World Bank's Open Data Initiative

The World Bank will provide free access to more than two thousand statistics in the field of finance, business, health and development. Until now, most of these statistics were only accessible for paying subscribers.

"We are committed to making the data and knowledge of the World Bank available to everyone," said President Robert Zoellick at the announcement last Tuesday. "Statistics tell the story of people in developing countries and emerging economies, and they can play an important role in overcoming poverty." 

The bank will make its data available through a new website, data.worldbank.org. Here researchers, journalists, non-governmental organisations, businessmen and school children alike can access the data, the statement said.

The initiative is part of a larger effort to improve access to information from the World Bank. Experts say the Bank's open data initiative has the potential to stimulate more evidence-based policymaking in developing countries by bringing more researchers and innovative analysis into the development process.

Hans Rosling, Swedish researcher and founder of the Gapminder Foundation for web visualization of statistics, reacted positive immediately according to the website of the World Bank: “It’s the right thing to do, because it will foster innovation. That is the most important thing.”