The spectacular growth of many economies in East Asia over the past 30years has impressed the economics profession, which often refers to thesuccess of the so-called Four Tigers of the region (Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan Province of China) as ""miraculous."" This papercritically...

Sound macroeconomic management, supported by structural reform, has characterized Albania's performance under the current Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement, although poverty and emigration remain pervasive. Privatization is moving forward in the telecommunications sector...

This is the latest in a series of economic reports by staff economists in the IMF’s Middle Eastern Department. This book discusses the latest economic data coming out of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with a particular emphasis on growing demographic concerns. The work is enhanced by the...

Countries in the Middle East and North Africa region have unprecedented opportunities for transforming their economies through accelerated economic growth, but the countries themselves must ensure the necessary conditions. This study, by the Middle Eastern Department, focuses on four areas that...

The Timorese economy has improved owing to high oil-financed public spending and a rebound in agriculture, non-oil growth. Despite high bank deposit growth, private sector credit has remained stagnant. The medium-term outlook for growth is positive. Timor-Leste’s key challenge remains to use...

Burkina Faso's sustained adjustment effort has been supported by the IMF under successive programs since 1991. Macroeconomic performance was favorable in 1999. Monetary policy is conducted at the regional level by the Central Bank for West African States and remained prudent. In 1999 and early...

Five priority programs were identified to help stabilize the economy and lay the groundwork for equitable growth. The government's priority with this core strategy is to enhance macroeconomic management, government operations, and effective fiscal management to promote domestic and international...

Economic developments in Hungary during 1995-97 illustrate one of the most remarkable cases of macroeconomic adjustment in Europe over the last decade. Several momentous steps in the integration of the Hungarian economy with the rest of Europe and the industrial countries community took place....