Economics

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Complicated import filings and foreign sanctions hinder development in the war-torn Central African Republic.

Countries Requiring The Most Paperwork To Import Goods

With internal strife and 17 required documents to import goods, receiving foreign merchandise into the Central African Republic can prove quite cumbersome.

April 25, 2017 12:31

New technologies help minimize import paperwork and make trade processes more efficient in developed countries.

Countries Requiring The Least Paperwork To Import Goods

Several nations with world-leading economies require 3 or fewer documents to import goods into their countries' borders.

April 25, 2017 12:31

Following the recent European and Cypriot financial crises, Cyprus and its residents have taken on large amounts of debt.

Countries With The Most Private Loans Relative To GDP

Credit to the private sector in Cyprus and Hong Kong exceed their Gross Domestic Products by more than two-fold.

April 25, 2017 12:31

Lacking domestic financing resources, small businesses in South Sudan often turn to foreign NGOs for microloans.

Countries With The Lowest Amount In Private Loans Relative To GDP

Developing economies such as those in South Sudan and Afghanistan proffer few private credit opportunities.

April 25, 2017 12:31

War and corruption reversed development in Eritrea in the final years of the 20th Century, though it is slowly rebounding.

Most Unfriendly Businesses Regulations In The World

As per the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index, Eritrea and Libya have environments that are less than conducive to business functions.

April 25, 2017 12:31

Business friendly regulations make countries economically prosperous and stable.

Best Countries For Business Friendly Regulations

As per the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index, Singapore and New Zealand are ideal business environments.

April 25, 2017 12:31

Diamond mining, such as shown here in the Kono District, is the source of Sierra Leone's most important export good.

Countries With The Largest Increases In Real Export Values Since 2000

Using the standards set forth by the IMF and UN, Sierra Leone by far has the highest export value index.

April 25, 2017 12:31

The Northern Mariana Islands exports a low level of goods, being highly dependent upon tourism and U.S. foreign aid.

Countries With The Largest Decreases In Relative Export Values Since 2000

Using data from the IMF and UN, the Northern Mariana Islands and Aruba have the lowest export value indices relative to the year 2000.

April 25, 2017 12:31

Ships such as these on the Atlantic coast are laden down with Panamanian industrial goods to export around the globe.

Countries With The Largest Increases In Export Volume Since 2000

Sierra Leone, Panama, and Eritrea have experienced marked increases in export volume since 2000.

April 25, 2017 12:31

Largely dependent on tourism and foreign aid, island nations are often seen exporting few products beyond their borders.

Countries With The Largest Decreases In Export Volumes Since 2000

Several island nations currently record exceptionally low export volume indices.

April 25, 2017 12:31

This vendor sell his wares directly from his small boat in this "floating market" in Bangkok, Thailand.

Competition From The Informal Sector In The Global Marketplace

Around two-thirds of firms in Sub-Saharan Africa face competition from unregistered businesses.

April 25, 2017 12:31

As business registration rates are increasing globally, paper filings are being replaced by electronic systems.

Formal Registration Rates Of New Businesses Around The Globe

Each country has its own protocol for registering new firms, and different regions of the globe see different adherence rates to these requirements.

April 25, 2017 12:31

An employee receives on the job training in this Japanese automotive factory.

Employee Training Prevalence Worldwide

The Middle East exhibits low rates of formal employee training, while more than half of East Asian companies formally train their workers.

April 25, 2017 12:31

Not only is tax evasion immoral and harmful to national budgets, it can see offenders end up behind bars.

Prevalence Of Sales Tax Evasion Around The World

In many countries, more than half of firms admit not reporting all of their sales revenues to tax officials, potentially harming both themselves and their governments.

April 25, 2017 12:31

Business owners in Barbados meet with a bank's lending office to secure investment financing.

Bank Financing For Business Investment In Different Parts Of The World

In East Asia and the Pacific, only around 1 in 7 firms use banks to finance investment, while almost half in the Caribbean do so.

April 25, 2017 12:31

Micro loans are increasingly common in Latin America, giving better access to working capital to small business owners.

Bank Financing Of Working Capital Varies Around The World

Caribbean companies are around 2.5 times as likely to source working capital from bank financing than East Asian firms.

April 25, 2017 12:31

Entrepreneurial women in India and other parts of South Asia face unique challenges in growing their businesses.

Female Business Ownership - Global Differences In Opportunity

Longstanding cultural practices give more opportunity for women in Caribbean and Pacific island nations than those in South Asia and many other parts of the world.

April 25, 2017 12:31