In the past dozen years, a literature
has developed arguing that urbanization has unfolded
differently in post-independence Sub-Saharan Africa than in
the rest of the developing world, with implications for
African economic growth overall. While African countries are
more urbanized than other countries at comparable levels of
income, it is well-recognized that total and sector gross
domestic product data are of very low quality, especially in

What is the relationship between
employment and conflict in fragile states? Although this
question cannot be definitively answered, a large body of
research suggests that in countries emerging from conflict,
peace is likelier to endure if growth can be rapidly
restored and translated into economic opportunities for
large segments of the population. With a focus on
Sub-Saharan Africa, this report attempts to address the

In India, land continues to be of
enormous economic, social, and symbolic relevance. The way
in which land can be accessed and its ownership documented
is at the core of the livelihood of the large majority of
the poor, especially in rural and tribal areas and
determines the extent to which increasingly scarce natural
resources are managed. Land policies and administration are
critical determinants of the transaction cost associated

The chapters in part one provides the overall context of light manufacturing in Tanzania. Chapter one presents the rationale for the study, the potential of the sector in creating jobs and prosperity for Africa, and the approach and methodology of the study. Chapter two reviews Tanzania's recent economic performance and prospects and concludes that, despite good macroeconomic performance, the country still needs to pursue structural transformation and diversification.

Empirical evidence indicates that in
many developing regions, the extreme poor in more marginal
land areas form a "residual" pool of rural labor.
Structural transformation in such developing economies
depends crucially on labor and land use decisions of these
most-vulnerable populations located on abundant but marginal
agricultural land. Although the modern sector may be the
source of dynamic growth through learning-by-doing and

This paper sheds light on how to harvest
the "youth dividend" in Sub-Saharan Africa by
creating jobs in agriculture. The agriculture that attracts
the youth will have to be profitable, competitive, and
dynamic. These are the same characteristics needed for
agriculture to deliver growth, to improve food security, and
to preserve a fragile natural environment. With higher
priority accorded to implementation of well-designed public

As countries develop, they restructure
away from agriculture and urbanize. But structural
transformation and urbanization patterns differ
substantially, with some countries fostering migration out
of agriculture into rural off farm activities and secondary
towns, and others undergoing rapid agglomeration in mega
cities. Using cross-country panel data for developing
countries spanning 1980-2004, the analysis in this paper

The purpose of this study is to serve as
a guide on developing Greenfield transport infrastructure
(rail and port) primarily used to support mining operations
('mining-related infrastructure'), through
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) schemes and on a project
finance basis. The focus is on key financing issues and
considerations, as well as recommendations for governments
and private-sector participants, specifically in the context

This paper investigates the role of
employment opportunities created by foreign-owned firms as a
determinant of internal migration and destination choice
using the Vietnam Migration Survey 2004 and the Vietnam
Household Living Standards Survey 2004. Multinomial logit
and conditional logit models are estimated to study both
origin and destination-specific characteristics of migrants.
The paper finds that the migration response to foreign job

A rather unique panel tracking more than
3,300 individuals from households in rural Kagera, Tanzania
during 1991/4-2010 shows that about one in two
individuals/households who exited poverty did so by
transitioning from agriculture into the rural nonfarm
economy or secondary towns. Only one in seven exited poverty
by migrating to a large city, although those moving to a
city experienced on average faster consumption growth.

The financial and economic crisis that
started in the United States has finally impacted all urban
communities and investment financing systems around the
world. Local governments grappling with the crisis face a
number of constraints which, though disparate in nature,
have a cumulative effect. This phenomenon has created a
number of extremely difficult situations. In general terms,
the consequences of the crisis can be felt on four levels:

In 2000 the World Bank made a corporate
commitment to organize a small states Forum each year in the
context of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World
Bank annual meetings. The forum is intended to raise the
profile of small states issues and provide an opportunity
for small state officials to bring their views and ideas to
the attention of the international community. Forty-eight
World Bank members comprise the small states forum, all but