1 The story behind the numbers: what makes World Bank databases the standard for development data Valentina Kalk November 27, 2006

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The story behind the numbers: what makes World Bank databases the standard for development data

Valentina KalkNovember 27, 2006



The World Bank is a major user and producer of development statistics.

As part of its mandate, the Bank:– Collects, compiles and disseminates data for

operational and research work– Reviews data and statistical methods to ensure their

quality and integrity– Works with partners to improve the statistical capacity

of developing countries

Development Statistics



Statistics

– Enable sound policy decisions– Guide investment for growth– Help to ensure markets operate efficiently– Help answer important development-related

questions– Help define achievable goals and effective, outcome-

based strategies– Highlight the need to modify programs or re-direct

resources– Monitor development progress

Development Statistics



– Invests in statistical activities

– Creates and implements standards and frameworks for data

– Compiles datasets

– Raises awareness of the value of statistics in the development community (advocacy)

The World Bank Development Data Group



Three groups– Data for Global Monitoring

• Assembles the World Bank’s development database• Produces the World Development Indicators• Maintains specialized sectoral databases

– Statistical Development and Partnership• Manages the Debtor Reporting System• Publishes external debt data (Global Development Finance)• Collects macroeconomic data from World Bank staff,

international organizations, and country sources• Review data for consistency• Works with countries to improve their statistical capacity• Raises awareness of the value of statistics in the

development community (advocacy)– Systems Upgrade Team

• Develops and maintains systems needed to support the other groups and make access easy to others

The World Bank Development Data Group



Macroeconomic and financial data– Collected from national statistical

organizations and central banks– Where official data are not available, Bank or

IMF estimates are used– Data are used to determine eligibility and

lending terms for Bank loans• GNI per capita: data is collected from country units

and reviewed for cross-country comparability. Resulting figures are distributed to regional VPs for review and to the Bank’s Board of Executive Directors for approval

Measuring Development Progress



External Debt Data– Debtor Reporting System (DRS)

• Sole repository for external debt statistics of the 136 borrowing or guaranteeing member countries

• Need to assess a borrowing country’s foreign debt, debt servicing capacity, creditworthiness, and debt management; regional and global indebtedness.

• GDF, Little Book on External Debt

– Joint External Debt Hub (JEDH)• A product of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Finance

Statistics• External debt data and selected foreign assets from

international and national sources of developed, developing and transition countries




Trade and Investment Climate Data

– World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS)• A product of the Bank and UNCTAD• Allows retrieval of bilateral trade data based on various commodity

classifications• Based on the UN Statistics Division’s commodity trade databases• Provides access to tariff rates and non-tariff barriers from

UNCTAD and tariff schedules from the WTO

– Investment Climate Survey• Provides analysis and advice to countries considering reforms• Uses a standardizes questionnaire to collect data from private

firms• Survey quantifies obstacles and their impact on firms’ productivity,

employment, and investment– Doing Business Database

• Provides indicators of the cost of doing business by identifying regulations that enhance or constrain business investment, productivity and growth




Infrastructure Data– Urban– Information and Communications Technology– TransportPoverty Data – PovcalNetEnvironment Data – Little Green Data BookHuman Development– EdStats (Education)– HNPStats (Health, nutrition and population)– GenderStats




Millennium Development Goals

– Eight specific and measurable goals

– Agreed by world leaders in 2000

– To be achieved by 2015

– Millennium Declaration in 2005

– The Bank works closely with the UN and other international agencies to maintain data and metadata sets covering all MDG indicators (18 quantifiable targets, 48 indicators)

Data Monitoring



Millennium Development Goals

– Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger– Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education– Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower

women– Goal 4: Reduce child mortality– Goal 5: Improve maternal health– Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS and malaria– Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability– Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

Data Monitoring



The Bank works with the international statistical community by:

– Participating in the UN Statistical Commission and other statistical forums to develop standards of good practice, frameworks and guidance

– Building consensus and defining internationally agreed indicators (e.g. the MDGs)

– Establishing data exchange processes and methods– Assemblying, analyzing and disseminating data un

use-friendly publications– Working to help countries improve statistical capacity– Supporting programs to collect transnational data

Partnering with the international statistical system



– Marrakech Action Plan for Statistics

– International Comparison Program

– Paris 21

– Reference Regional Strategic Framework – Africa

– Inter-Agency Task Force on Finance Statistics

Partnering with the international statistical system



WDI Online

• Premier source for social and economic data

• Database on social, economic, financial, natural resources, and environmental indicators. Time series data from 1960

