The World Bank

The World Bank is a multilateral financing institution that was established in conjunction with the United Nations in 1944 to help countries recover after World War II. Today the World Bank provides funds and technical assistance to developing countries around the world through two institutions, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and the International Development Association (IDA). Each bank is managed by a separate set of member countries, however the United States provides the largest share of funding and maintains the greatest share of voting power at both IDA and IBRD. See the IBRD and IDA pages for additional information on World Bank members and shareholders.