Information is a major development resource, joining the ranks with human, natural and financial resources. Therefore, development agencies must understand the role of information and information technologies (informatics) in the developing countries to respond to a rapidly evolving global environment. The ongoing information explosion in the industrialized economies contrasts sharply with the information poverty of developing countries. This poverty takes many forms, including poor information support for macroeconomic and sectoral policy formulation and implementation, limited access to information for rural populations, and isolation of researchers and professionals from international research findings and so on. Informatics applications offers new ways to make the most of the managerial and institutional resources of developing countries, with the most widespread benefits likely to come from applying it to priority sectors. Governments are recognizing their roles as information providers and users, facilitators of information technology diffusion, and providers of information and communication infrastructures, as well as their role in setting policies for informatics. During the 1990s the impact of information technology will be felt increasingly. Developing countries at all levels of development must stay abreast of the information revolution : they cannot afford to ignore this "second industrial revolution."