FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2910   2911   2912   2913   2914   2915   2916   2917   2918   2919   2920   2921   2922   2923   2924   2925   2926   2927   2928   2929   2930   2931   2932   2933   2934  
2935   2936   2937   2938   2939   2940   2941   2942   2943   2944   2945   2946   2947   2948   2949   2950   2951   2952   2953   2954   2955   2956   2957   2958   2959   >>   >|  
growth, the Thai economy grew 6.9% in 2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global economy. Bangkok has pursued preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners in an effort to boost exports and to maintain high growth. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took 8,500 lives in Thailand and caused massive destruction of property in the southern provinces of Krabi, Phangnga, and Phuket. In 2006, investment stagnated as investors, spooked by the Thaksin administration's political problems, stayed on the sidelines. The military coup in September brought in a new economic team, led by the former central bank governor. In December, the Thai Board of Investment reported the value of investment applications from January to November had declined by 27% year-on-year. On the positive side, exports have performed at record levels, rising nearly 17% in 2006. Export-oriented manufacturing - in particular automobile production - and farm output are driving these gains. Togo This small, sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export earnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate. The government's decade-long effort, supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on follow-through on privatization, increased openness in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors. Togo is working with donors to write a PRGF that could eventually lead to a debt reduction plan. Tokelau Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand. Tonga Tonga, a smal
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2910   2911   2912   2913   2914   2915   2916   2917   2918   2919   2920   2921   2922   2923   2924   2925   2926   2927   2928   2929   2930   2931   2932   2933   2934  
2935   2936   2937   2938   2939   2940   2941   2942   2943   2944   2945   2946   2947   2948   2949   2950   2951   2952   2953   2954   2955   2956   2957   2958   2959   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
economic
 

investment

 

economy

 

Zealand

 
December
 

foreign

 

agriculture

 

cotton

 

subsistence

 
heavily

government

 
donors
 

Tokelau

 

exports

 

maintain

 

growth

 
effort
 
revenues
 

measures

 
implement

reform

 

encourage

 

privatization

 

increased

 
handicrafts
 

openness

 

follow

 

slowly

 

Progress

 

depends


expenditures

 

remitted

 

important

 

earnings

 

export

 

coffee

 
generate
 

financial

 

decade

 

phosphate


producer

 

fourth

 

largest

 

relatives

 

families

 
supported
 

confine

 
development
 

people

 

restrain