Exact source vintages
Archived releases make it possible to identify the publication context behind a historical observation instead of treating today’s downloadable series as if it had never changed.
What the archive is useful for
Revision checks
When the same indicator, entity and period appear in more than one release, the values can be checked for revisions after confirming that units and definitions remain compatible.
Transparent limits
Changes in methodology, units, geography or series definitions can make a direct comparison misleading. In those cases World Discovery does not present the pair as equivalent evidence.
How an archived comparison is assessed
1
Identify the release
Record the exact archive release and source reference.
2
Check comparability
Confirm entity, indicator, period, unit and relevant methodological context.
3
Present only supported conclusions
Show the comparison only when the available source evidence supports it, and keep the observation year and source visible to users.
Official source: World Bank, World Development Indicators — WDI Archives. Open the World Bank archive →
Inspect the published revision evidence
World Discovery keeps the archive explanation separate from the public evidence views. Use these pages when you want to inspect the currently published revision examples rather than the archive methodology itself.
Revision evidence → · Verified findings → · Population evidence hub →
Current data is separate from archive research
For normal country and indicator exploration, use the current data catalog and country profiles. The archive exists to explain historical source context, not to serve as a public development dashboard or a catalogue of planned pages.
Open the data catalog → · Browse countries and geographic entities → · Compare countries →