Economics & Development

Financial Development Data (FinData) is a new, annually updated database developed by the WorldBank Group to measure financial system development across up to 218 economies from 1980 onwards. Building on Čihák, Demirgüç-Kunt, Feyen, and Levine (2012), FinData adopts an expanded 4×4 conceptual framework that assesses four segments of the financial system — banks, non-bank financial institutions, equity markets, and debt markets — across four dimensions: depth, access, efficiency, and stability. This note describes the methodology underpinning the construction of FinData's composite indices. It details the sample definition and data coverage filters applied to the initial universe of 218 economies, the quality control procedures for source indicators, and the missing-data treatment designed to maximize coverage while minimizing reliance on imputation, with sensitivity analyses confirming that the proposed approach balances external plausibility, temporal stability, coverage, and interpretability relative to alternative missing-data treatments and normalization methods. The database integrates traditional banking and capital market indicators with digital finance and financial inclusion measures, providing a comprehensive and consistent basis for cross-country analysis of financial sector development.

In April 2022, Costa Rica became the first country in the world to declare a state of national emergency in response to a cyberattack. A sustained ransomware campaign disrupted nearly 30 public institutions, generated aggregate losses of up to 2.4 percent of GDP, and tested every dimension of the country's institutional response. Jointly produced by the World Bank Group and the Government of Costa Rica, this case study documents what happened and distils transferable lessons for other developing countries. The report also sets out how cybersecurity risk is becoming a development risk, and how it is being integrated into the WBG's Crisis Preparedness and Response Toolkit — alongside natural disasters and pandemics.

This note presents the 12th edition of the World Bank’s Multidimensional Poverty Measure (MPM) database, drawing on the latest country data from the Global Monitoring Database (GMD) as of September 2026. The MPM offers a broader view of poverty by examining deprivations along three dimensions of well-being: monetary poverty (measured using the international poverty line at $3.00 per person per day in 2021 PPP), education, and access to basic infrastructure services. This latest edition covers 103 economies for circa 2023.

Yemen’s fisheries are a vital economic and social asset, supporting coastal livelihoods, providing food security, and contributing to Yemen’s economy and job creation. However, the sector has faced acute challenges since the outbreak of conflict more than a decade ago. Given the sector’s importance, sustained support is required to bolster its role in Yemen’s post-war socioeconomic recovery. This Technical Note summarizes the current state of the fishery sector in Yemen and provides practical recommendations to grow the sector in a sustainable manner. It is based on two studies conducted with financing from PROBLUE: the Fisheries Profile for the Gulf of Aden Coast and the Value Chain Study on Spiny Lobster and Yellowfin Tuna, as well as the Diversification Study funded by Sustainable Fishery Development in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (SFISH) Program. The Note is intended to serve as a basis for policy dialogue with the government for the sector’s sustainable recovery and to inform future investment.