Résurné:Cet article examine d'abord la notion de strategie de developpe‐ment: il en propose une definition et des criteres de mesure: la strategie dedeveloppement, mode de developpement choisi par le pays, autrement dit cequi ne resulte pas de I'environnement, est appreciee a travers divers indicateurs,dits de performance, de choix structurels et de choix instrumentaux. Les indi‐cateurs sont mesures en purgeant les donnees brutes de I'influence de l'envi‐ronnement.Abstract:This paper first considers the concept of development strategy, of which it offers a definition and measurement criteria. Development strategy is defined as the development pattern chosen by the country, that is to say the pattern which does not result from the environmental factors. It can be appreciated by several indicators of ‘performance’, ‘structural choices’ and ‘instrumental choices’, most of them measured by eliminating from gross variables the influence of the environment.This methodology is then applied to the study of the trade strategy. The ‘openness’ of ‘outward orientation’ is here defined and measured by the level of export‐GDP ratio which does not result from environment. Environmental variables acting on the export ratio, as estimated by a cross‐sectional analysis, are the per capita income level, the country size, and the mineral exports. This ‘revealed’ outward (or inward) orientation is compared between African and non African countries. Finally, the implications of an informal trade for the outward orientation index are discuss