Burma Needs Political Reforms
By Julien Moe
15th November
Burma's generals have been told by the World Bank that the former must
perform major political and human rights reforms to be back on track
financially. The report was handed over into the hands of the generals on a
confidential basis. The report was also given to Opposition Leader Aung San
Suu Kyi. The action was an initiative of the World Bank to diffuse the
political gridlock between the military junta and NLD, the democtatically
elected opposition party. The report was delivered by UN Assistant
Secretary General Alvaro De Soto.
Source:World Bank
LOW INCOME
I. Overall Performance:
GNP per capita (US$) 1995
$388
49*
Average Annual Growth of GNP per capita (%) 1970-1995
0.19%
38*
Standard Deviation of Income Distribution
16.51
26*
II. Macro and Market Dynamism
Investment and Productivity Growth
Gross Domestic Investment (% of GDP) 1995
19.68%
47*
Average Annual growth of Gross Domestic Investment (%)
1990-1995
4.45%
41*
Private Investment (% of Gross Domestic Fixed Investment)
1995
46.29%
14*
Net Foreign Direct Investment FDI (% of GDP) 1995
1.26%
49*
Average Annual Difference in Net FDI (%) 1980-82 to 1990-92
-0.64%
36*
Average Annual Growth of Real GDP per worker (%) 1980-90
-0.11%
39*
Overall Trade Dimensions
Trade Surplus/Deficit (% of GDP) 1994
-14.0%
46*
Export Share of World Trade (%) 1994
0.0796%
46*
Average Annual Growth in Export Share (%) 1989-95
N/A
N/A*
Export Concentration Index 1992
0.43
27*
Percent Change in Export Concentration Index (%) 1988-92
1.116%
45*
Export Competitiveness
Average Annual Nominal Export Growth (%) 88-89 to 93-94
4.8%
44*
Export Growth from World Demand (%) 88-89 to 93-94
5.1%
44*
Export Growth from Market Share (%) 88-89 to 93-94
-1.3%
44*
Export Growth from Market Diversification (%) 88-89 to 93-94
1.1%
44*
Export Structure
Manufactured Exports (% of total exports) 1993
27.97%
34*
Percent Change in Share of Manufactured Exports (%)1980-93
174.70%
31*
High Tech. Exports (% of manufactured exports) 1995
11.25%
12*
Trade Policy
Mean Tariff (%) 1990-93
25.7%
29*
Standard Deviation of Tariff Rates (%) 1990-93
15.8%
23*
Percent of Products covered by Non-Tariff Barriers (%)
1990-93
33.5%
20*
Government Involvement in the Economy
Government Consumption (% of GDP) 1995
13.0%
46*
Average Annual Growth of Government Consumption (%)
1990-95
-1.0%
39*
Value Added of State Owned Enterprises SOE (% of GDP)
1986-91
11.2%
22*
SOE's Investment (% of Gross Domestic Fixed Investment)
1986-91
26.0%
21*
Government Surplus/Deficit (% of GDP) 1994
-3.8%
17*
III. Financial Dynamism
Net Present Value of External Debt (% GDP) 1995
85.5%
49*
Growth in Total External Debt (%) 1980-94
267.3%
36*
Average Outstanding Money M2 (% of GDP) 1995
27.2%
43*
Average Annual Growth Rate of GDP Deflator (%) 1990-95
119.208%
48*
Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP) 1995
15.94%
44*
Stock Market Capitalization (% of GDP) 1995
14.8%
14*
Real Interest Rate (%) 1995
-3.1%
28*
IV. Infrastructure & Investment Climate
Information and Communication Network
Phone Lines (Number per 1000 people) 1995
17.2
50*
Phone Faults (Number per 100 lines) 1992
59.3
50*
Waiting Time for a Line (Years) 1994
5.31
50*
Average Price per Call (US$ per 3 minutes call) 1995
$11.60
37*
Televisions (Number per 1000 people) 1995
65.1
50*
Internet Hosts (Number per 1000 people) 1996
0.1
36*
Personal Computers (Number per 1000 people) 1995
1.6
16*
Fax Machines (Number per 1000 people) 1995
0.3
36*
Newspaper Circulation (Number of newpapers per 1000
people) 1992
9.8
50*
Physical Infrastructure
Paved Road Density (Km of paved road per million people)
1995
769.0
49*
Air City Pairs 1996
49.7
50*
Electric Power System Losses (% of total power output) 1994
16.1%
31*
Socio-Political Stability
Corruption Index 1996
2.45
6*
Organized Labor (% Labor Force) 1992
26.74%
29*
V. Human and Intellectual Capital
Human Capital
Literacy Rate (%) 1995
53.9%
41*
Growth in Literacy Rate 1970-95
120.6%
30*
Primary School Enroll. (% of school-aged children) 1993
80.9%
41*
Secondary School Enroll. (% of school-aged children) 1993
29.5%
39*
Tertiary School Enroll. (% of school-aged children) 1993
7.9%
28*
Secondary Technical Enroll. (% sec.enroll.) Average 1988-91
7.5%
38*
Life Expectancy at Birth (Years) 1994
54.6
50*
Growth in Life Expectancy (%) 1960-94
28.7%
50*
Intellectual Capital
Science Graduates (% total graduates) Average 1988-90
15.960%
50*
Scientists & technicians (Number per 1000 people) 1988-91
0.4
14*
Average Research & Development Expenditures (% of GNP)
81-92
0.4%
10*
Patent Applications 1995
9336
28*
Patents granted 1995
255
28*
* Number of Observations from which average was computed
Contact Business Environment Group