From the World Bank Group
World Development Indicators
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1997
2000
The World Development Indicators (WDI) is the
World Bank's premier annual compilation of data about development. WDI 2000
includes 800 indicators in 85 tables, organized in six sections: world view,
people, environment, economy, states and markets, and global links. The tables
cover 148 economies and 14 country groups - with basic indicators for a further
58 economies.
2001
2002
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
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Foreword for WDI 1997
We have redesigned the World Development Indicators to expand its
coverage of development issues in a new, free-standing format, complemented by a
comprehensive database on CD-ROM and a redesigned World Bank Atlas. This
new family of products embodies many aspects of the change we are trying to
bring about at the World Bank Group.
First, the selection of indicators reflects a broader, more integrated
approach to development. The World Development Indicators starts from the
premise that development is about the quality of life. It places people and
poverty reduction first, at the center of the development agenda where they
belong. In its five main sections it recognizes the interplay of a wide range of
issues: human capital development, environmental sustainability, macroeconomic
performance, private sector development, and the global links that influence the
external environment for development.
Second, the new World Development Indicators is an excellent example
of global partnership in creating and sharing knowledge and in making knowledge
a major force for development—an area where I see the World Bank playing an
increasingly important role. I would like to thank our partners in the United
Nations family, the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization,
the OECD, the statistical offices of more than 200 economies, and countless
others who have made this unique product possible. Throughout the volume we have
acknowledged their contributions in order to guide researchers and others
seeking information to the many sources on which it draws. And because the
World Development Indicators draws on the Bank’s own cross-country
experience and sectoral knowledge, I am particularly pleased to note the
important role of the new sectoral networks of Bank staff in the redesign. Their
support and that of staff of the International Finance Corporation and the
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency truly make the World Development
Indicators a Bank Group product.
Third, the new World Development Indicators reflects the Bank Group’s
new emphasis on development impact and outcomes. I hope that the World
Development Indicators will become the principal mechanism by which the
world measures progress in reducing poverty and in enriching the lives of people
everywhere. For this to happen, however, all of us—governments, international
institutions, and the private sector—will have to pay far more attention to the
coverage, timeliness, and quality of information about development policies and
outcomes. The detailed technical notes that accompany each set of indicators
show how much work still lies ahead.
Finally, the annual World Development Indicators is very much a work
in progress. In the spirit of the new Bank, its redesign reflects extensive
consultation with our clients. And knowing that it could be even richer and more
comprehensive, we welcome your comments to assist us in making it even more
powerful in serving our clients’ needs.
James D. Wolfensohn
President
The World Bank Group
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