The concept of structural economic vulnerability and its relevance for the identification of the Least Developed Countries and other purposes (nature, measurement and evolution)

This note summarizes and updates analyses presented in previous work by the author on the economic vulnerability of the Least Developed Countries (see references at the end of the note).It is well evidenced in the academic literature that the exogenous shocks and related instabilities of economic variables have a detrimental effect on the economic growth of the developing countries and the rate of poverty reduction. These are both short terms and long term effects.