2007年-世界发展银行全球_Croatia_-_Living_Standards_Assessment___Volume_1_Promoting_Social_Inclusion_and_Regional_Equity_78页_6mb

报告摘要

Croatia Living Standards Assessment Summary

Core Content

This report provides an analysis of poverty levels and trends in Croatia, focusing on the challenges of promoting social inclusion and regional equity. It is part of a two-volume document, with the first volume addressing the country's economic performance and the second offering detailed data and background papers. The assessment is conducted by the World Bank in collaboration with Croatian government agencies, consultants, and the European Commission.

Key Economic Indicators

Real GDP per capita increased by over 40% between 1996 and 2005.
Inequality in consumption and income has remained fairly stable and low between 2002 and 2004.
Poverty headcount rate was about 11%, with an additional 10% at risk of poverty.
Poverty is relatively shallow, with only a small proportion of the poor facing hard-core deprivation.
Employment rate in Croatia (54.7%) is one of the lowest in Europe, and the long-term unemployment rate is higher than in most EU countries.

Poverty and Inequality Profile

Household size, education, age, and employment status of the head of household are significant correlates of poverty.
Elderly households face the highest poverty incidence, with those not receiving pensions having a poverty risk more than five times the national average.
Women and youth are at a clear disadvantage in the labor market, with lower employment rates and earnings.
Social assistance is the best-targeted program in Croatia, but its coverage is very low, reaching only about 13% of the poorest fifth of the population.

Regional Disparities

Regional disparities in GDP per capita, employment, unemployment, and earnings are significant, though not higher than in the EU on average.
Eastern and Central Croatia have less favorable economic structures with a higher reliance on agriculture and face a greater risk of lagging behind.
Adriatic regions (North and South) appear to be more economically dynamic, with active SMEs and tourism as key growth drivers.

Main Policy Challenges and Priorities

Sustaining high growth through faster job creation, which requires addressing investment climate issues, improving labor market flexibility, and enhancing productivity.
Promoting labor mobility and human capital development to reduce interregional earning disparities.
Improving social safety nets by rationalizing spending, enhancing targeting, and strengthening administrative systems.

Recommendations

Reduce spending on child allowances and increase social assistance to better target the poor.
Direct more social spending to poorer regions to improve regional equity.
Enhance system administration through better integration of social welfare and employment services, improved use of IT, and coordination between national and local programs.
Implement active labor market measures such as counseling and job placement to reduce long-term unemployment.

Conclusion

Croatia's economy has performed well, contributing to a reduction in the income gap with the EU. However, challenges remain in achieving faster external income convergence and addressing internal regional disparities. The report emphasizes the need for a balanced approach that combines economic growth, labor market reforms, and improved social protection to enhance living standards and reduce poverty.

Key Figures and Tables

Figure 1-1: Shows good economic performance over the past decade.
Figure 1-2: Indicates that Croatia's employment rate is below the Lisbon target.
Figure 1-3: Highlights high long-term unemployment.
Figure 1-4: Demonstrates that employment growth has lagged behind GDP and wage growth.
Figure 1-5: Displays total employment by sector in 2003.
Figure 1-6: Illustrates rising regional inequality in GDP per capita.
Figure 1-7: Shows the dynamic job creation potential of SMEs.
Figure 1-8: Indicates that counties with higher SME shares experience faster growth.
Figure 1-9: Reveals that income growth outpaced consumption growth.
Figure 1-10: Compares Croatia's poverty rates with other countries.
Figure 1-11: Shows GDP per capita growth in Croatia and selected EU countries.
Figure 1-12: Highlights convergence and demographics.
Figure 2-1: Breaks down poverty incidence by household size.
Figure 2-2: Shows high poverty incidence among the elderly.
Figure 2-3: Demonstrates the relationship between pension receipts and poverty.
Figure 2-4: Indicates poverty incidence by education level.
Figure 2-5: Displays regional variation in poverty incidence.
Figure 2-6: Shows regional variation in welfare indicators.
Figure 2-7: Compares income sources of poor and non-poor households.
Figure 2-8: Links poverty incidence with employment status.
Figure 2-9: Shows poverty shares by employment status.
Figure 2-10: Highlights low monthly earnings for women and youth.
Figure 3-1: Displays county-level poverty incidence.
Figure 3-2: Shows correlation between per capita income and education.
Figure 3-3: Compares simple and partial correlations.
Figure 3-4: Illustrates the "gateway effect" and regional inequalities.
Figure 3-5: Demonstrates the redistributive role of taxes and transfers.
Figure 3-6: Shows how social transfers reduce regional inequality.
Figure 3-7: Indicates that social assistance is well-targeted geographically.
Figure 3-8: Highlights regional rankings based on development indicators.
Figure 3-9: Emphasizes that social assistance is the best-targeted program.
Figure 3-10: Shows low coverage rates of social programs, even among the poor.
Figure 3-11: Demonstrates the importance of transfers for social assistance beneficiaries.
Figure 3-12: Shows who benefits from social transfer programs.
Table 1-1: Summarizes Croatia's key economic indicators.
Table 1-2: Lists key labor force indicators for Croatia (2000–2004).
Table 1-3: Provides regional classification of counties in Croatia.
Table 1-4: Shows that poverty in Croatia is limited and shallow.
Table 1-5: Indicates that about 1 in 20 Croatians consume below the poverty line.
Table 1-6: Summarizes poverty incidence in Croatia.
Table 1-7: Highlights subjective welfare improvements.
Table 1-8: Shows stable income inequality between 2002 and 2004.
Table 1-9: Compares international poverty and inequality levels.
Table 1-10: Provides a cross-country comparison of key social indicators.
Table 2-1: Compares labor market participation, employment, and earnings between men and women.
Table 2-2: Shows labor market disadvantages of women.
Table 2-3: Displays selected labor market indicators by region.
Table 2-4: Compares employment, unemployment, and earnings by educational attainment.
Table 2-5: Uses Oaxaca-Blinder Decomposition to analyze earnings differentials.
Table 3-1: Compares relative poverty risk by education level.
Table 3-2: Compares relative poverty risk by region.
Table 3-3: Displays regional variation in GDP per capita across selected countries.
Table 3-4: Offers alternative lists of the five poorest counties in Croatia.

Key Boxes

Box 1.1: Main topics covered in the background papers.
Box 1.2: Overview of tourism in Croatia.
Box 1.3: Deriving an absolute poverty line for Croatia.
Box 2.1: Insights on poverty and the elderly from HBS data.
Box 2.2: Explanation of Oaxaca-Blinder Decomposition.
Box 3.1: Regional inequalities in Croatia: legacy of the past.
Box 3.2: Lessons on policies and institutions for job creation.
Box 3.3: Objective measures of business regulations and enforcement.
Box 3.4: Overview of regional operational programs in Croatia.
Box 3.5: Recommendations for reforming the social welfare system in Croatia.