Economics 172 Issues in African Economic Development Lecture 4 January 26, 2006
Economics 172: Lecture 22 Outline: (1)Bloom and Sachs (1998) on geography, health and African underdevelopment (2)Acemoglu, Johnson, and Robinson (2001) on colonial settlement, health, and institutions
Economics 172: Lecture Agricultural factors Rainfall patterns –Less rainfall than other regions –More variable rainfall
Economics 172: Lecture 24 Rainfall distribution,
Economics 172: Lecture 25
6 1. Agricultural factors Rainfall patterns –Less rainfall than other regions: arid soil –More variable rainfall Highland regions Soil quality is low
Economics 172: Lecture Agricultural factors Rainfall patterns –Less rainfall than other regions: arid soil –More variable rainfall Highland regions Soil quality is low Crop pests
Economics 172: Lecture Health factors Widespread tropical disease –Yellow fever, sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis), schistosomiasis, intestinal helminths …
Economics 172: Lecture Health factors Widespread tropical disease –Yellow fever, sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis), schistosomiasis, intestinal helminths … The most important disease: malaria –Kills 1-2 millions Africans every year –The Global Fund
Economics 172: Lecture Transport factors Ratio of coastline to land area is very low in Africa: –1.15 in SSA, 2.54 in South Asia, 15.7 Western Europe Major rivers to the interior (Nile, Niger, Congo, Zambezi) have large cataracts
Economics 172: Lecture Transport factors Ratio of coastline to land area is very low in Africa: –1.15 in SSA, 2.54 in South Asia, 15.7 Western Europe Major rivers to the interior (Nile, Niger, Congo, Zambezi) have large cataracts 28% of SSA population lives in land-locked countries Large distance from the major industrialized economies in Europe, Asia, North America
Economics 172: Lecture 212 Acemoglu, Johnson, Robinson (2001) Their main argument: Less tropical disease More European settlement Better government institutions (e.g., rule of law) Faster economic growth
Economics 172: Lecture 213 Acemoglu, Johnson, Robinson (2001) Concerns: Omitted variable bias
Economics 172: Lecture 214
Economics 172: Lecture 215 For next time: Read Miguel (2005)
Economics 172: Lecture 216 Whiteboard #1
Economics 172: Lecture 217 Whiteboard #2
Economics 172: Lecture 218 Whiteboard #3
Economics 172: Lecture 219 Whiteboard #4
Economics 172: Lecture 220 Whiteboard #5
Economics 172: Lecture 221 Map of Africa