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This is the sixth edition of the World
Development Indicators in its current format, the 25th since
the World Bank began publishing a comprehensive set of
development indicators. It begins with a report on the
Millennium Development Goals, which set specific, measurable
targets for development in the early 21st century. To
measure progress, results have to be measured and for that
good statistics are needed. Most of the statistics in this
report are produced by national statistical agencies. The
World Bank supports investments to improve the quality of
statistics through a wide range of efforts. The Bank is a
member of the Partnership in Statistics for the 21st
Century, the Bank is working closely with its development
partners to raise awareness of the need for the value of
good statistics and to increase the resources available for
statistical capacity building in developing countries. The
World Bank Institute is offering training programs to build
statistical capacity building in the countries preparing
poverty reduction strategies. Through the International
Comparison Programme (ICP), the Bank is working to improve
the quality of data for comparing standards of living across
countries. The Bank has established a trust fund for
building statistical capacity.
