World Bank Data API Guide

Overview

The World Bank Data API provides free access to one of the most comprehensive collections of global development data available. The Indicators API covers over 16,000 development indicators across 217 countries and territories, with time series data spanning several decades. Topics include poverty and inequality, health outcomes, education statistics, infrastructure, trade, environmental metrics, and governance indicators.

This API is a cornerstone resource for researchers in development economics, public health, education policy, environmental science, and political science. The World Bank's data is widely cited in academic publications and policy documents, making it an authoritative source for cross-country comparative research.

The API is entirely free, requires no authentication, and returns data in JSON, XML, or other formats. The v2 API supports pagination, filtering by date ranges and income levels, and provides metadata about indicators and data sources.

Authentication

No authentication is required. The World Bank Data API is free and open.

# No API key needed
curl "https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/US/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?format=json&date=2020:2024"