This important book examines the factors that influence economic growth and sustainable development in countries with a significant natural resource sector. It addresses the key issue of how to make the primary sector sufficiently productive to provide for investment in both itself and other sectors of the economy.Using individual country experiences as well as cross-country analyses, the authors highlight some of the successful policy measures which have been applied to economies with an abundance of natural resources. They also consider the management of natural resources and sustainable development from a local perspective. In conclusion, they argue that these types of economies need pro-active government policies, successful cooperation between private and public institutions and a gradual process of upgrading of skills and technology in order to achieve sustainable development.

This book will be welcomed by development economists and natural resource economists as well as policymakers and planners in government and international agencies.