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Infrastructure: Not just a sporting challenge
Brazil needs to invest heavily in basic infrastructure to support its expanding economy. Progress is being made, but it is a daunting task.
Guarulhos Airport lies 25km good from the centre of São Paulo. But getting there in the cauldron of vehicles and blaring klaxons can take longer than you expect: air travellers are often advised to leave five hours before departure to make their scheduled flights in good time.
The inability of Brazil’s airports, roads, railways and utilities to keep pace with development is a major policy concern.
Headline economic data
| GDP | +0.1% Q4 2011, down from 0.6% in the previous quarter |
| Leading indicators | 0.2 pt February 2012, month on month |
| Inflation | 2.8% February 2012 (2.8% January) annual |
| Trade, goods | -1% imports, +1% exports, Q3 2011/Q3 2010 (G7/BRICS only) |
| Trade, services | -1.5% exports, -2.5% imports, Q2 2010/Q1 2010 |
| Unemployment | 8.2% February 2012 (8.2% January 2012) |
Data for OECD area. Latest update: 3 May 2012
Databank - Latest quarterly data by country
For details on these and other numbers, click titles or visit www.oecd.org/statistics
See also www.oecd.org/infigures, www.oecdilibrary.org/factbook and http://blog.oecdfactblog.org/
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©REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker |
Financial model
Anyone wishing to gauge Brazil’s status as one of the world’s most lucrative emerging markets should look at the growth of its financial sector.
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Technology and game theory
Mobile phones and e-books are already essential school supplies on many university campuses. But they’re just slide rules compared to what education tools might look like in a few years.
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Click to enlarge |
The state’s anti-poverty effect
Poverty rates are usually a measure of personal income. But how can public services affect relative poverty, that is, when the monetary value of public services, known as “extended income” is brought into the equation?
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©Reuters |
Brazil’s economy: Reaching new heights
Brazil has emerged as a global economic player and expectations are rising of further success ahead. But there are several tests to pass along the way.
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Green chemistry
Economic growth over the past decades has led to improved quality of life, increased prosperity and longer, healthier lives in nearly all countries. Resource constraints are making us realise that to continue to enjoy these benefits we will have to change course towards more sustainable or greener growth.
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Charles Fadel ©OECD |
Skills for innovation
As technology progresses, so do labour market needs. For economies today, maintaining competitiveness means that skills must adapt and keep pace.
Main economic indicators by country
GDP, output, inflation, current account, unemployment, interest rates for 40 countries plus euro area, as published in OECD Observer. Just print it out and pin it up.
When will a global economic recovery take hold?
