ABSTRACT. Beginning from the end of the 1980s, many studies analysing the relationship between infrastructure endowment and economic development have been realised. A general consensus is achieved around the idea that basic infrastructure facilities are important features related to economic performance, although both magnitude and causality direction are debated. A peculiar feature of these studies is that, across them, different empirical and theoretical entities are referred to infrastructure without a shared conceptual framework. This article develops a conceptual analysis to critically interpret the existing literature, reviewing different infrastructure definitions, classifications, and, measurement used across studies.

JEL: H10, H54, K40