The World Bank Group (WBG) is a family of five international organizations that makes leveraged loans, generally to poor countries. The Bank came into formal existence on 27 December 1945 following international ratification of the Bretton Woods agreements, which emerged from the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference (1 July22 July 1944). It also provided the foundation of the Osiander-Committee in 1951, responsible for the preparation and evaluation of the World Development Report. Commencing operations on 25 June 1946, it approved its first loan on 9 May 1947 ($250M to France for postwar reconstruction, in real terms the largest loan issued by the Bank to date). Its five agencies are:

The term "World Bank" generally refers to the IBRD and IDA, whereas the World Bank Group is used to refer to the institutions collectively.

The World Bank's (i.e. the IBRD and IDA's) activities are focused on developing countries, in fields such as human development (e.g. education, health), agriculture and rural development (e.g. irrigation, rural services), environmental protection (e.g. pollution reduction, establishing and enforcing regulations), infrastructure (e.g. roads, urban regeneration, electricity), and governance (e.g. anti-corruption, legal institutions development). The IBRD and IDA provide loans at preferential rates to member countries, as well as grants to the poorest countries. Loans or grants for specific projects are often linked to wider policy changes in the sector or the economy. For example, a loan to improve coastal environmental management may be linked to development of new environmental institutions at national and local levels and the implementation of new regulations to limit pollution.

The activities of the IFC and MIGA include investment in the private sector and providing insurance respectively.

The World Bank Institute is the capacity development branch of the World Bank, providing learning and other capacity-building programs to member countries. Two countries, Venezuela and Ecuador, have recently withdrawn from the World Bank.

From Wikipedia under the GNU Free Documentation License
Sat Jul 11 20:09:14 2009

The World Bank Group and United Nation have given approval to release my funds?
Q. Sir Arnold sent me an email that said he will give me my money within 72 hours of me sending him this information: 1) your full name: 2) ADDRESS,CITY,State and country: 3) PHONE,Fax and mobile: 4) company name(IF ANY) position and address: 5) bank details: 6, bank account: 7, swift code/Routing number: 8) profession,Age and marital status: 7, copy of your int'L passport/Drivers license: Should I do this? LOL guys! Sir Arnold and Mr. Song Li email me every day!
Asked by Rosie - Thu Mar 5 11:44:47 2009 - - 6 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Instead, email all of that information to me, along with your social security number. Thank you and your money will be deposited as soon as I receive your information.
Answered by rosie babayyy - Thu Mar 5 12:47:14 2009

Didn't Jefferson tell us NOT to allow private banks run our currency?
Q. If leaders are serious about creating new global responsibilities or governance, let them start by modernising multilateralism to empower the WTO, the IMF, and the World Bank Group to monitor national policies. Robert Zoellick The Fed control it now, opinions?
Asked by Green eyed Goblin - Thu Apr 2 01:10:50 2009 - - 12 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Oh don't listen to what our founding fathers told us. They are from way long ago. We have evolved and know better than they did. Can't you tell by how great our country is going? We have it all figured out.
Answered by The Ghost with the Most - Thu Apr 2 01:15:53 2009

World Bank invests in gas project (China)?
Q. (China Daily, Aug 6, 2006) Xinao Group, China's leading private gas company, has secured a US$145 million investment from International Finance Corp to bankroll its US$300 million coal-to-dimethyl ether project. IFC, the private lending arm of the World Bank, will loan US$135 million to the project and buy a US$10 million stake in it, Langfang, Hebei Province-based Xinao said in a statement posted on its Website yesterday. The loan could be increased if needed, the statement said. The project, situated in Ordos in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, will be capable of producing 400,000 tons of dimethyl ether a year, or enough fuel for 2 million households, when it is completed in 2008 or 2009. source:
Asked by onlyonce - Sun Aug 6 23:18:40 2006 - - 1 Answers - 0 Comments

A. 6 years of Republican crisis and failure, and people think communist China is a better investment than the United States. Are you surprised?
Answered by ny_spork - Sun Aug 6 23:23:35 2006

From Yahoo Answer Search: "World Bank Group"
Fri Jul 17 03:52:01 2009

See also:

  • 50 Years Is Enough50 Years Is Enough
    50years.org
    U.S. Network for Global Economic Justice is a coalition of 205 grassroots, faith-based, policy, women's, social- and economic-justice, youth, solidarity, labor, and development organizations dedicated to the profound transformation of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
  • Global Exchange - World Bank / IMF Fact SheetGlobal Exchange - World Bank / IMF Fact Sheet
    globalexchange.org
    Examination of the effects and requirements set by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, which give money to poor governments in return for possibly damaging economic controls.
  • <b>The Whirled Bank Group</b>The Whirled Bank Group
    whirledbank.org
    Information, commentary and humor about the international finance system specifically as it impacts the developing world. Fun, yet detailed.

Custom search only World Bank Group sites:

Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a Site - Open Directory Project - Become an Editor
Mon Jul 6 22:15:06 2009