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 businesses. Most of them do not have access to adequate financial services. The purpose of this...

Global growth is expected to be 2.8 percent in 2015, but is expected to pick up to 3.2 percent in 2016-17. Growth in developing countries and some high-income countries is set to disappoint again this year. The prospect of rising borrowing costs will compound the challenges many developing...

Cover -- Contents -- Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Highlights -- Data Notes -- Abbreviations -- Migration and Remittances: Top Countries -- South-South Migration versus South-North Migration -- Remittances Compared with Other Resource Flows -- World -- Developing Countries -- Regional Tables --...

Earthquakes, droughts, floods, and storms are natural hazards, but unnatural disasters are the deaths and damages that result from human acts of omission and commission. Every disaster is unique, but each exposes actions-by individuals and governments at different levels-that, had they been...

The Little Data Book on External Debt' provides a quick reference for users interested in external debt stocks and flows, major economic aggregates, key debt ratios, and the currency composition of long-term debt for all countries reporting through the Debtor Reporting system. A pocket edition...

One of a series of pocket-sized books that provide a quick reference to development data on different topics, 'The Little Data Book on Private Sector Development 2013' provides data for more than 20 key indicators on the business environment and private sector development in a single page for...