The World Bank has arranged the sale, entirely outside the United States, of a $100 million issue of United States dollar bonds. The sale, at par, was made by private placement with central banks and other governmental institutions in 22 countries and with one international organization.
The new bonds, known as the "Two-Year Bonds of 1966", bear interest at 5-1/4%, payable semi-annually, with the first payment due September 15, 1966. The issue, dated March 15, 1966, will mature March 15, 1968.
The countries where the new bonds were sold are:
Argentina
Australia
Austria
China
Denmark
Iceland
India
Israel
Italy
Jordan
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Mexico
Nigeria
Norway
Saudi Arabia
South Africa
Spain
Thailand
Viet-Nam
Yugoslavia
Zambia
Including this transaction, the outstanding funded debt of the Bank aggregates the equivalent of some $2.8 billion, of which about $2.1 billion is denominated in United States dollars and more than $740 million in Belgian francs, Canadian dollars, Deutsche mark, Italian lire, Netherlands guilders, Pounds sterling and Swiss francs.
About 58% of the Bank's outstanding debt is held by investors outside the United States. Included in the holdings of these investors, in addition to non-dollar obligations, are more than $900 million of the United States dollar bonds and notes of the Bank, or about 44% of its total United States dollar obligations.
