Specific country notes have been prepared using data from the database OECD Health Statistics 2015, July 2015 version. The notes are available in PDF format.

Education at a Glance 2016 - Country Notes

As part of continuing efforts to boost transparency by multinational enterprises (MNEs), Brazil, Guernsey, Jersey, the Isle of Man and Latvia signed today the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) for the automatic exchange of Country-by-Country reports, bringing the total number of signatories to 49.

This country note presents student performance in science, reading and mathematics, and measures equity in education in Brazil.

The 2017 OECD R&D tax incentive country profiles provide detailed information on the design features and cost of tax provisions used by countries to incentivise R&D performance by businesses, reporting on both long-term and recent trends.

Public debt in the OECD area passed annual GDP in 2011 and is still rising. This paper was prepared for the Reserve Bank of India Second International Research Conference 2012: “Monetary Policy, Sovereign Debt and Financial Stability: The New Trilemma”, 1-2 February, 2012 in Mumbai, India

The objective of this seminar was to facilitate the implementation of administrative simplification strategies in MENA countries and to deepen the knowledge about the use of ICT-tools and consultation processes with stakeholders.

The aim of this workshop was to present recent developments in implementing Regulatory Impact Assessment in the Czech Republic as well as to enable an exposure to different approaches in some leading OECD countries.

OECD countries are intensifying their fiscal consolidation efforts, introducing additional measures and extending the time horizon to implement them. Most have announced fiscal consolidation of more than 3% of GDP over the period 2009-15, according to the OECD’s Restoring Public Finances 2012.

These country notes profile public sector human resource practices and policies, covering issues including legal frameworks; age and gender composition of workers; public sector restructuring; management practices; industrial relations and reforms.

Brazil’s supreme audit institution – the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) – has began a process to reform its audit of the Accounts of the President of the Republic to enhance transparency and accountability of federal budget execution.

This report summarises the results of the survey on regulatory enforcement and inspections conducted among OECD countries in 2012. The report draws some general conclusions from this survey and provides theoretical background on the topic. It also suggests some recommendations for organising and reforming inspections.

In collaboration with the Federal Government of Germany, the OECD organised four workshops at the International Regulatory Reform Conference (IRRC) 2013 in Berlin. The workshops focused on the use of cost-benefit analysis in governmental decision making, as well as on the role of key actors of regulatory governance in the regulatory policy cycle: Parliaments, regulatory agencies and audit offices.

This paper provides empirical analysis that measures the cyclical properties of intergovernmental transfers (or grants). Modelling a fiscal policy reaction function this paper tests whether the transfers systems in OECD countries are pro- or counter-cyclical, i.e. whether they offset cyclical fluctuations of sub-central economies or, on the contrary, exacerbate them.

In many OECD countries, government debt reached levels over recent years that call for reduction over the medium to longer term to ensure public finance sustainability. This paper investigates the international transmission of fiscal consolidation shocks via trade flows.

Strengthening OECD firewalls can only do so much to combat a phenomenon which thrives on weak governance. This report highlights that donor agencies can support this goal through their central role in linking OECD and developing countries, and using their aid to support governments willing to tackle these issues.

This book provides comparative data and policy benchmarks on women's access to public leadership and inclusive gender-responsive policy-making across OECD countries.

Smarter planning for natural and man-made disasters that increases collaboration between countries and encourages households and businesses to take more responsibility would improve resilience and reduce future economic losses, a new OECD report says.

This paper contributes to the scarce literature on the macroeconomic effects of property taxes, in particular on the relationships between property taxes, house prices and the wider economy.

This paper re-estimates the elasticities of government revenue and expenditure items with respect to the output gap for OECD countries. These elasticities are used by the OECD to calculate cyclically adjusted fiscal balances. The study updates the earlier 2005 study using the most recent datasets and tax codes, the coverage being confined in this paper to 35 countries, the 34 OECD member states and Latvia.

OECD countries have agreed to work towards greater gender equality in public life – including in governments, parliaments and judiciaries – with concrete measures to improve women’s access to leadership and decision-making roles and integrate more of a gender perspective into public policies.

Income inequality is worsening within many countries, and regional disparities in housing, safety and air quality inside countries are also growing wider in many cases, according to a new OECD report.

Middle Eastern and North African countries should press ahead with further economic and structural reforms to boost flagging trade and investment, restore public trust and create jobs for the region’s young population, the OECD told ministers from the region today.

This paper investigates the relationship between fiscal decentralisation and economy-wide disposable income inequality.

Public investment benefits current as well as future generations.

To what extent can public deficits increase without putting fiscal sustainability at risk, given the specific current macroeconomic situation of protracted low growth and low interest rates, combined with relatively high government debt levels?

This paper exploits firm-level data from the ORBIS database to assess international tax planning by multinational enterprises (MNEs).

A new OECD/ EUIPO study maps counterfeit trade routes, and they’re complicated, writes Bill Below from the OECD Directorate for Public Governance.

This report analyses a dataset detailing the size of national state-owned enterprise (SOE) sectors (by number, value and employment) and their composition by sector and corporate forms for 34 countries.

The promotion of responsible business conduct has taken an important step forward with the launch of a new reporting framework. Businesses now have no excuse for not explaining how they’re meeting their human rights obligations.

This report on climate change disclosure in G20 countries takes stock of mandatory climate change reporting schemes in G20 countries and identifies commonalities and divergences between the various schemes.

