CLI and TypeScript SDK for the World Bank Data360 API. Search 12,000+ indicators across 100+ databases — GDP, population, climate, health, education. No API key required.
npm install -g worldbank-data360Or run without installing:
npx worldbank-data360 discoverworldbank discoverPrints a guide with examples. Follow the steps — search, check coverage, fetch.
worldbank search "life expectancy" --top 5 --database WB_WDI{
"total": 549,
"shown": 5,
"items": [
{
"id": "WB_WDI_SP_DYN_LE00_IN",
"name": "Life expectancy at birth, total (years)",
"databaseId": "WB_WDI",
"score": 76.2,
"topics": ["People", "Health"]
}
]
}The indicator ID encodes the database: WB_WDI_SP_DYN_LE00_IN → database WB_WDI.
Before fetching, see which countries and years actually have data:
worldbank info WB_WDI_SP_DYN_LE00_IN{
"name": "Life expectancy at birth, total (years)",
"database": "World Development Indicators (WDI)",
"areas": 265,
"years": "1960–2024"
}If years is a list, the indicator is not published annually — gaps are expected. info also shows disaggregation dimensions (sex, age, urbanisation) when available.
worldbank data WB_WDI --indicator WB_WDI_SP_DYN_LE00_IN --area POL,DEU,USA --from 2010 --to 2023Multiple countries → records grouped by country code automatically:
{
"count": 42,
"indicator": "WB_WDI_SP_DYN_LE00_IN",
"indicatorName": "Life expectancy at birth, total (years)",
"database": "WB_WDI",
"meta": { "UNIT_MEASURE": "YR" },
"records": {
"DEU": [{ "period": "2010", "value": 80.5 }, ...],
"POL": [...],
"USA": [...]
}
}Single country → flat array. Repeated metadata in meta, not in every record. SDMX placeholders (_T, _Z) stripped automatically. Pagination is automatic — API caps at 1000 records per call, SDK fetches all pages.
Indicators with sex/age breakdowns show dimensions per record:
worldbank data WB_HCI --indicator WB_HCI_HCI --area FIN,SWE --from 2018 --to 2020{
"records": {
"FIN": [
{ "period": "2018", "value": 0.814 },
{ "period": "2018", "SEX": "M", "value": 0.786 },
{ "period": "2018", "SEX": "F", "value": 0.844 }
]
}
}Open directly in Excel or Google Sheets:
worldbank data WB_WDI --indicator WB_WDI_NY_GDP_PCAP_CD --area POL,DEU,USA --from 2010 --to 2023 --format csv > gdp.csvarea,period,value
DEU,2010,40408.71
POL,2010,12602.34
USA,2010,48466.73
...
Sex/age breakdowns become columns automatically.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
worldbank discover |
Quick start guide with examples |
worldbank discover --databases |
List all 100+ databases as JSON |
worldbank search <query> [--top N] [--database ID] |
Search indicators by keyword |
worldbank info <INDICATOR_ID> |
Show name, countries, year range, dimensions |
worldbank data <DB> --indicator <ID> [--area] [--from] [--to] [--top N] [--all] [--format json|csv] |
Fetch data |
worldbank explain <DB> --indicator <ID> [...] |
Preview query without fetching |
worldbank countries |
List all countries with ISO alpha-3 codes |
Hints appear in stderr after each command — pipe 2>/dev/null to silence.
npm install worldbank-data360import { WorldBankClient } from 'worldbank-data360'
const client = new WorldBankClient()
const result = await client
.data('WB_WDI')
.indicator('WB_WDI_NY_GDP_PCAP_CD')
.area(['POL', 'DEU', 'USA'])
.from('2010').to('2023')
.fetch()const result = await client
.data('WB_WDI')
.indicator('WB_WDI_SP_POP_TOTL')
.area(['POL', 'DEU', 'USA'])
.from('2000').to('2023')
.sex('F') // demographic filters
.age('Y15T24')
.urbanisation('U')
.fetch()const results = await client
.search()
.search('poverty')
.database('WB_WDI')
.top(10)
.fetchItems()
// → { total, shown, items: [{ id, name, databaseId, score, topics? }] }const overview = await client.discover()
// → { totalIndicators: 12938, databases: [{ id: 'WB_WDI', name: '...', indicatorCount: 1534 }, ...] }// Preview query without fetching
const info = client.data('WB_WDI').indicator('WB_WDI_SP_POP_TOTL').area(['POL']).from('2010').to('2023').explain()
// Format as markdown table for an LLM prompt
const ctx = await client.data('WB_WDI').indicator('WB_WDI_SP_POP_TOTL').area('POL').from('2020').to('2023').toContext()import { SDKRequestError } from 'worldbank-data360'
try {
await client.data('INVALID_DB').fetch()
} catch (err) {
if (err instanceof SDKRequestError) {
console.log(err.sdkError.message) // "HTTP 400 from GET /data360/data"
console.log(err.sdkError.suggestion) // "Check your DATABASE_ID..."
}
}| Method | Endpoint |
|---|---|
.discover() |
POST /data360/searchv2 (facets) |
.data() |
GET /data360/data |
.search() |
POST /data360/searchv2 |
.disaggregation() |
GET /data360/disaggregation |
.countries() |
GET /V2/country (World Bank V2) |
Both APIs are public — no authentication required.
Data sourced from the World Bank Data360 API and World Bank V2 API. Subject to World Bank Terms of Use.
Unofficial open-source wrapper, not affiliated with or endorsed by the World Bank Group.
MIT