Shapefile datasources for world maps

I have found  some sources of shapefiles related to world maps;

http://barendgehrels.blogspot.com/2010/12/free-shapefile-of-countries-of-world.html

From this site the following source is referenced;

http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/geoportal/data/esri/esri_intl.htm

World countries...
http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/geoportal/data/esri/world/cntry08.zip

Update:
More sources for world vector data is listed below.

http://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (Free vector and raster map data at 1:10m, 1:50m, and 1:110m scales)

http://www.gadm.org/ (Global Administrative Areas)

You can also use Open Street Map as a datasource. To my surprise, they also deliver all data in files.

dba