1. Data updates
On January 27, 2026, the World Development Indicators (WDI) database was updated. This release includes new and revised data on key development topics, such as labor market statistics modeled by the International Labour Organization (ILO), updated malaria incidence, health worker figures, and the latest health expenditure information. It also features updated purchasing power parity (PPP) data for OECD and Eurostat member countries and new Enterprise Survey results, offering insights into the current business environment in several countries.
People
-
▪ Labor market data draws on the latest ILO Modelled Estimates, providing internationally comparable indicators such as labor force participation, employment, and unemployment, disaggregated by age and sex. More detailed information is also available on employment by economic activity (agriculture, industry, and services) and by employment status (e.g., self-employed, wage and salaried workers). These estimates are derived from a combination of nationally reported observations and imputed values for countries with missing data. This approach yields a balanced panel dataset that enables consistent regional and global aggregates over time, facilitating trend analysis in the labor market. It is important to note, however, that for countries with limited national data, these estimates carry a high degree of uncertainty and should not be interpreted as direct observations. For methodological details, please refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database: https://ilostat.ilo.org/methods/concepts-and-definitions/ilo-modelled-estimates/.
-
▪ Health spending indicators have been updated using the latest WHO data released in December 2025. These include current health expenditure as a percentage of GDP and per capita (current US$), and out-of-pocket expenditure as a percentage of current health expenditure. Data are now available up to 2023, and up to 2024 for some countries. Figures for health workers (physicians, nurses and midwives) and hospital bed density have been updated through 2023. Malaria incidence (SDG 3.3) data are now available up to 2024, based on the WHO’s World Malaria Report 2025.
Prosperity
-
▪ New Enterprise Survey results offer insights into the current business environment, based on firm-level surveys with top managers and business owners. These include average time to clear exports through customs, firms using banks to finance investment, and firms with female top managers for Brunei Darussalam, Comoros, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kuwait, Liberia, Somalia, and Fed. Rep. All datasets and documentation are available on the Enterprise Survey data portal. The list of ongoing and upcoming projects is on the project schedule page.
-
▪ Purchasing power parity (PPP) conversion factors for gross domestic product (GDP) and private consumption have been updated for Eurostat and OECD countries, using the most recent data published in the Eurostat and OECD databases. For the rest of the world, the extrapolated PPPs released in December 2025, based on benchmark-year PPPs produced by the International Comparison Program, remain the same.
A complete list of indicators included in this update can be accessed here and the data is available through the Open Data site, DataBank, the Data Catalog, and via API.