▁ ▁Techn ically ▁the ▁World ▁Bank ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁system , ▁but ▁its ▁govern ance ▁structure ▁is ▁different : ▁each ▁institution ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁Bank ▁Group ▁is ▁owned ▁by ▁its ▁member ▁govern ments , ▁which ▁sub scribe ▁to ▁its ▁basic ▁share ▁capital , ▁with ▁votes ▁proportional ▁to ▁share hold ing . ▁M emb ership ▁gives ▁certain ▁voting ▁rights ▁that ▁are ▁the ▁same ▁for ▁all ▁countries ▁but ▁there ▁are ▁also ▁additional ▁votes ▁which ▁depend ▁on ▁financial ▁contributions ▁to ▁the ▁organization . ▁The ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁Bank ▁is ▁nominated ▁by ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁elected ▁by ▁the ▁Bank ' s ▁Board ▁of ▁Govern ors . ▁As ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁held ▁ 1 6 . 4 % ▁of ▁total ▁votes , ▁Japan ▁ 7 . 9 %, ▁Germany ▁ 4 . 5 %, ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁ 4 . 3 %, ▁and ▁France ▁ 4 . 3 %. ▁As ▁changes ▁to ▁the ▁Bank ' s ▁Char ter ▁require ▁an ▁ 8 5 % ▁super - major ity , ▁the ▁US ▁can ▁block ▁any ▁major ▁change ▁in ▁the ▁Bank ' s ▁gover ning ▁structure . ▁ ▁World ▁Bank ▁Group ▁ag encies ▁The ▁World ▁Bank ▁Group ▁consists ▁of ▁ ▁the ▁International ▁Bank ▁for ▁Re const ruction ▁and ▁Development ▁( IB R D ), ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁which ▁provides ▁deb t ▁finan cing ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁so ver eign ▁guarante es ; ▁ ▁the ▁International ▁Fin