The World Bank compiles and disseminates country estimates that it uses to assess economic and social trends in developing countries. Other economies are covered to the extent that they provide internationally comparable measures in readily usable form.
Data focus on national accounts, international transactions, and other indicators of development.
The historical time series cover the period from 1968 to present in printed reports and on diskettes and from 1950 on computer tapes. Data are collected and analyzed continuously from member countries. Some data are estimated by World Bank staff. A description of sources and methods for major categories is found in the World Tables report. In some areas of economic statistics, additional guidelines have been developed that are broadly in line with the SNA but differ in some respects.