An analytical study is made of transverse edge effect on the flow characteristics and performance of a linear induction pump by taking into account both effects of a nonuniform velocity distribution across the duct width and an electrical conductivity of the side-walls installed in a fringing magnetic flux region.Equation of fluid motion and Maxwell's equations with a thin-plate approximation are simultaneously solved using a method of successive approximation, and the effects of the side-wall's conductivity on the distributions of magnetic field and flow velocity are deter-mined. Pump performances such as mechanical and electrical powers, conversion efficiency and head-flow curves are also obtained.It is clearly shown that the secondary current in the fluid and hence the pump per-formance are significantly influenced by the side-wall's conductivity. It is also shown that the nonuniformity of the velocity distribution causes a reduction in the equivalent conduc-tivity of the secondary which is significant in the case of low side-wall's conductivity.