The World Factbook 2001
The U.S. government’s complete geographical handbook, featuring 267 full-color maps and flags of all nations and geographical entities. Each country profile tracks such demographics as population, ethnicity and literacy rates, as well as political, geographical and economic data.
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World Facts:

http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook

--No matter what your views on the CIA, the agency produces a heck of a terrific reference book about foreign countries.