Utilizing standardized indicators from 2001 to 2008, 'Getting Finance in South Asia 2010' analyzes the financial performance and soundness of commercial banks in eight South Asian countries: Afghanist
Emerging Europe and Central Asia, the region made up of the countries of Central and South East Europe (CSE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), is a major energy supplier to both Easter
Although access to financing in Pakistan is expanding quickly, it is two to four times lower than regional benchmarks. Half of Pakistani adults, mostly women, do not engage with the financial system a
'The World Bank Policy for Projects on International Waterways: An Historical and Legal Analysis' discusses the evolution and context of the Bank policy for projects on international waterways. It sta
Although at different stages of development, the countries of the Western Balkans—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia—face similar challe
This title is part of an initiative by the World Bank to develop standard indicators to measure the performance and soundness of the financial sector in the South Asia region and help pinpoint where p
The authors (all of the World Bank) conduct an econometric analysis of systemic, cross-country, and time-series data concerning private participation in the electricity, telecommunication, and water s
For humanitarian reasons and the concern for households' economic and health security, the health sector is at the center of global development policy. Developing countries and the international commu
'Toward a Better Future' provides a comprehensive analysis of education development in Singapore since 1965, giving particular attention to the strategic management that has enabled Singapore to trans
The effectiveness and efficiency of a country's public sector is vital to the success of development activities, including those the World Bank supports. Sound financial management, an efficient civil
Poverty mapping, a technique that combines analysis of census and household survey information, has been developed by the Development Research Group in the World Bank as a means of understanding the d
Have gaps in health outcomes between the poor and better off grown? Are they larger in one country than another? Are health sector subsidies more equally distributed in some countries than others? Are
Following the transition from central planning toward market-based economies, the formerly communist states of Central and Eastern Europe introduced a number of reforms in the finance, management, and
This study analyzes the performance of social assistance and family benefit programs in eight new member states of the European Union from the perspective of fiscal impact and effectiveness. It is bas
'Language, Literacy, and Learning in Primary Schools' is a synthesis of the findings arising from four years of policy research and development in Nigeria's primary schools that focused on the gap bet
This report assesses the status and practice of higher education quality assurance in Sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on degree-granting tertiary institutions. A main finding is that structured national-
'Structured Finance in Latin America' explores how structured finance mechanisms can channel pension savings to support projects in underserved sectors, deepen capital markets, and contribute to inves
Based on comprehensive empirical studies, the paper identifies key reforms and defines strategies to enhance the competitiveness of the cotton sector in West and Central Africa. Lessons learned from t
Mineral taxation is a significant factor in the achievement of development, and this report gives key practical issues in tax administration, revenue distribution and reporting. This covers general ta
South Asia is home to approximately 1.3 billion people, of whom 70 percent live in rural areas. Therefore, agriculture plays a crucial role in the region's economy, accounting for close to 28 percent
Developing countries are increasingly confronted with the need to address trade policy related issues in international agreements, most prominently the World Trade Organization (WTO). New WTO negotiat
With growing water scarcity in many parts of the world and projections that indicate the need to increase agricultural production and, concurrently, agricultural water use, it is increasingly advocate
Public spending plays a key role in the economic growth and development of most developing economies. This book analyzes revenues, policy, and administration of Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM) in
The main theme of this report is the need for China to transition its health care delivery system toward people-centered, high quality, integrated care built on the foundation of a strong primary heal
Drylands account for three-quarters of Sub-Saharan Africa's cropland, two-thirds of cereal production, and four-fifths of livestock holdings. Today frequent and severe shocks, especially droughts, lim
Moving Beyond Zero addresses the challenge of enabling the development of viable, resilient, and fiscally sustainable health system in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Initiated while Ebola was stil
An Investment Framework for Nutrition: Reaching the Global Targets for Stunting, Anemia, Breastfeeding, and Wasting estimates the costs, impacts, and financing scenarios to achieve the World Health As
Written by two of the world’s leading experts on sediment management, 'Extending the Life of Reservoirs' provides guidance on adopting sediment management practices for hydropower and water supply dam
Urban transport systems are essential for economic development and improving citizens' quality of life. To establish high-quality and affordable transport systems, cities must ensure their financial s
Water systems are building blocks for poverty alleviation, shared growth, sustainable development and green growth strategies. They require data from in-situ observation networks. Budgetary and other
This book Macro-fiscal Management addresses critical macroeconomic and macro-fiscal challenges that are typically associated with large revenue flows from extractives. The volume sets out indicators t
This book is based on the findings of analysis that measured the expansion and population change in urban agglomerations across East Asia between 2000 and 2010. Key findings show an overall rapid pace
This study documents the effects of the 2008–09 global financial crisis on poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). In doing so, it describes and decomposes the effects of the crisis on pover
The goals of universal health coverage (UHC) are to ensure that all people can access quality health services, to safeguard all people from public health risks, and to protect all people from impoveri
Fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS) have become an important focus of World Bank Group assistance in recent years as recognition of the linkages between fragility, conflict, violence, and pover
This study reviews the role and workings, with their strengths and weaknesses of last-resort income support (LRIS) programs in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It draws on a combination of household
In recent decades, resource-rich developing countries have been using their natural resources as collateral to access sources of finance for investment, countervailing the barriers they face when acce
Agricultural Land Redistribution and Land Administration in Sub-Saharan Africa: Case Studies of Recent Reforms focuses on “how” to undertake land reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa, but with relevant lesso
Agriculture is one of the most climate-sensitive of all economic sectors. Armenia is one of the many countries where the majority of the rural population depends on agriculture—directly or indirectly
Agriculture is one of the most climate-sensitive of all economic sectors. Georgia is one of the many countries where the majority of the rural population depends on agriculture—directly or indirectly
