The Structure
Any portrayal of the structural diversity of developing nations requires an examination of seven critical
components:
1. The size of the country (geographic area, population, and income)
2. Its historical and colonial background
3. Its endowments of physical and human resources
4. The relative importance of its public and private sectors
5. The nature of its industrial structure
6. Its degree of dependence on external economic and political forces
7. The distribution of power and the institutional and political structure within the nation
Let us briefly consider each component, focusing on some similarities and differences among countries in
Africa, Asia, and Latin America