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World Bank: Quick Facts

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News •

World Bank taps 2nd Korean vice president • Nov. 6, 2026, 12:20 AM ET (Korea Herald)
Debt of poorest countries at record $9.4tn high, World Bank data shows • Nov. 5, 2026, 9:31 AM ET (The Guardian)
Addis Ababa Among Rare African Pioneers In Long-term Debt Financing Model: World Bank • Nov. 2, 2026, 6:56 AM ET (The Reporter)
World Bank's Banga: Availability of capital 'not really an issue' as AI demand drives up borrowing costs • Oct. 27, 2026, 3:00 AM ET (CNBC)
Billionaires can’t fill the $50 billion foreign-aid gap. The World Bank wants to make their money go further • Oct. 26, 2026, 4:07 PM ET (Fortune)

Facts

Also Known As International Bank • World Bank Group
Date 1944 - present
Headquarters Washington, D.C.
Areas Of Involvement economic planning • finance • sustainable development • World Bank lifts ban on nuclear funding • Credit • technical assistance
Related People Lawrence Summers • Ashraf Ghani • Virgilio Barco Vargas • Ellen Johnson Sirleaf • Kristalina Georgieva • Mamphela Ramphele • Robert S. McNamara • Jim Yong Kim • Robert B. Zoellick • Salam Fayyad • Paul Wolfowitz • James Wolfensohn • Joseph E. Stiglitz • Paul Romer • John J. McCloy

Did You Know?

  • France received the World Bank's first loan.
  • The World Bank has attracted criticism for its encouragement of business-friendly policies that some argue can hurt the poorest individuals in the countries it lends to.
  • The World Bank aims to raise the minimum income levels of all its member countries to at least 1.90 USD a day.

Photos

Robert S. McNamara
Map of the National Mall area in Washington, D.C., highlighting major streets, metro stations, parks, government buildings, and prominent points of interest such as museums, memorials, and federal offices. Key landmarks include the Capitol, White House, Lincoln Memorial, Smithsonian museums, and the Washington Monument, with a numbered legend identifying each site.
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