Recent evidence suggests that the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is increasing in the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Mediterranean (MENA/EM) region, and that the total number of AIDS-related deaths ha
'The Money Exchange Dealers of Kabul' is an exploratory piece of research on how the informal financial sector operates in conflict-afflicted countries. This paper presents the findings, analyses and
'Trade, Investment, and Development in the Middle East and North Africa: Engaging with the World' describes why expanding trade and investment is vital for this region. The greatest economic challenge
Civil war conflict is a core development issue. The existence of civil war can dramatically slow a country's development process, especially in low-income countries which are more vulnerable to civil
This book offers five geographically and institutionally diverse case studies from Latin America, where some of the longest-running and most successful programs in this field have been conducted. Repr
This volume synthesizes insights from the vast literature on land policy. It evaluates the implications of these insights for development policy, taking due account of actual experiences in policy im
Hospitals remain an important source of critical health care services in most countries, providing both basic and advanced care to their populations. They are often the provider 'of last resort' for t
The salience of East Asia in the global economy is now unquestionable, and with a population of nearly 1.9 billion, its expanding markets will strongly influence the tempo of international trade and t
More than 60 international rivers traverse the continent of Africa. As populations and economies grow, these rivers need to be developed and managed in order to meet the needs of the African people. T
'Building Competitive Firms: Incentives and Capabilities' explains how firms become competitive in language suitable for both technical and non-technical readers. A simple analytical framework integra
The trends toward ecosystem degradation and social change are affecting coastal areas around the world, not least in Sub-Saharan Africa. The crisis affecting this region's coastal and marine areas req
As China continues in its evolution from a planned economy to a market economy, and from an agricultural to a manufacturing and service-oriented economy, issues arising from owner diversification, cor
'It is never too early to become involved but it can easily be too late.'Armed with such alarming statistics as 125 million primary-school age children are not in school; another 150 million children
'China: Air, Land, and Water' is a further chapter in the successful and creative dialogue between the World Bank and the People's Republic of China. It focuses on how to promote both China's economic
This book provides an account of the current understanding of social capital. It covers both theoretical and empirical studies, and the concept is debated throughout. Also included in this volume is t
Reproductive health is a relatively new concept, and this paper constitutes perhaps the first comprehensive overview of reproductive health issues in the region. It presents the complexity of these is
'Engendering Development' focuses on gender issues and their broad economic and social implications in developing and transitional countries. The report examines the conceptual and empirical links bet
A large proportion of the 100 historic cities and nearly 200 sacred sites on the World Heritage List are located in the developing world. Of key concern is how historic cities fare against the populat
At the beginning of the new century, it is clear that while individual social programs can improve people's welfare and reduce poverty, a more holistic approach is needed in order to lift more people
Tragically, mass killers are nothing new in Africa. Malaria still claims about as many African lives as AIDS, and preventable childhood diseases kill millions of others. What sets AIDS apart, however,
Advocates of pluralist, competitive politics have regarded decentralization as a device for deepening democracy or for prying closed systems open and to give interest groups space in which to organize
After years of being treated as a taboo subject, the issue of corruption has begun to attract serious attention from the aid donor community.Corruption is, in its simplest terms, the abuse of power mo
Microfinance is not simply banking; it is a development tool. It has been estimated that there are 500 million economically active poor people in the world operating microenterprises and small busines
This report examines the precise nature of the required institutional reforms needed to achieve higher sustained rates of growth and to make a dent in poverty reduction and provides a framework for th
"We cannot adopt a system in which the macroeconomic and financial is considered apart from the structural, social and human aspects, and vice versa."- James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank
The massive migration of people from rural into urban areas is the most spectacular demographic upheaval that Africa has experienced in recent decades. The growth of Africa's cities has outstripped lo
Over the past 15 years, the availability of cheap and convenient microcomputers has changed the collection methods and analysis of household survey data in developing countries, making the data availa
During recent years, many Latin American countries have undergone significant reforms. The economic systems that emerged in the 1930s, stifled by heavy government intervention and protectionism, have
A crucial element in enhancing agricultural productivity growth in Africa is improving the provision of productive investments through more and better public spending in agriculture. Agricultural publ
In recent years, global value chains have played an increasingly important role in business strategies, profoundly affecting international trade and development paradigms. Global value chains now repr
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region is one of the most water stressed regions in the world. Water scarcity has already become a challenge to development in many of the countries. Due to inc
This volume reviews the experience of cooperation in five international river basins, focusing on the perceptions of risks and opportunities by decision makers in countries responding to a specific pr
This book explores the issues and challenges involved in public sector reform in the Middle East and North Africa region by examining ten case studies of the most successful and/or interesting reforms
Health care in India has shown remarkable improvement since the country 's independence in 1947. Doubling of longevity from 32 to 64 years, a steep fall in infant mortality and maternal mortality rate
Interest in access to finance has increased significantly in recent years, as growing evidence suggests that lack of access to credit prevents lower-income households and small firms from financing hi
The Amazon basin is a key component of the global carbon cycle. Not only is the old-growth rainforests in the basin huge carbon storage with about 120 billion metric tons of carbon in their biomass, b
The expectation is that the book will serve as a resource guide for risk professionals in public institutions, although it could be of use to anyone working in the area of fixed income. While our foc
The expectation is that the book will serve as a resource guide for risk professionals in public institutions, although it could be of use to anyone working in the area of fixed income. While our foc
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
. Do investments in education lead to faster growth?. Should different countries invest in different levels of education depending on their level of development?. Is there convergence in human capital
