The Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) is a major global rice producer and exporter but its population suffers from serious levels of poverty and malnutrition.   Spanning six countries – China,…

This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly MALAYSIA has travelled far on the road to economic growth and shared prosperity. Using its natural resources, the country not only…

This blog is part of the series #OneSouthAsia exploring how South Asia can become a more integrated, thus more economically dynamic region. The blog series is a  lead up to the South Asia Economic…

Vietnam’s economic emergence is perhaps best experienced along its rural roads: more than 175, 000 kilometers of pavement, rubble and dirt track extend to two-thirds of the country’s population,…

What does it mean to be poor in Vietnam? When I grew up in Hanoi in the late 80s, poverty was all around. Most of the population then was living under the international poverty line ($1.25 per day…

We just launched the new MapVietnam website at www.worldbank.org/mapvietnam/ which provides access to socioeconomic data at the province and…

Every minute, dozens of people in East Asia move from the countryside to the city. The massive population shift is creating some of the world’s biggest mega-cities including Tokyo, Shanghai,…

Openness to Merchandise Trade and GDP per Capita (Average 2010-2012) A well-established correlation in trade economics is the connection between gross domestic product (GDP) and openness to trade…

When we go to the supermarket, our decision-making is considerably aided by having the price, ingredients and source of goods clearly labeled. This allows us to rapidly compare the characteristics…