The World Bank approaches malaria not only as a major public health issue but also as a broader development problem that costs Africa US$12 billion a year and helps keep families and communities in po
Rising densities of human settlements, migration and transport to reduce distances to market, and specialization and trade facilitated by fewer international divisions are central to economic developm
Economic growth rates in Sub-Saharan Africa have more than doubled in the past decade. This growth mainly stems from the rising prices of commodities and other natural resources. In order to sustain t
For the World Bank and its partners, the ever-present test is to deliver results-to lift people out of poverty and promote socially and environmentally sustainable development. Achieving such success
Now in its second edition, the Little Data Book on Information and Communication Technology 2008 presents at-a-glance tables for over 140 economies. The book shows the most recent national data on key
A pocket edition of the Bank's World Development Indicators intended as a quick reference for users of the mother volume and its online versions. Tables list data for 800 indicators in the areas of pe
Data relating to environmental concerns and opportunities has been abstracted from World Development Indicators to provide a handy pocket reference. Agriculture, energy, emissions and pollution, and w
The World Bank has commissioned this report on global regulatory institutions, and how "Doing Business" (DB) indicators are used to measure the role these institutions have in stimulating business gro
'The Little Data Book on External Debt' provides a quick reference for users interested in external debt stocks and flows, major economic aggregates, key debt ratios, and the currency composition of l
The World Bank finances about US$720 million in training every year, through both its lending projects and its in-house World Bank Institute (WBI). The evaluation found that while most of the training
As the global economy rapidly changes and new technologies are introduced, more highly-skilled workers are required. In the countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), firms stru
After almost a decade of successful macroeconomic management and several bold policy decisions, Indonesia is finally in a position of fiscal strength. Since 2006, Indonesia has freed up 'fiscal space'
This study is based on research on secondary textbook and school library provision in Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Togo, as well as existing recent co
Increasingly the role of management and governance is recognized as important for providing and delivering effective services at all levels of education. In view of the growing demand for more and bet
Economic and social changes, fast evolution of technology, and the growing importance of Internet services and international communications--all these require secondary education providers to adapt wh
This annual compendium contains abstracts from studies in the World Bank Research Program that were initiated, ongoing, or completed from 2005 to 2007. Studies were in the fields of agriculture and ru
Sub-Saharan Africa is a critical development priority—it has some of the world's poorest countries and during the past two decades the number of poor in the region has doubled, to 300 million—more tha
The Caribbean Region is second only to Africa in the impact of HIV and AIDS. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has responded to this challenge by promoting a multisectoral response to the epidemic. UN
The world's demand for food is expected to double within the next 50 years, while the natural resources that sustain agriculture will become increasingly scarce, degraded, and vulnerable to the effect
Access to financial services varies sharply around the world. In many developing countries less than half the population has an account with a financial institution, and in most of Africa less than on
'Celebrating Reform 2007' features successful reforms in the 10 areas covered in the 'Doing Business' reports. These cases studies span the globe—from Serbia to El Salvador, from Egypt to Nigeria—and
The World Bank Group is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. Its focus is on helping the poorest people in the poorest countries by using its
Half of small businesses in Kenya are owned and operated by women, but Kenya's women suffer significant inequities. This report by the World Bank asserts that business women in Kenya should be encoura
India's relatively low HIV prevalence rate often raises the question of whether it is in corporate sector interest to allocate resources to combat HIV and AIDS. The five case studies in this report fe
The hard facts you need to know about the critical issues of our time and the consequences of inaction Current global challenges—issues such as AIDS, poverty, migration, CO2 emissions, and populati
Water in the Middle East and North Africa region is a source of major social and economic problems stemming from scarcity, variability, unreliable services, and environmental damage. The situation is
Land is the integrating component of all livelihoods depending on farm, forest, rangeland, or water (rivers, lakes, coastal marine) habitats. Due to varying political, social, and economic factors, th
An at-a-glance guide to the world's most pressing problems and challenges. Presents colorful world maps and engaging graphics that provide a wealth of information for over 200 countries and territor
This report provides an in-depth diagnosis of where Central American countries stand along several education dimensions, underscoring the most urgent and serious challenges, and suggesting policy opti
Construction of infrastructure, a pre-requisite for sustained socioeconomic growth, often requires acquisition of land and, therefore, physical relocation and economic displacement of people. If such
Over the next two decades, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces an unprecedented challenge. In 2000, the labor forces of the region totaled some 104 million workers, a figure expected
Ten years after the 1994 genocide—in which an estimated 10 percent of the country's population perished—Rwanda's devastated education system is now back on its feet. Classrooms have been repaired and
The economies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are diverse in many ways, making it difficult to develop a common social protection strategy. Countries differ in size and per capita in
In many World Bank client countries, droughts present a significant challenge to rain-fed and irrigated agriculture and pose a barrier to investments for producers in the rural space. In addition, gl
The objective of this book is to show that sustained investment in sustainable land management (SLM) practices is good business for adaptation to and mitigation of climate change. SLM is local, and ef
Global Development Finance- the World Bank's annual report on the external debt of developing countries-includes comprehensive data for 128 countries, as well as summary data for regions and income gr
Questions of equity and inequality have moved to the center of debates on development and poverty reduction. This reflects growing awareness that even countries with high rates of growth can experien
'Higher Education Financing in the New EU Member States' summarizes the experiences to date of the new EU countries (the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slov
