The World Bank

• The World Bank Classification System divides countries into four categories based on their level of development: low-income economies, lower middle-income economies, upper middle-income economies, and high-income economies. The system uses gross national income per capita to determine whether a country falls into one category or another.
• The World Bank gives out loans for development or relief
• World Bank


  • Provider of support for less developed countries> reduced poverty
• 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙒𝙊𝙍𝙇𝘿 𝘽𝘼𝙉𝙆:

  • part of the UN
  • lends money to developing countries to promote development
  • funds projects such as roads and water/power supplies
  • a founding member of the GPE (2002)
  • the GPE invests in early childhood education for the poorest children
  • launched the Climate Change Action Plan in 2016
• The GPE is the Global Partnership for Education.
• The World Bank is part of the UN.
• The World Bank lends money to developing countries to promote development.
• The World Bank funds development projects such as roads and water/power supplies.
• The World Bank is a founding member of the GPE (2002).
• The GPE invests in early childhood education for the poorest children.
• The World Bank launched the Climate Change Action Plan in 2016.
• What is the World Bank?

  An international development organisation which provides funding and knowledge for developing countries.
• The WB has funded over 12,000 development projects via loans, interest-free credits, and grants.
• When was the World Bank founded?

  1944
• Why was the World Bank established?

  To help rebuild the economy after WWII.
• How many members does the World Bank have?

  189
• To join the World Bank, a nation must first join the International Monetary Fund.
• How does the World Bank differ to the IMF?

  The WB provides funding and knowledge for 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 countries.

  The IMF focuses on financial stability, not the circumstances of the people themselves.
• 𝙎𝙏𝙍𝙐𝘾𝙏𝙐𝙍𝙀:

  • IBRD - helps countries reduce poverty via financial products and policy advice
  • IDA - helps countries escape poverty via the creation of jobs and services
  • IFC - focuses on the private sector in developing countries
  • MIGA - provides political risk insurance and credit enhancement for the private sector
  • ICSID - international investment dispute settlement
• What are the aims of the World Bank?

  • to end extreme poverty by reducing the share of the global population that lives in it to 3%
  • to promote shared prosperity by increasing the incomes of the poorest 40% of people in every country
• 𝙀𝙁𝙁𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙑𝙀𝙉𝙀𝙎𝙎:

  • pursues low-carbon energy e.g. provides $1 billion+ for India's solar projects
  • low-interest loans
  • encourage FDI
  • protects the environment and climate
  • strives to achieve gender equality
  • fights communicable diseases by improving healthcare
  • encourages trade
  • aids countries recovering from wars
  • fights governmental corruption
• 𝙁𝘼𝙄𝙇𝙐𝙍𝙀𝙎:

  • critiqued for listening to major shareholders instead of developing countries
  • policies reflect the interests of the shareholders
  • some policies occur too slowly, fail, or are biased towards richer countries
  • development projects can cause forced eviction, displacement, potentially forced child labour, and food insecurity
  • invests in fossil fuels