The employment structure of Mexico, by major industry, is shown in Table 2. Table 2 Employment Structure (Thousands of Persons) Absolute Figures Relative Percentages 1960 1965 1969 1960 1965 1969 Primary Activities* 6,143.5 6,866.7 7,580.9 54.2 51.1 49.3 Industry 2,147.4 2,852.5 3,473.2 18.9 21.1 22.6 Extractive 141.5 172.3 200.3 1.2 1.3 1.3 Manufacturing 1,556.1 2,045.1 2,476.7 13.7 15.2 16.1 Construction 408.3 582.6 733.9 3.6 4.3 4.8 Electricity and gas 41.5 52.5 62.3 0.4 0.4 0.4 Commerce 1,075.2 1,377.4 1,646.5 9.5 10.3 10.7 Transportation 356.9 482.3 592.2 3.2 3.6 3.9 Services 1,609.0 1,848.1 2,075.9 14.2 13.8 13.5 Total 11,332.0 13,427.0 15,368.8 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% * Includes agriculture, livestock raising, forestry, hunting, and fishing. Source: MIC, Direccion General de Estadistica. Economic Development Throughout the 1960s, Mexico's economy maintained a constant 7.1 percent rate of devel-opment (in real terms), which makes it one of the most advanced among developing nations. In the second half of the decade, GDP rose from 150,511 million pesos to 279,829 million pesos (at 1960 prices). However, in 1970 the Mexican economy slowed with the result that growth for the period 1965-70 declined to 5.3 percent per year. The 10-year growth rate for selected years by sector of the economy is shown in Table 3. A comparison of Mexico's economic growth with that of other nations both developed and developing is presented in Figure 2. During the 1960s particularly during the second half of the decade the industrial sector dominated Mexico's economic evolution in terms of both rate of development and contribution to the GDP. Total secondary activities petroleum production, manufactur-ing, construction, and electric power production increased their shares of GDP from 29.2 percent in 1960 to 31.3 percent in 1965 and 33.7 percent in 1969. The highest indus-trial growth rates in the second half of the decade were established by the State-controlled industries, such as electric power generation and the petroleum industry. The petrochemi-cals industry, for example, grew at the rate of 33.6 percent in 1968 and 26.3 percent in 1969. In terms of growth, the mining industry generally has lagged well behind the other segments of the Mexican economy. The exceptions have been iron ore, sulfur, and fluor-spar. The more favorable performance in these areas has most likely resulted from direct government support, a favorable market price structure, or a combination of the two. 9