Suppose you are an American traveling to a country in the midst of a civil war, where for some reasons Americans are being targeted, there is widespread disease outbreak and shortage of essential materials like food and water but you are unaware of this fact! The rest can be left to imagination.
For avoiding such situations the US State Department issues Country Specific Information on over 200 countries through its Consular Information Program. These fact sheets contain information on entry requirements, crime and security conditions, areas of instability, road safety and other details relevant to travel.
The Country Specific Information can be obtained free of cost from the State Department website. These CSI are updated regularly and are highly recommended for all Americans traveling overseas.