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Geography, human capital and urbanization: A regional analysis

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  • Flückiger, Matthias
  • Ludwig, Markus

Abstract

Using subnationally representative data for 679 regions from 64 low- and middle-income countries, we document that geography, especially trade-related features, explains a substantial share of within-country variation in the level of human capital. We further show that a large part of the explanatory power can be attributed to the close interrelation between urbanization and concentration of human capital. These results bring together studies that identify human capital as an important determinant of regional development and the literature on economic geography that emphasizes geography’s role in shaping the spatial distribution of urbanization and economic activity.

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  • Flückiger, Matthias & Ludwig, Markus, 2018. "Geography, human capital and urbanization: A regional analysis," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 10-14.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:168:y:2018:i:c:p:10-14
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2018.03.027
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    2. Alvarado, Rafael & Cuesta, Lizeth & Kumar, Pavan & Rehman, Abdul & Murshed, Muntasir & Işık, Cem & Vega, Nora & Ochoa-Moreno, Santiago & Tillaguango, Brayan, 2022. "Impact of natural resources on economic progress: Evidence for trading blocs in Latin America using non-linear econometric methods," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    3. Yu Sang Chang & Moon Jung Kim & Su Min Kim & Sung Jun Jo, 2023. "The Offsetting Impact of Dependency and Urbanization on Mean Years of Schooling: A Scaling Analysis of 97 Countries," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, April.
    4. Frederik Wild & David Stadelmann, 2022. "Coastal proximity and individual living standards: Econometric evidence from georeferenced household surveys in sub‐Saharan Africa," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 1883-1901, November.
    5. Xuesong Sun & Chunwang Zhang & Qi Tan, 2023. "Factors Influencing the Coordinated Development of Urbanization and Its Spatial Effects: A Case Study of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-19, February.
    6. Xuesong Sun & Zaisheng Zhang, 2021. "Coupling and Coordination Level of the Population, Land, Economy, Ecology and Society in the Process of Urbanization: Measurement and Spatial Differentiation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-19, March.
    7. Ng, Choy Peng & Law, Teik Hua & Jakarni, Fauzan Mohd & Kulanthayan, S., 2018. "Relative improvements in road mobility as compared to improvements in road accessibility and urban growth: A panel data analysis," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 292-301.
    8. Frederik Wild & David Stadelmann, 2021. "Coastal Proximity and Individual Living Standards: Econometric Evidence from Geo-Referenced Household Surveys," CREMA Working Paper Series 2021-22, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
    9. Linxiong Chen & Changbiao Zhong & Chong Li, 2022. "Research on the Impact of the Digital Economy on China’s New-Type Urbanization: Based on Spatial and Mediation Models," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-23, November.
    10. Roseline Tapuwa Karambakuwa & Ronney Ncwadi & Andrew Phiri, 2020. "The human capital–economic growth nexus in SSA countries: what can strengthen the relationship?," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 47(9), pages 1143-1159, July.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Geography; Human capital; Urbanization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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