Transport in Low- and Middle-income Countries

This brief survey reviews recent work on transportation in poor and middle-income countries. After reviewing a few key global facts and taking stock of the data available, it focuses on eight key themes that are emphasized in this literature relative to work on transportation in rich countries. In urban areas, these are private/informal transit, interactions with other informal markets, gender, bus rapid transit, and quantity-based congestion policy. Elsewhere, they are the legacy of colonialism, rural roads, and potential negative effects of improved transportation infrastructure.