The Emergence of Major Seaports in a Developing Economy: the Case of East Africa

Abstract

The progress of a relatively underdeveloped area towards a higher level of economic activity involves a variety of problems and is dependent upon a wide range of factors and influences. Part of the essential infrastructure of modern economic growth is an outline system of surface transport facilities, serving the developing area both internally and externally. In economic terms such a system is an elementary permissive factor, allowing economic interchange to expand and intensify, and at an early stage may also be an active stimulus to development. Within such a basic transport system seaports occupy a strategic place, for they exist to integrate land and sea transport networks. In developing countries this integrating role is especially vital because developing economies tend to be firmly orientated towards overseas markets rather than towards overland trade; because of this often heavy dependence upon overseas trade, the capacity of seaports not only acts as an indicator of the prosperity of the area served but may also directly affect its economic growth by permitting or hindering increased commodity flow.