Washington: Citing free press as a key element in the global fight against poverty, the World Bank has said it also provides a source of accountability, a vehicle for civic participation, and a check on official corruption.

A free press can act as a catalyst for economic development, World Bank president James D Wolfensohn said.

But studies show that out of a global population of 6 billion people, only 1.2 billion live in countries with access to a free press. Of the remainder, 2.4 billion live without a free press and a further 2.4 billion live in countries where the press is only partially free.

"It is striking that the majority of those people live in the developing world," Wolfensohn said. "These imbalances in press freedom reflect broader imbalances between the rich and poor countries."

A free press not only serves as an outlet for expression, but can also contribute to education programs and public health programs such as the fight against HIV/AIDS, he said.

On May 3, which has been designated as the World Press Freedom Day, the World Bank will hold a number of events to draw attention to the issue.