are available in Excel(R) format.

"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.

Told in the first person and illustrated with dramatic photography that brings kids close to the action, "African Critters" gives readers a glimpse into the life of a wildlife photgrapher. We are with the author in his jeep, with his camera, and even as he's dressing for bed in the wild. From waiting patiently for leapord cubs to come out of their cave to play, to being charged by elephants who were protecting a new baby, to photographing wild dogs hunting impalas, the stories in this book are both intimate and exciting.