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Middle East and Central Asia > Kyrgyz Republic

You are looking at 1 - 3 of 3 items for :

  • Type: Journal Issue x
  • Informal Economy; Underground Econom x
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Cover IMF Working Papers
Measuring the Informal Economy in the Caucasus and Central Asia
Mr. Yasser Abdih
and
Leandro Medina
This study estimates the size of the informal economy, and the relative contribution of each underlying factor, for the Caucasus and Central Asia countries in 2008. Using a Multiple Indicator-Multiple Cause model, we find that a burdensome tax system, rigid labor market, low institutional quality, and excessive regulation in financial and products markets are determinant factors in explaining the size of the informal economy, which ranges from 26 percent of GDP in Kyrgyz Republic to around 35 percent of GDP in Armenia. Furthermore, the results show that higher levels of informality increase the levels of self employment and the percentage of currency held outside the banking system.
Keywords:
WP; financial market; regulation; unobserved informal economy; Informal economy; latent variable; Caucasus and Central Asia; informal economy variance; product market restriction; size of the informal economy; informal economy size; informal economy for the Caucasus and Central Asia; Commodity markets; Tax incidence; Self-employment; Central Asia and the Caucasus
Cover IMF Working Papers
Inclusive Growth, Institutions, and the Underground Economy
Mr. Adil Mohommad
,
Mr. Anoop Singh
, and
Ms. Sonali Jain-Chandra
Worldwide protests against the perceived lack of economic opportunity and failure of governance have refocused attention on the need for inclusive growth and strong institutions. In developing countries, large informal economies limit state capacity to deliver governance and strong institutions, which in turn discourages participation in and expansion of the formal economy. This paper analyzes the determinants of the underground economy, with particular emphasis on the role of institutions and the rule of law. We find that when businesses are faced with onerous regulation, inconsistent enforcement and corruption, they have an incentive to hide their activities in the underground economy. Empirical analysis suggests that institutions are a more important determinant of the size of the underground economy than tax rates.
Keywords:
WP; economy; underground economy; shadow economy; economic activity; institutions; IFS database; shadow economy rise; size of the shadow economy; informal economy limit; unofficial economy; Informal economy; Global
Cover IMF Working Papers
Tax Potential vs. Tax Effort: A Cross-Country Analysis of Armenia's Stubbornly Low Tax Collection
Mr. David A. Grigorian
and
Mr. Hamid R Davoodi
Despite recording double digit growth since 2000, Armenia's tax-to-GDP ratio has been fairly stable at about 14½ percent. This paper catalogues a range of factors that may account for Armenia's stubbornly for tax collection by benchmarking Armenia's tax-to-GDP against some comparator countries and conducting an extensive econometric study of the main determinants of tax collection. We find empirical support for the hypothesis that the persistence of Armenia's low tax-GDP ratio can be traced to persistence of weak institutions and a large shadow economy. The gap between the potential and actual tax collection in Armenia could be as high as 6½ percent of GDP. We conclude with some policy recommendations that, if adopted, can boost revenue buoyancy.
Keywords:
WP; Armenia; tax revenue; tax potential; tax collection; institutions; shadow economy; tax-to-GDP ratio; CIS country; tax effort; revenue buoyancy; VAT collection; tax performance; tax morale; small share; Income and capital gains taxes; Tax administration core functions; Informal economy; Middle East and Central Asia