The objective of this Housing Sector
Strategy Report is to assist the Government of Iran in
aligning its housing policy with its overall national policy
of growth-led distribution. The study opens with an overview
of Iran's macroeconomic circumstances and the effect
its volatile oil-dependent economy has had on the housing
sector. It discusses the principal challenges posed by the
housing sector, with particular reference to demographic

The aim for this study was to assess the
impact of irrigation activities in the Brazilian Semi-Arid
(BSA) Region, and to analyze to what extent irrigated
agriculture in this region has contributed to the reduction
of poverty levels and regional inequalities, income growth
and distribution, and the creation of quality jobs, with the
aim of contributing to the establishment of guidelines for a
regional development strategy. The study indicates that,

In conformity with its objective of
functioning as a local Government, Kathmandu Metropolitan
City (KMC) sought the assistance of the World Bank for the
preparation of a City Development Strategy (CDS) for
Kathmandu. The various sectoral as well as integrated
strategies presented in this document seem to be an
overwhelming demand on KMC with its limited manpower and
money. However, a CDS is essential if KMC is to focus its

Landlocked Bhutan faces unique
challenges, and opportunities as it pursues the development
of its transport sector into the 21st century. Bhutan's
population growth rate is high, rural-urban migration is
accelerating, and, fueled by sustained economic growth, the
country is urbanizing rapidly, giving rise to an expanding
urban middle class, with rising expectations of well-paid
employment, accessible services, and consumption potential.

In conformity with its objective of
functioning as a local Government, Kathmandu Metropolitan
City (KMC) sought the assistance of the World Bank for the
preparation of a City Development Strategy (CDS) for
Kathmandu. The various sectoral as well as integrated
strategies presented in this document seem to be an
overwhelming demand on KMC with its limited manpower and
money. However, a CDS is essential if KMC is to focus its

This study aims to assess the extent to
which reforms have actually been implemented, the impact
they have had on the rural population, and the challenges
which, as a consequence, need to be addressed by the new
administration. This report is organized as follows: Section
1 describes Mexico's rural economy. It reviews the
broad context of macro, trade, and sector-level reforms, the
strengths and weaknesses of both the productive and

The worldwide concern with deforestation
of Brazilian Amazonia is motivated not only by the
irreversible loss of this natural wealth, but also by the
perception that it is a destructive process in which the
social and economic gains are smaller than the environmental
losses. This perception also underlies the diagnosis,
formulation and evaluation of public policies proposed by
government and non-governmental organizations working in the

The report looks at Lesotho, a
predominantly mountainous, land-locked, poor country with a
small population, limited natural resources, and a very
fragile ecology. It has low gross national income, and a
significant poverty level. To ameliorate this condition, the
government has embarked on a pro-poor, growth strategy that
includes public, and private investment in infrastructure.
It explores the level of private participation at this phase

Urban growth is, in all parts of the
world, inevitable and welcomed. Despite concerns that local
governments will not be able to address those issues
associated with increased urban population, the number of
people living in urban centers will sur-pass those of the
rural population by 2030. Since productivity levels are
consistently higher in urban areas than in rural settings,
this would seem a reason to rejoice since it suggests more

This book talks about participation,
from the first to the last page. And that is its strength,
for participation is a road leading to democracy. The true
participation it talks about does not rely on hours of
compulsory labor or imposed levies; there is nothing forced
about it. Rather, it is a process in which men and women
engage their will, their sense of responsibility, their
abilities, their dignity. It is a vital participation,

The book intends to trigger, and support
policy debate in Colombia. The first part distills four
thematic chapters, responsive to the country's current
realities, as well as to the five decades of development
partnership with the Bank, spanning the entire development
spectrum. First, violence, sustainable peace, and
development introduces the reader to the source of violence
- armed, and social conflicts, and drug trade prevalent in

This report aims to analyze key aspects
of the low-income housing sector in Brazil, and to provide
an analytical framework for reviewing alternatives to
addressing the lack of adequate formal housing and urban
services for the poor. It addresses four fundamental
questions for policymakers in the housing sector in Brazil:
First, should the government be involved in policy
interventions in the low-income segment of the housing