Historical Dictionary of the World Bank

When it was founded back in 1944 no one could possibly have foreseen how the World Bank – known more formally as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) – would flourish. Today, with 188 members, it is by far the largest lender for projects in agriculture, health, infrastructure and many other fields in developing countries around the world, with a budget of billions of dollars and a staff of more than 9,000, and its advice is usually heeded by both the developing c...