The truth is that human rights are not sustainable, or in some places even possible, in today’s networked society unless public and private actors take responsibility. Governments and corporations alike must commit to design, manage, and govern technologies in a manner that is consistent with international human rights standards.

Ministers from OECD and developing economies have committed to step up their efforts to promote responsible business conduct by companies in order to drive more inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Algeria recorded a Current Account deficit of 5.41 USD Billion in the first quarter of 2019. Current Account in Algeria averaged 1.58 USD Billion from 1992 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 28.95 USD Billion in the fourth quarter of 2006 and a record low of -8.33 USD Billion in the first quarter of 2016. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). This page provides - Algeria Current Account - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Gabon recorded a Current Account deficit of 1.50 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2018. Current Account to GDP in Gabon averaged 6.92 percent from 1978 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 27.30 percent in 1980 and a record low of -19.40 percent in 1986. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country. Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. This page provides - Gabon Current Account to GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Gabon recorded a Current Account deficit of 377.70 CFA Billion in 2018. Current Account in Gabon averaged 532.08 CFA Billion from 1998 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 1714.92 CFA Billion in 2008 and a record low of -381.10 CFA Billion in 2017. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). This page provides - Gabon Current Account - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Maldives recorded a Current Account deficit of 25 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2018. Current Account to GDP in Maldives averaged -14.17 percent from 1997 until 2018, reaching an all time high of -3.20 percent in 2014 and a record low of -36.40 percent in 2005. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country. Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. This page provides - Maldives Current Account to GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Maldives recorded a Current Account deficit of 1338.10 USD Million in 2018. Current Account in Maldives averaged -309.44 USD Million from 1997 until 2018, reaching an all time high of -21.90 USD Million in 1998 and a record low of -1338.10 USD Million in 2018. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). This page provides - Maldives Current Account - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Afghanistan recorded a Current Account deficit of 28 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2017. Current Account to GDP in Afghanistan averaged -46.39 percent from 2003 until 2017, reaching an all time high of -20 percent in 2016 and a record low of -75.20 percent in 2006. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country. Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. This page provides - Afghanistan Current Account to GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Afghanistan recorded a Current Account deficit of 996 USD Million in the third quarter of 2019. Current Account in Afghanistan averaged -2491.33 USD Million from 2003 until 2019, reaching an all time high of -607.82 USD Million in the second quarter of 2016 and a record low of -7558 USD Million in the fourth quarter of 2011. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). This page provides - Afghanistan Current Account - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Argentina recorded a Current Account deficit of 5.40 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2018. Current Account to GDP in Argentina averaged -1.05 percent from 1980 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 8 percent in 2002 and a record low of -5.40 percent in 2018. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country. Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. This page provides - Argentina Current Account to GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Madagascar recorded a Current Account deficit of 2 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2018. Current Account to GDP in Madagascar averaged -6.96 percent from 1974 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 0.60 percent in 2016 and a record low of -21.10 percent in 2009. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country. Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. This page provides - Madagascar Current Account to GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Madagascar recorded a Current Account deficit of 42.50 DTS Million in the third quarter of 2019. Current Account in Madagascar averaged -163.42 DTS Million from 1974 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 169.10 DTS Million in the fourth quarter of 2016 and a record low of -572.90 DTS Million in the fourth quarter of 2007. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). This page provides the latest reported value for - Madagascar Current Account - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Namibia recorded a Current Account deficit of 2.10 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2018. Current Account to GDP in Namibia averaged 0.66 percent from 1990 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 13.80 percent in 2006 and a record low of -15.50 percent in 2016. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country. Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. This page provides - Namibia Current Account to GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Qatar recorded a Current Account surplus of 8.70 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2018. Current Account to GDP in Qatar averaged 22.28 percent from 1980 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 106.80 percent in 1980 and a record low of -31 percent in 1995. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country. Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. This page provides - Qatar Current Account to GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Macedonia recorded a Current Account deficit of 0.30 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2018. Current Account to GDP in Macedonia averaged -4.07 percent from 1998 until 2018, reaching an all time high of -0.30 percent in 2018 and a record low of -12.70 percent in 2008. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country. Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. This page provides - Macedonia Current Account to GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Macedonia recorded a Current Account deficit of 188.10 USD Million in December of 2019. Current Account in Macedonia averaged -26.44 USD Million from 1998 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 107.80 USD Million in September of 2009 and a record low of -243.60 USD Million in November of 2008. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). This page provides - Macedonia Current Account - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Botswana recorded a Current Account surplus of 9.70 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2018. Current Account to GDP in Botswana averaged 5.77 percent from 1980 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 32 percent in 1987 and a record low of -28.30 percent in 1981. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country. Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. This page provides - Botswana Current Account to GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Botswana recorded a Current Account deficit of 5521.72 BWP Million in the third quarter of 2019. Current Account in Botswana averaged 1212.57 BWP Million from 2004 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 15079.57 BWP Million in the first quarter of 2016 and a record low of -12190.41 BWP Million in the fourth quarter of 2016. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). This page provides - Botswana Current Account - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Ghana recorded a Current Account deficit of 1711.60 USD Million in the fourth quarter of 2019. Current Account in Ghana averaged -624.81 USD Million from 2003 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 327.96 USD Million in the first quarter of 2017 and a record low of -2184.01 USD Million in the third quarter of 2013. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). This page provides - Ghana Current Account - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.