Central America is undergoing an important transition, with urban populations increasingat accelerated speeds, bringing pressing challenges as well as opportunities to boost sustained,inclusive and resilient growth. Today, 59 percent of Central America's population lives in urban areas, but it...

This paper is part of a series of four Urban Policy Notes that identify emergent challenges to Bhutan's increasing urbanization and its ramifications for growth, livability, and sustainability in line with the directives of the Twelfth Five-Year Plan (FYP) for 2018-23 and the Vision 2020. The...

This paper is part of a series of four Urban Policy Notes that provide a critical review on emergent challenges to Bhutan's increasing urbanization and its ramifications for growth, livability and sustainability in line with the directives of the 12th Five Year Plan (FYP) and the Vision 2020....

Despite its small absolute size and population, Bhutan is the most rapidly urbanizing country in South Asia. This urbanization has coincided with strong economic growth as the country shifts toward an economy based on contributions from manufacturing and services clustered in and around cities....

Iran's economy is gradually recovering following a lost decade (2011-2020) of negligible economic growth. Less stringent COVID-19 restrictions, adaptation to the new normal - reflected in a recovery in consumption, and more favorable oil sector conditions have driven a four-quarter rebound after...

The special topic of this edition of the Macroeconomic Monitoring report focuses on the TC administration's 'public' financial support to the agriculture sector. Due to the Turkish lira depreciation, the recent adverse climate conditions, and exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis, the agriculture...

The COVID-19 pandemic is posing an existential threat to the air transport sector globally, including in Africa. Due to sustained and significant loss of revenue coupled with the presence of several fixed and quasi-fixed inputs in this sector, the survival of carriers is questionable in the...

City local governments have been facing multiple challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic to secure adequate financial resources for response and recovery. This report assesses the impact of the pandemic on local governments' financial situations through cross-country analysis and comparison....