This paper presents an integrated overview of the literature linking institutions, financial development and economic growth. From the large body of research on institutional development, the paper first selects those contributions that make it possible to study the role of institutional...

We estimate the impact of access to information and communication technologies on agricultural profitability and child labor among isolated villages in rural Peru. We exploit an intervention that provided at least one public (satellite) payphone to 6,509 rural villages that did not previously...

The Bank expanded its housing finance activities in the 1990s, shifting its support toward sector reforms that increase the capacity of housing finance and delivery mechanisms to cater to the needs of low-income households. The present publication examines Bank experience in housing, draws...

The search for solutions to urban and social problems prompted by informal settlements is gaining importance in the development agenda of most large cities in Latin America. Nearly 60 percent of the population lives in informal, often centrally located settlements.

The present publication traces the history of the Bank's lending for urban development and discusses its approaches to current urban issues. It is intended for specialists and individuals interested in getting acquainted with the evolution of the Bank portfolio.

The promise of technology and the need for caution in its application were the topics of the Seminar on Education in the Information Age held in Cartagena, Colombia on July 1997, sponsored by the IDB and the Global Information Infrastructure Commission. This book brings together the experience...

The search for solutions to urban and social problems prompted by informal settlements is gaining importance in the development agenda of most large cities in Latin America. Nearly 60 percent of the population lives in informal, often centrally located settlements.