World Bank MCP Server — 1,500+ Development Indicators

MCP (Model Context Protocol) server providing AI agents with direct access to World Bank Open Data — over 1,500 indicators across 200+ countries spanning 60+ years.

Connect any MCP-compatible client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Cline, etc.) to query GDP, population, trade, health, education, poverty, climate, and more.

Data source: World Bank Open Data (free, no API key required)

Tools

Tool	Description
search_indicators	Search available indicators by keyword
get_countries	List countries with region/income filters
get_indicator_data	Retrieve indicator values for countries/years

Connect via MCP

Claude Desktop / Cursor

Add to your MCP settings:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "world-bank": {
      "url": "https://aligned-kettledrum--world-bank-mcp-server.apify.actor/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN"
      }
    }
  }
}

Using mcp-remote (npx)

npx mcp-remote https://aligned-kettledrum--world-bank-mcp-server.apify.actor/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN"

Get your free Apify API token at console.apify.com. The token authenticates with the MCP server host — the World Bank API itself requires no key.

Example Queries

Once connected, ask your AI assistant:

• "What is the GDP per capita of South Korea over the last 20 years?"
• "Compare life expectancy between Japan, USA, and Brazil"
• "Show CO2 emissions per capita for all EU countries in 2020"
• "Find indicators related to poverty"
• "List all countries in Sub-Saharan Africa"
• "What is the population growth trend in India since 2000?"

Tool Details

search_indicators

Search the World Bank's indicator catalog by keyword.

Parameters:

• query (required): Search keyword (e.g. "GDP", "population", "education")
• max_results (optional): 1-100, default 20

Popular indicator codes:

• NY.GDP.PCAP.CD — GDP per capita (current US$)
• SP.POP.TOTL — Population, total
• SP.DYN.LE00.IN — Life expectancy at birth
• SI.POV.DDAY — Poverty headcount ratio at $2.15/day
• EN.ATM.CO2E.PC — CO2 emissions (metric tons per capita)
• SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS — Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
• SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS — Current health expenditure (% of GDP)

get_countries

List countries with optional filtering.

Parameters:

• search (optional): Filter by name (e.g. "Korea")
• region (optional): Filter by region (e.g. "East Asia", "Europe")
• income_level (optional): Filter by income (e.g. "High income", "Low income")
• max_results (optional): 1-300, default 50

get_indicator_data

Retrieve actual data values.

Parameters:

• indicator (required): Indicator code from search_indicators
• countries (optional): Comma-separated ISO3 codes (e.g. "USA,KOR,GBR")
• year_from (optional): Start year (e.g. 2000)
• year_to (optional): End year (e.g. 2023)
• max_results (optional): 1-500, default 100

Data Coverage

• Countries: 200+ countries and territories
• Indicators: 1,500+ from World Development Indicators (WDI)
• Time span: 1960–present (varies by indicator)
• Topics: Economy, Education, Environment, Health, Poverty, Trade, Infrastructure, and more

FAQ

Do I need an API key? You need a free Apify API token to connect to this MCP server. The underlying World Bank API requires no separate authentication.

How current is the data? Data is sourced directly from the World Bank API in real-time. Most indicators are updated annually.

What country codes should I use? Use ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 codes (e.g. USA, KOR, GBR, JPN, BRA). Use get_countries to find codes.

Can I get data for country groups? Yes. The World Bank includes aggregates like "WLD" (World), "EUU" (European Union), "SSF" (Sub-Saharan Africa).

Batch Processing

For large-scale data needs (hundreds of indicators or all countries), consider using the companion World Bank Indicators Actor which outputs to Apify datasets for bulk processing.