• 695 indicators, over 200 countries, and 18 regional and income groups

• Data updated annually in April



WDI Online

• Population and Demographics• Poverty and Income Distribution• Energy Production and Use• Urbanization• National Accounts• Environment• Purchasing Power Parity• Trade

Full list of indicators - http://publications.worldbank.org/WDI/indicators

• External Debt• Tax and Trade Policies• Military Expenditures• Transportation• Development Assistance

and Aid• Information Technology• Education and Health• Travel and Tourism



GDF Online

• Premier source for financial data• Unique database on external debt and financial flow

data for 136 countries• Time series for 217 indicators from 1970• Indicators include

– external debt stocks and flows, major economic aggregates, key debt ratios, average terms of new commitments, currency composition of long-term debt, debt restructurings, scheduled debt service projections

• Data updated annually in January



GDF Online

• Total Debt Stocks• Total Debt Flows• Resource Flows• Long-term Debt• Principal Repayments• Interest Payments• Disbursements

Full list of indicators - http://publications.worldbank.org/GDF/indicators

• Restructurings • Net Transfers on Debt• Debt Service• Net Flows• Total Debt Service• Debt Ratios• Average Terms on New

Commitments



New Features of WDI/GDF Online

• Multi-language interfaceEnglish, Spanish, French, Russian, Portuguese,

Chinese, Arabic

• Different charting optionschoose between 10 different chart types

• New mapping featuresee data on the world map

• Beta - http://ddp-ext.worldbank.org/ext/DDPQQ/member.do?method=getMembers&userid=1&queryId=35

http://ddp-ext.worldbank.org/ext/DDPQQ/member.do?method=getMembers&userid=1&queryId=35



WDI/GDF Online

Step 1: select countries

Multi-Lingual Interface



New Features of WDI/GDF Online

Step 1: select countries

Multi-Lingual Interface



WDI/GDF Online

Step 2: select indicators



Multiple Orientation and Scaling Options




Multiple Charting Options




Multiple Charting Options



MAPS (select series + year within your list of

countries)



A non-statistical reference: The World Bank e-Library

• An electronic collection of World Bank publications• Launched in May 2003• Includes 4,500 + full-text titles

– backlist + current and forthcoming titles– Over 2,000 formal titles and over 2,500 policy research

working papers

• Indexed and fully searchable content• Powered by Ingenta



World Bank e-Library features

• COUNTER-compliant usage statistics

• TOC alerts

– Subscribe at the e-Library home page and receive an e-mail every time a new title is uploaded

• RSS Feeds

• METADATA and MARC Records

• Reference linking to external sources

• Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs)



World Bank e-Library

Today’s e-Library



Browse all titles in alphabetical order

Select the portal Simple searchAdvanced search



Simple Search













Narrow down your selection






Tomorrow’s e-Library




Tomorrow’s e-Library



The New World Bank e-Library

• E-Library team currently working with Ingenta on development of new platform, planned for beta launch at the end of 2006

• Current stage: Development of alpha version

• Goal: a more flexible platform with more content, enhanced search options, better metadata, and content displayed and usable by subscribers in more granular ways




• More content:– Ability to host content with non-ISBN / ISSN identifiers

• Enhanced search options:– Refine your search (search within search)– Save your search– Sort results by various parameters– Ability to e-mail results to a friend




• Better metadata– Metadata available at the chapter level– Additional metadata fields: country, sub-categories…

• Content format– E-books viewable in their entirety or by chapter– Customized book packages (ability for users to create

their own e-books dynamically from selected World Bank chapters)

• Better linking and referencing– Who are we citing? Who cites us?



Useful Links

World Bank Online Resources:www.worldbank.org/online

e-Library:www.worldbank.org/elibrary

WDI Online:http://publications.worldbank.org/WDI

GDF Online:http://publications.worldbank.org/GDF

Doing Business Database: http://rru.worldbank.org/doingbusiness

World Bank Publications:www.worldbank.org/publications

http://www.worldbank.org/online

http://www.worldbank.org/elibrary



Useful Contacts

For further details or questions, please e-mail

[email protected]

Documents

1 The story behind the numbers: what makes World Bank databases the standard for development data Valentina Kalk November 27, 2006