ABSTRACT
A characteristic feature of the world trading system is the peculiar position of dependence of developing countries on the developed countries both for their export markets and for their imports, with trade among developing countries themselves accounting for only a quarter of their total exports. A somewhat different picture emerges from an examination of trends in the share of exports to other developing countries in total developing countries' exports of the major commodity groups. A number of factors tend to favour North/South trade links and to act as barriers to the growth of inter-developing country trade. Industrialization and related trade policies in the developing countries themselves tend in some important respects to discriminate against trade among themselves. Many developing countries have therefore established State trading organizations in order to help improve the trading conditions affecting both their imports and their exports.
