wb_data: Download Data from the World Bank API
In wbstats: Programmatic Access to Data and Statistics from the World Bank API

Description Usage Arguments Details Value Examples

This function downloads the requested information using the World Bank API

wb_data(
  indicator,
  country = "countries_only",
  start_date,
  end_date,
  return_wide = TRUE,
  mrv,
  mrnev,
  cache,
  freq,
  gapfill = FALSE,
  date_as_class_date = FALSE,
  lang
)

`indicator`	Character vector of indicator codes. These codes correspond to the `indicator_id` column from the `indicators` tibble of `wb_cache()`, wb_cachelist, or the result of running `wb_indicators()` directly
`country`	Character vector of country, region, or special value codes for the locations you want to return data for. Permissible values can be found in the countries tibble in wb_cachelist or by running `wb_countries()` directly. Specifically, values listed in the following fields `iso3c`, `iso2c`, `country`, `region`, `admin_region`, `income_level` and all of the `region_`, `admin_region_`, `income_level_*`, columns. As well as the following special values `"countries_only"` (Default) `"regions_only"` `"admin_regions_only"` `"income_levels_only"` `"aggregates_only"` `"all"`
`start_date`	Numeric or character. If numeric it must be in `%Y` form (i.e. four digit year). For data at the subannual granularity the API supports a format as follows: for monthly data, "2016M01" and for quarterly data, "2016Q1". This also accepts a special value of "YTD", useful for more frequently updated subannual indicators.
`end_date`	Numeric or character. If numeric it must be in `%Y` form (i.e. four digit year). For data at the subannual granularity the API supports a format as follows: for monthly data, "2016M01" and for quarterly data, "2016Q1".
`return_wide`	Logical. If `TRUE` data is returned in a wide format instead of long, with a column named for each `indicator_id` or if the `indicator` argument is a named vector, the `names()` given to the indicator will be the column names. To necessitate this transformation, the `indicator` column that provides the human readable description is dropped, but provided as a column label. Default is `TRUE`
`mrv`	Numeric. The number of Most Recent Values to return. A replacement of `start_date` and `end_date`, this number represents the number of observations you which to return starting from the most recent date of collection. This may include missing values. Useful in conjuction with `freq`
`mrnev`	Numeric. The number of Most Recent Non Empty Values to return. A replacement of `start_date` and `end_date`, similar in behavior as `mrv` but excludes locations with missing values. Useful in conjuction with `freq`
`cache`	List of tibbles returned from `wb_cache()`. If omitted, wb_cachelist is used
`freq`	Character String. For fetching quarterly ("Q"), monthly("M") or yearly ("Y") values. Useful for querying high frequency data.
`gapfill`	Logical. If `TRUE` fills in missing values by carrying forward the last available value until the next available period (max number of periods back tracked will be limited by `mrv` number). Default is `FALSE`
`date_as_class_date`	Logical. If `TRUE` the date field is returned as class Date, useful when working with non-annual data or data at mixed resolutions. Default is `FALSE` available value until the next available period (max number of periods back tracked will be limited by `mrv` number). Default is `FALSE`
`lang`	Language in which to return the results. If `lang` is unspecified, english is the default. For supported languages see `wb_languages()`. Possible values of `lang` are in the `iso2` column. A note of warning, not all data returns have support for langauges other than english. If the specific return does not support your requested language by default it will return `NA`.

`obs_status` column

Indicates the observation status for location, indicator and date combination. For example "F" in the response indicates that the observation status for that data point is "forecast".

a tibble of all available requested data.

# gdp for all countries for all available dates
df_gdp <- wb_data("NY.GDP.MKTP.CD")

# Brazilian gdp for all available dates
df_brazil <- wb_data("NY.GDP.MKTP.CD", country = "br")

# Brazilian gdp for 2006

df_brazil_1 <- wb_data("NY.GDP.MKTP.CD", country = "brazil", start_date = 2006)


# Brazilian gdp for 2006-2010

df_brazil_2 <- wb_data("NY.GDP.MKTP.CD", country = "BRA",
                       start_date = 2006, end_date = 2010)


# Population, GDP, Unemployment Rate, Birth Rate (per 1000 people)

my_indicators <- c("SP.POP.TOTL",
                   "NY.GDP.MKTP.CD",
                   "SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS",
                   "SP.DYN.CBRT.IN")


df <- wb_data(my_indicators)

# you pass multiple country ids of different types
# Albania (iso2c), Georgia (iso3c), and Mongolia

my_countries <- c("AL", "Geo", "mongolia")
df <- wb_data(my_indicators, country = my_countries,
              start_date = 2005, end_date = 2007)


# same data as above, but in long format

df_long <- wb_data(my_indicators, country = my_countries,
                   start_date = 2005, end_date = 2007,
                   return_wide = FALSE)


# regional population totals
# regions correspond to the region column in wb_cachelist$countries

df_region <- wb_data("SP.POP.TOTL", country = "regions_only",
                     start_date = 2010, end_date = 2014)


# a specific region

df_world <- wb_data("SP.POP.TOTL", country = "world",
                    start_date = 2010, end_date = 2014)


# if the indicator is part of a named vector the name will be the column name
my_indicators <- c("pop" = "SP.POP.TOTL",
                   "gdp" = "NY.GDP.MKTP.CD",
                   "unemployment_rate" = "SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS",
                   "birth_rate" = "SP.DYN.CBRT.IN")

df_names <- wb_data(my_indicators, country = "world",
                    start_date = 2010, end_date = 2014)


# custom names are ignored if returning in long format

df_names_long <- wb_data(my_indicators, country = "world",
                         start_date = 2010, end_date = 2014,
                         return_wide = FALSE)


# same as above but in Bulgarian
# note that not all indicators have translations for all languages

df_names_long_bg <- wb_data(my_indicators, country = "world",
                            start_date = 2010, end_date = 2014,
                            return_wide = FALSE, lang = "bg")