Atlas of Global Development Atlas Home Stories Progress People Prosperity Planet Infrastructure Digital Use reduced-motion Off On Atlas of Global Development 2026 The Atlas of Global Development 2026 presents interactive storytelling and data visualizations on key global trends related to people, prosperity, our planet, infrastructure, and digital transformation. Supported by and Use reduced-motion Off On Data stories on global development Across the global development landscape, which countries are moving the fastest, and which are losing ground? The 2026 edition of the World Bank’s Atlas of Global Development puts progress at its center. Looking at how fast countries are moving toward better outcomes and facing different challenges, from their own individual starting points, this edition introduces a new framework to track development over the past 75 years, revealing how countries have advanced across key dimensions. Explore the pace of progress, dive into the data, and discover the stories across the World Bank’s five themes: people, prosperity, planet, infrastructure, and digital. Global Progress Tracking Progress in Global Development Explore progress data on key development areas from poverty reduction and life expectancy to education to understand the global progress slowdown. Data for Development The State of Development Data For many economies, the data guiding budgets and regulations are years out of date, leaving millions of people invisible to policy makers. Read more on Measuring Progress. Progress is the slowest on record in 15 of 26 of the explored development indicators Only 1 in 2 women are engaged in income-generating work stories on People Learning and Work Skills Are Used and Built on the Job Each year of schooling that a worker attains improves productivity and wages. But learning does not end at school; workers acquire additional skills through on-the-job learning. Gender and Jobs Shaping the Future of Women in the Workplace Women face persistent barriers to work and are more likely to be in vulnerable jobs, earn lower wages, and shoulder care burden. Explore more data on People 1 in 2 of the world's extreme poor live in countries where poverty has increased in the past 10 years stories on Prosperity Extreme Poverty Past, Present, and Future: 100 Years of Challenges in Tackling Extreme Poverty After 75 years of historic poverty reduction, shifting global dynamics threaten to reverse our progress. Inequality Combining Income Growth with Inequality Reduction Benefits Everyone The Prosperity Gap in Sub-Saharan Africa is at the same level as the world was in the 1980s, making the region roughly four decades behind the global average. Explore more data on Prosperity Around 50% of countries with data (48 out of 94) face water quality challenges stories on Planet Water Access Water Quality: A Foundation for Health and Development Access to safe drinking water is essential for health and development, yet over 2 billion people still lack it. Water quality remains the main barrier to safely managed drinking water. Climate Exposure, Vulnerability, and Adaptation to Climate Hazards Climate change intensifies extreme weather events, exposing more than half the global population, a large share of which is also vulnerable and in need of adaptation. Explore more data on Planet 1 in 2 people in Sub-Saharan Africa live without electricity today stories on Infrastructure Electricity Access Access to Electricity: Who Remains Without Power? Although global electricity access has expanded steadily over the past two decades, millions in rural Sub-Saharan Africa have been left behind. Urban Development Building Productive Cities for an Urbanizing World Cities are the engine of global economic growth, but strategic investment in urban planning is essential to ensure cities deliver opportunity for all. Explore more data on Infrastructure 1 in 4 people worldwide do not use the Internet stories on Digital Internet Access The Unfinished Digital Revolution: Expanding Internet Access Internet access has grown at remarkable speed since the turn of the century, yet millions of people are shut out of the digital economy, especially in poorer countries. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Inequalities in Use of and Exposure to Artificial Intelligence While high-income nations rapidly integrate AI, stark infrastructural and skills gaps are leaving low-income countries behind. Explore more data on Digital Acknowledgements Suggested Citation Pirlea, A F, Wadhwa, D, Mahler, D, Serajuddin, U, Welch, M, Thudt, A and Lambrechts, M (eds). 2026. Atlas of Global Development 2026. Washington DC: World Bank. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO. Previous Atlases 2017   2018   2020   2023 Share License Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO Supported by Contributors Drew Bardana Dominikus Baur Kathleen Beegle Thijs Benschop Daniel Boller Bruno Bonasea Anna Tabitha Bonfert Christian Borja-Vega David Castillo Parra Lisa Maria Castro Bryce Michael Charron Lorena Corso Gabriel Demombynes Martin Echenique Peirano Haishan Fu Tony Fujs Maria Eugenia Genoni David Groves Cameron Nadim Haddad Alaka Holla Filloreta Jusufi Haruna Kashiwase Elysee Kiti Sandeep Kohli Holly Krambek Christoph Lakner Jorg Gero Langbein Maarten Lambrechts Christian Laesser Sinae Lee Jia Li Echo Xiaotong Liu Yan Liu Jonas Helth Lønborg Pavel Luengas Sierra Daniel Gerszon Mahler Karolina Mazurkiewicz Kristen Milhollin Rinku Murgai Ana Maria Munoz Boudet Esther Naikal Mario Negre Minh Cong Nguyen Rochelle O'Hagan Ana Florina Pirlea Akash Ranjan Pradhan Zander Prinsloo Joseph Rebello Mikael Ello Reventar Bob Rijkers Ændra Rininsland Shane Kimo Romig Patrick Rugwizangoga Norbert Schady Harris Selod Umar Serajuddin Joana Silva Lucy Southwood Sharada Srinivasan Brian Stacy Benjamin Stewart Rubena Sukaj Rossana Tatulli Samuel Kofi Tetteh-Baah Alice Thudt Jan Willem Tulp Karenina Velandia Divyanshi Wadhwa He Wang Michael Weber Matthew Welch Nishant Yonzan Fan Zhang Legal Privacy Notice Site Accessibility Access to Information Jobs Contact SCAM ALERT REPORT FRAUD OR CORRUPTION IBRD IDA IFC MIGA ICSID © 2026 The World Bank Group, All Rights Reserved.