World Bank Open Data (2024)

This site is designed to make World Bank data easy to find, download, and use.All of the data found here can be used free of charge with minimalrestrictions.

To get you started, here are a few of the ways you can access individual data series and entire datasets:

Search Bar and Site Menu

The easiest way to look for data is to use the search box at the top of the page.

World Bank Open Data (1)

You can search for indicator names, countries, and topics.The search box shows you a list of matching results as you enter text; simply selectone of the matching terms to instantly display the result.Note that you can only display one indicator at a time.

You can look at combinations of indicators and countries or multiple countriesby adding additional items in the search box. However, you can only display oneindicator at a time. To start over, click the home icon World Bank Open Data (2)to the right of the search box.

You can also browse lists of countries, topics and indicators,which can be found in the site menu World Bank Open Data (3).

Download

Data pages allow the option to download all displayeddata in bulk. Country pages provide all data for all years for a singlecountry and years, and indicator pages provide data for allcountries for all years. This is a convenient option if you would like to usedata in a desktop application like Excel. Look for the “Download” button on any data page;it will either be just to the right or just below the main chart.

World Bank Open Data (4)

DataBank

Data displayed on this site are a subset of those available in the World Bank’sDataBank, which contains extensive collections of time series data.The DataBank has advanced functions for selecting and slicing the datasets,performing customized queries and data downloads, and creating charts and othervisualizations.

Grab a widget

Widgets are small snippets of code that let you embed a data chart or mapon another website. The great thing aboutwidgets is that they are dynamic; when new data are available, widgets updateautomatically. Look for the “Share” button at the top of the main chart or map displayon any data page.

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Note: users of chart widgets on the previous data website will need to update their code.

Access data through Web API

The Data API is a way for web sites and other tools to access data directly.This is the interface of choice for creating custom data visualizations, livecombinations with other data sources (mashups), and more. data.worldbank.org isbuilt using data through the Data API. Visit the Developer section formore information.

Data catalog

A comprehensive listing of data and datasets published by the World Bank isavailable through the Data Catalog. The Catalog contains all thedatasets in DataBank, plus many other useful datasets, including somesub-national and raw data from surveys. Datasets can be be easily downloaded,or accessed through the DataBank query tool or custom tools specific to thedataset.

Micro data

The World Bank’s Microdata Library facilitates access to microdatacollected through sample surveys of households, business establishments orother facilities. These microdataprovide information about people living indeveloping countries, their institutions, their environment, their communitiesand the operation of their economies. Many of these datasets are available asopen data; check the terms of use associated with each dataset.

Open Data at the World Bank

The World Bank recognizes that transparency and accountability are essential tothe development process and central to achieving the Bank’s mission toalleviate poverty. The Bank’s commitment to openness is also driven by a desireto foster public ownership, partnership and participation in development from awide range of stakeholders. As a knowledge institution, the World Bank’s firststep is to share its knowledge freely and openly.

Statistics and data are a key part of that knowledge and are easily accessibleon the web for all users. The World Bank provides free and open access to acomprehensive set of data about development in countries around the globe,together with other datasets cited in the data catalog.

Broader access to these data allow policymakers and advocacy groups to makebetter-informed decisions and measure improvements more accurately. They arealso valuable tools to support research by journalists, academia and others,broadening understanding of global issues.

We will continue to add to the databases available and welcomesuggestions on how we can improve the site for users.

Terms of use

World Bank Open Data (2024)

FAQs

Is the World Bank open data reliable? ›

Working closely with the Bank's regions and Global Practices, the group is guided by professional standards in the collection, compilation and dissemination of data to ensure that all data users can have confidence in the quality and integrity of the data produced.

How to extract data from World Bank website? ›

Get started
  1. Search Bar and Site Menu. The easiest way to look for data is to use the search box at the top of the page. ...
  2. Download. Data pages allow the option to download all displayed data in bulk. ...
  3. DataBank. ...
  4. Grab a widget. ...
  5. Access data through Web API. ...
  6. Data catalog. ...
  7. Micro data.

