Ayyagari, MeghanaBeck, ThorstenDemirguc-Kunt, Asli2014-05-012014-05-012003-08https://hdl.handle.net/10986/18131This paper describes a new cross-country database on the importance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This database is unique in that it presents consistent and comparable information on the contribution of the SME sector to total employment and GDP across different countries. The dataset improves on existing publicly available datasets on several grounds. First, it extends coverage to a broader set of developing and industrial economies. Second, it provides information on the contribution of the SME sector using a uniform definition of SMEs across different countries, allowing for consistent cross-country comparisons. Third, while we follow the traditional definition of the SME sector as being part of the formal sector, the new database also includes the size of the SME sector relative to the informal sector. This paper describes the sources and the construction of the different indicators, presents descriptive statistics, and explores correlations with other socioeconomic variables.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOACCESS TO INFORMATIONBLACK MARKET PREMIUMBUSINESS ENVIRONMENTBUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INDICATORSCOMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONSCOMPANYCOMPANY LAWCOST OF CONTRACT ENFORCEMENTCREDIT INFORMATIONECONOMIC ACTIVITYECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTECONOMIC GROWTHECONOMIC POLICIESEMPLOYMENTENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENTENTRY BARRIERSEXCHANGE RATEFINANCIAL DEVELOPMENTFINANCIAL INSTITUTIONSFINANCIAL SECTORFINANCIAL SERVICESFIRM SIZEGNPGOVERNMENT CONSUMPTIONGOVERNMENT EXPENDITURESHUMAN CAPITALHUMAN CAPITAL ACCUMULATIONIMPORTSINCOMEINCOME DISTRIBUTIONINCOME LEVELSINFLATIONINFLATION RATESINFORMAL ECONOMYINFORMAL ENTERPRISESINFORMAL SECTORLABOR FORCELABOR MARKETLABOR MARKETSLARGE ENTERPRISESMACROECONOMIC STABILITYMEDIUM-SCALE ENTERPRISESNATIONAL INCOMEPOLITICAL ECONOMYPOVERTY ALLEVIATIONPRIVATE CREDITPRIVATE PROPERTYPRIVATE SECTORPRODUCTIVITYPROPERTY RIGHTSREGULATION OF ENTRYREGULATORY ENVIRONMENTREGULATORY QUALITYSMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISESMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISESSMALL BUSINESSSMALL ENTERPRISESMALL FIRMSMALL FIRMSSMESME DEVELOPMENTSME SECTORSME STATISTICSSMES MEDIUM ENTERPRISESSMALL ENTERPRISESDATABASESECONOMIC GROWTHEMPLOYMENTPOVERTY ALLEVIATION MECHANISMSSOCIAL CONDITIONSMANUFACTURING SECTORLOW INCOME DEVELOPING COUNTRIESHIGH INCOME COUNTRIESBUSINESS ENVIRONMENTMACROECONOMIC POLICYLABOR MARKET10.1596/1813-9450-3127