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 minimal restrictions.
To get you started, here are a few of the ways you can access individual data series and entire datasets:
Download
Country, topic and indicator pages allow the option to download all displayed data in bulk. Country pages provide all data for all years for a single country; topic pages provide each indicator for that topic for all countries and years, and indicator pages provide data for all countries for all years. This is a convenient option if you would like to use data in a desktop application like Excel. Look for the “Download Data” link at the top of the page, or in the World Development Indicators section.
DataBank
Data displayed on this site are a subset of those available in the World Bank's DataBank, 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 other visualizations.
Grab a widget
A widget contains Data displayed as tables, maps or charts are widgets - snippets of code - that can be embedded on your website. The great thing about widgets is that they are dynamic; when new data are available, widgets update automatically. Look for the red “scissor” icon in the upper right corner of tables, charts, and maps on any indicator page.
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, live combinations with other data sources (mashups), and more. data.worldbank.org is built using data through the Data API. Visit the Developer section for more information.
Data catalog
A comprehensive listing of data and datasets published by the World Bank is available through the Data Catalog. The Catalog contains all the datasets in DataBank, plus many other useful datasets, including some sub-national and raw data from surveys. Datasets can be be easily downloaded, or accessed through the DataBank query tool or custom tools specific to the dataset.
Micro data
The World Bank's Microdata Library facilitates access to microdata collected through sample surveys of households, business establishments or other facilities. These microdataprovide information about people living in developing countries, their institutions, their environment, their communities and the operation of their economies. Many of these datasets are available as open 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 to the development process and central to achieving the Bank’s mission to alleviate poverty. The Bank’s commitment to openness is also driven by a desire to foster public ownership, partnership and participation in development from a wide range of stakeholders. As a knowledge institution, the World Bank’s first step is to share its knowledge freely and openly.
Statistics and data are a key part of that knowledge and are easily accessible on the web for all users. The World Bank provides free and open access to a comprehensive 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 make better-informed decisions and measure improvements more accurately. They are also 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 welcome suggestions on how we can improve the site for users.
