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Gibrat’s law for countries

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  • Rafael González-Val
  • Marcos Sanso-Navarro

Abstract

If the population of a given country evolves according to Gibrat'�s Law, its growth rate will be independent of its initial size. This short paper further investigates this empirical regularity by the application of a suitable panel unit root test and non-parametric methods. The evidence regarding its fulfilment is weaker than that previously found.
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Suggested Citation

  • Rafael González-Val & Marcos Sanso-Navarro, 2010. "Gibrat’s law for countries," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 23(4), pages 1371-1389, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:23:y:2010:i:4:p:1371-1389
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-009-0246-7
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jesús Clemente & Rafael González-Val & Irene Olloqui, 2011. "Zipf’s and Gibrat’s laws for migrations," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 47(1), pages 235-248, August.
    2. Daniel ARRIBAS-BEL & Fernando SANZ GRACIA & Domingo P. XIMENEZ-DE-EMBUN, 2012. "Kangaroos, Cities And Space: A First Approach To The Australian Urban System," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 36, pages 165-187.
    3. Aloysius Gunadi Brata & Henri L.F. de Groot & Piet Rietveld, 2013. "Dynamics in Aceh and North Sumatera after the Twin Disasters: An Investigation into the Relevance of the Locational Fundamental Theory," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 13-115/VIII, Tinbergen Institute.
    4. Kwok Tong Soo, 2014. "Zipf, Gibrat and geography: Evidence from China, India and Brazil," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 93(1), pages 159-181, March.
    5. Rafael GONZÀLEZ-VAL, 2012. "Zipf’S Law: Main Issues In Empirical Work," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 36, pages 147-164.
    6. Rafael González‐Val, 2010. "The Evolution Of U.S. City Size Distribution From A Long‐Term Perspective (1900–2000)," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(5), pages 952-972, December.
    7. Drugova, Tatiana & Akhundjanov, Sherzod B., 2020. "Growth Process of US Agricultural Land Size: Testing the Law of Proportionate Effect," 2020 Annual Meeting, July 26-28, Kansas City, Missouri 304250, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Girat’s law; Country size; C12; F00; R12;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F00 - International Economics - - General - - - General
    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • C12 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Hypothesis Testing: General
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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