Regional database DFID – African sub-national regions
This sub-national database contains information about 36 regions from eight African countries and 34
variables. The data used for building this database stems from the Enterprise Surveys of the World Bank,
the Demographic Health Suveys available at statcomiler.com and the Afroborameter
(Afrobarometer.org).
Variables information
Sciencepublication = count of scientific articles using Web of Science. It’s a the total of scientific articles
published between 2004-2013 in a certain region. For a region, the cities indicated by the Enterprise
survey of the World Bank are used. If this information was not available, then all cities within the region
are used.
Betapublication = Count of beta publications between 2004-2013 in a certain region, using Web of
Science: science citation index expanded
Socialpublication = Count of social science publications between 2004-2013 in a certain region, using
Web of Science: social sciences + arts & humanities citation index
RandD = Percentage of firms that conducted formal R&D in the last three years within a certain region,
using the Enterprise Survey question H7
Slacktime = Percentage of firms that during the last three years gave time to their employees to develop
new ideas within a certain region, using Enterprise Survey question H8.
Foreignownership = Aggregation question b2b of the Enterprise Surveys: percentage of this firm that is
owned by private foreign individuals, companies or organization.
Poweroutages = average of losses as % of annual sales by firms due to poweroutages, aggregated to the
regional level using question c9a of the Enterprise Survey.
Timeoperatinglicense = average of days it takes to obtain an operating license within a certain region,
computed by an aggregation to the regional level using question j14 of the Enterprise Survey.
Importcustoms = average number of days to clear customs when importing using question d14 of
Enterprise survey.
Managementtimegov = average percentage of total senior management's time dealing with
requirements imposed by government relations, using question j2 of Enterprise Survey.
Inspectionsperyear = average number of inspection per year by tax officials or requirement to meet
with them, using j4 of Enterprise Survey.
Informpayments = average percentage of total annual sales paid in informal payments using question
j7a of Enterprise Survey.
Overdraftfacility = percentage of firms with an overdraft facility using question k7 of Enterprise Survey.
Accesstofinance = percentage of firms that identifies access to finance as a major constraint using
question k30 of Enterprise Survey.
Loan = percentage of firms with a credit or loan from a financial institution using question k8 of
Enterprise Survey.
Education = percentage of respondents with secondary education or higher, using the Demographic and
Health Survey available on statcompiler.com.
Electricity = percentage of households with electricity within a certain region, using the Demographic
and Health Survey available on statcompiler.com.
Literacy = percentage of women who are literate within a certain region, using the Demographic and
Health Survey available on statcompiler.com.
Trust = percentage of people that can be trusted using the Afrobarometer question 87 (Q87): Generally
speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you must be very careful in dealing
with people?  percentage of people that thinks that most people can be trusted.
Trustrelatives = percentage of people that trust relatives a lot, using the Afrobarometer question 88a.
(Q88A).
Freedomofspeech = Average of the aggregation of the question: In this country, how free are you to say
what you think? Using question 17A (Q17A, four answer categories: not at all, not very free, somewhat
free, completely free) of the Afrobarometer.
Freedomtojoinpolitcalorganization = Average of the aggregation of the question: In this country, how
free are you to join any political organization you want? Using question 17B (Q17B, four answer
categories: not at all, not very free, somewhat free, completely free) of the Afrobarometer.
Freedomtovote = Average of the aggregation of the question: In this country, how free are you to
choose who to vote for without feeling pressured? Using question 17C (Q17C, four answer categories:
not at all, not very free, somewhat free, completely free) of the Afrobarometers.
Paidjob = percentage of people with a paid job, full time or part time, compared to all people, using
question 96 (Q96) of Afrobarometer.
Unemployed = percentage of people looking for a job compared to people working full time or part time
using question 96 (Q96) of Afrobarometer.
Wealthpoor = percentage of people with no radio, television, motor/car/motorcycle, using question 90
(Q90) of Afrobarometer.
Wealthrich = percentage of people with 3 wealth assets (radio, television, motor/car/motorcycle), using
question 90 (Q90) of Afrobarometer.
Nointernet = percentage of people that never uses internet, using question 91b (Q91B) of
Afrobarometer.
Interneteveryday = percentage of people that uses the internet every day, using question 91b (Q91B)
of Afrobarometer.
Nocomputer = percentage of people that never uses a computer, using question 91a (Q91A) of
Afrobarometer.
Computereveryday = percentage of people that uses a computer every day, using question 91a (Q91A)
of Afrobarometer.
Ownphone = percentage of people with their own mobile phone, using question 92 (Q92) of
Afrobarometer.
Nophone = percentage of people that never uses a mobile phone, using question 92 (Q92) of
Afrobarometer.
Corruption = percentage of people that thinks that most or all local government councilors are corrupt,
using question 60D (Q60D) of Afrobarometer (Not available for Malawi).
Some data is missing, this is indicated with -9. For some regions, there were less than 10 observations,
this is indicated by -7.