World Bank Open Data

How to Use This API

1. Get World Population (SP.POP.TOTL)

https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/all/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?format=json

Returns population data for every country, every year. The response is an array where the first element is metadata and the second is the data array.

2. GDP for a Specific Country — United States

https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/US/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?format=json

Returns US GDP (current US$) year by year. Country codes are ISO 3166-1 alpha-2.

3. Multiple Indicators at Once

https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/CN/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD;SP.POP.TOTL;SE.ADT.LITR.ZS?format=json

China's GDP, population, and literacy rate in one request. Separate indicator codes with semicolons.

4. JavaScript — GDP Comparison

async function getIndicator(country, indicator) {
  const resp = await fetch(
    `https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/${country}/indicator/${indicator}?format=json`
  );
  const [, data] = await resp.json();
  return data
    .filter(d => d.value !== null)
    .map(d => ({ year: d.year, value: parseFloat(d.value) }))
    .reverse();
}

async function compareGDP() {
  const us = await getIndicator('US', 'NY.GDP.MKTP.CD');
  const cn = await getIndicator('CN', 'NY.GDP.MKTP.CD');
  
  console.log('Year | US GDP | China GDP');
  us.slice(0, 5).forEach((d, i) => {
    console.log(`${d.year} | $${(d.value/1e12).toFixed(2)}T | $${(cn[i].value/1e12).toFixed(2)}T`);
  });
}

compareGDP();

5. Python — Countries with Highest GDP Growth

import requests

def get_top_gdp_growth(year=2025):
    resp = requests.get(
        'https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/all/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG',
        params={'format': 'json', 'per_page': 100, 'date': year}
    )
    _, data = resp.json()
    sorted_data = sorted(
        [(d['country']['value'], float(d['value']))
         for d in data if d['value']],
        key=lambda x: x[1],
        reverse=True
    )
    print(f"Top GDP growth rates in {year}:")
    for name, growth in sorted_data[:10]:
        print(f"  {name}: {growth:.2f}%")

get_top_gdp_growth()