data.worldbank.org is launched today, containing a huge amount of development data which you can download and manipulate at no cost. The interfaces that have been developed mean that data can be mashed with other information; making useful analyses by individuals and organisations possible.

The World Bank is a signatory of the International Aid Transparency Initiative which is working to ensure aid information is accessible in all 18 member countries in a comprehensive, timely and comparable way. data.worldbank.org marks a good step towards achieving aid transparency, and ultimately the increased effectiveness of aid.