World Bank Microdata Library

World Bank Microdata Library is a specialized online repository managed by the World Bank Group, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Established in 2010, this platform provides access to microdata collected from household surveys, demographic and health surveys, and censuses conducted in developing countries. It serves as a critical resource for researchers, policymakers, and students working on development-related research and evaluations. The library houses data from over 100 countries, with a focus on low- and middle-income economies. Users can search for datasets by country, survey type, or thematic area, such as education, health, or labor markets. World Bank Microdata Library has approximately 5,000 registered users, with a growing number of academic institutions and research organizations utilizing its resources. The platform generates no direct revenue, as it is part of the World Bank's open data initiative, which is funded by member country contributions. Technical infrastructure includes a secure server environment with multi-factor authentication to protect sensitive survey data. The platform uses Apache Solr for indexing, enabling fast and accurate search functionality across millions of records. Researchers must apply for access to restricted datasets, which involves a review process to ensure compliance with ethical standards and data privacy laws. World Bank Microdata Library supports various data formats, including SPSS, Stata, and SAS, making it compatible with standard statistical software. The platform also provides documentation and metadata for each dataset, including survey methodologies and variable definitions. Regular updates are made to the library as new surveys are conducted and processed by the World Bank's data teams. In addition to its web i