A social development perspective is used to seek an answer to the question: why is the incidence of absolute poverty so different among developing countries in East Asia, South Asia and Latin America?

The World Bank has long been active in the Europe and Central Asia region in monitoring and evaluating land reform developments and supporting the development of land markets. Bank efforts to date have made a significant impact in client countries, and studies produced by the Bank have been used...

Mining and industrial activities, if poorly managed, can damage the environment and leave behind contaminated materials which release pollutants for many years after the mines or enterprises have shut down. Cleaning up old mine and industrial sites is often extremely costly. Furthermore,...

Ineffective rural transport services are a major obstacle to economic and social development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Alleviating poverty requires improved access to social and economic facilities. And, in turn, improving access hinges on better transport infractructure, including roads, tracks,...

The health of Russian women has suffered during the economic crisis of recent years. Morbidity and mortality from chronic and infectious diseases has increased. Women's reproductive health has been compromised by an increase in the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and by lack of access...

This study draws together information on the technology which is available to small-scale farmers in Africa and assesses its applicability in the context of the financial, economic and manegerial constraints which face rural households. It also draws on the experience of the World Bank through...