Estimation of Informal Economy: Figures for Developed and underdeveloped countries around the world

• Autores: Friedrich Schneider
• Localización: Revista de economía mundial, ISSN 1576-0162, Nº 60, 2022, págs. 41-65
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.33776/rem.v0i60.5631
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Estimación de la economía informal: cifras para países desarrollados y subdesarrollados de todo el mundo
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen
  • español

    Este artículo estima el tamaño del valor añadido de la economía informal para 157 países entre 1991 y 2017 con la ayuda del método MIMIC.

    Los resultados muestran que los países de la OCDE tienen, con mucho, las economías informales más pequeñas, con tamaños por debajo del 20 por ciento del PIB oficial. Y las economías informales son más grandes en los países de América Latina y África subsahariana, con un promedio de casi el 38 y el 39 por ciento del PIB, respectivamente. El tamaño medio de la economía informal en los 157 países considerados y durante el período 1991-2017 es del 30,9 por ciento. La disminución promedio del tamaño de la economía informal de 1991 a 2017 es de un notable 6,8 puntos porcentuales. También se muestran los resultados del tamaño y desarrollo del empleo no declarado o informal en todo el mundo. Excepto en Europa del Este, Asia Central y África Meridional, el empleo informal supera el 50% del empleo total e incluso supera el 88% en Asia Meridional y África Subsahariana. Finalmente, se ofrecen algunas actuaciones de política orientadas a reducir la economía informal y se extraen algunas conclusiones al respecto.

  • English

    This paper estimates the size of the value added of the informal economy for 157 countries over 1991 to 2017 with the help of the MIMIC-method. The results show that OECD countries have by far the smallest informal economies, with sizes below 20 percent of official GDP. Moreover, informal economies are larger in Latin American and sub-Saharan African countries, averaging almost 38 and 39 percent of GDP, respectively. The average informal-economy size over all 157 countries and over 1991–2017 is 30.9 percent. The average decline in informal-economy size from 1991 to 2017 is a remarkable 6.8 percentage points. In addition, results of the size and development of undeclared or informal employment all over the world are shown. Except for Eastern Europe and Central Asia and Southern Africa, informal employment is above 50% of total employment and even over 88% in Southern Asia and SubSaharan Africa. Finally, some policy measures to reduce the informal economy and conclusions are given.

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