This Background Paper and Statistical Appendix examines economic development in Nigeria in the first half of the 1990s. Economic growth slowed for the fourth consecutive year in 1994, to 1.3 percent from 2.3 percent in 1993. The slowdown was widespread, affecting every sector except agriculture....

This Selected Issues paper analyzes the effect of aging on pension expenditure in Luxembourg. The paper highlights that Luxembourg is in a relatively favorable position because its GDP growth has been well above the average for industrialized countries in the post-war period. Moreover, growth...

This paper reviews institutional arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS), the structural features of the economy, and macroeconomic developments and prospects during the 1990s. The paper discusses the technical assistance that the IMF staff has been providing in response to requests...

This Selected Issues paper examines the impact of relief and reconstruction expenditures in Eritrea on the fiscal profile. The paper discusses the principle categories of extraordinary expenditures, which the authorities have undertaken during 1993–96 for relief and reconstruction purposes. It...

In recent years, the IMF has released a growing number of reports and other documents covering economic and financial developments and trends in member countries. Each report, prepared by a staff team after discussions with government officials, is published at the option of the member country

This Selected Issues paper on Vietnam analyzes interest rate policy under credit control. There are a number of issues involved in setting interest rates in the presence of bank-by-bank credit ceilings that do not arise in other controls. In Vietnam, as macroeconomic stabilization has taken...

This paper describes economic developments in Albania during the 1990s. Macroeconomic performance deteriorated in 1996, as the fiscal stance was weakened ahead of the parliamentary elections in May. Although two large public sector wage increases contributed, it was mainly revenue shortfalls...

This Selected Issues paper examines the decline in the revenue-to-GDP ratio for the People’s Republic of China. In common with most transition countries, China has experienced a sharp decline in fiscal revenues since the initiation of economic reforms, owing mainly to weakness in tax revenues....

In recent years, the IMF has released a growing number of reports and other documents covering economic and financial developments and trends in member countries. Each report, prepared by a staff team after discussions with government officials, is published at the option of the member country

This Recent Economic Developments and Selected Issues paper on Mauritius highlights that the real GDP growth for the country during 1993/94–1995/96 averaged about 4.1 percent, compared with 6.0 percent for the preceding three years. The decline in GDP growth, especially in 1994/95, was largely...