The World Bank is an international financial institution with 188 member countries that provides loans and technical assistance to developing countries for programs aimed at reducing poverty. It was established in 1944 at the Bretton Woods Conference to rebuild Europe after WWII. The World Bank's goals are to end extreme poverty by 2030 and boost shared prosperity by focusing on areas like health, education, infrastructure, private sector development, and institutional reform. It consists of five institutions that work to attain its mission: the IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, and ICSID. The United States is the largest shareholder and the President has always been a U.S. citizen, leading to some criticism of lack of transparency and promotion of Western