What is the weakness of World Bank? ›

Lack of Transparency and Accountability: The World Bank has also been criticized for its lack of transparency and accountability. Critics argue that the Bank has not been transparent in its decision-making processes, and that it has not adequately engaged with civil society and other stakeholders in its operations.

How do you cite the World Bank open data? ›

World Bank. "Title of Page/Table." World Development Indicators, The World Bank Group, Day-Month-Year of Publication, URL. Accessed Day-Month-Year. Use in-text citations to point your reader to the Works Cited entry.

Is world data a reliable source? ›

The Economist Intelligence Unit's world-class forecasts are updated every month to incorporate the latest economic and political events. The latest data together with timely forecasts makes WorldData one of the fastest and most reliable sources of economic data.

Does the World Bank actually help? ›

The World Bank provides financing, advice, and other resources to developing countries in the areas of education, public safety, health, and other areas of need. Often, nations, organizations, and other institutions partner with the World Bank to sponsor development projects.

Why is data missing from the World Bank? ›

Some countries do not regularly report data due to conflict, lack of statistical capacity, or other reasons (e.g. Somalia, North Korea, and some Caribbean and Pacific island economies).

Can I get quarterly data from World Bank? ›

The full QEDS data for both SDDS and GDDS can be accessed from the World Bank's Open Data website by selecting “Quarterly External Debt Statistics/SDDS (New)” and “Quarterly External Debt Statistics/GDDS (New)”.

What is World Bank open data? ›

The Data Catalog is a listing of available World Bank datasets, including databases such Africa Development Indicators (ADI) and World Development Indicators (WDI), pre-formatted tables, and reports.

What is World Bank scandal? ›

The old Doing Business, which was cited widely from boardrooms to classrooms, was canceled after accusations that bank staff gave China preferential treatment in the report's annual country rankings. Governments were also juking their own stats to get a higher spot in the list of business-friendly countries.

Who owns the World Bank? ›

The organizations that make up the World Bank Group are owned by the governments of member nations, which have the ultimate decision-making power within the organizations on all matters, including policy, financial or membership issues.

Why the World Bank has failed? ›

The World Bank, the world's largest international development organization, has long faced criticism for a host of perceived shortcomings, including imposing coercive conditions on its loans to developing countries, instituting insufficient environmental safeguards in its projects, and failing to properly consult civil ...

Is World Bank data reliable? ›

We ensure that our data work and products are of the highest quality by using standards, methodologies, sources, definitions, and classifications that are internationally accepted.

How do you cite open data? ›

Citation Elements for Data
  1. Responsible party (i.e., investigator, sample collector, creator)
  2. Title of dataset.
  3. Date of publication of the dataset.
  4. Version, when appropriate.
  5. Name of data center, repository, and/or publication.
  6. Analysis software, if required.
  7. Date accessed.
  8. Identifier (e.g., DOI or other persistent link)

What does World Bank publishes? ›

The World Bank has published over 200,000 documents to increase understanding of development policies and programs. These reports, working papers, and documents, along with the primary data on which they are based, are available online at no cost.

Is the World Bank a scholarly source? ›

The World Bank Economic Review (WBER) is one of the most widely read scholarly economic journals in the world.

What is the World Bank open data? ›

Open Data Initiative (launched in April 2010): a range of reforms enabling free access to thousands of development indicators, as well as a wealth of information on World Bank project and finance, and.

How effective is the World Bank? ›

Although the emphasis on digital services grew, World Bank projects focused on digital delivery had a 72 percent success rate. The International Finance Corporation was equally successful with digital and traditional services (77 percent) and relatively more successful with projects using both (86 percent).

Is Open Banking safe? ›

Never share your details. There's no need to share your account login details, PIN or passwords with the authorised company you have chosen. As long as you keep your details secure, Open Banking is safe to use.

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