1. Economics 172 Issues in African Economic Development Lecture 4 January 26, 2006

2. 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

3. Economics 172: Lecture 23 1. Agricultural factors Rainfall patterns –Less rainfall than other regions –More variable rainfall

4. Economics 172: Lecture 24 Rainfall distribution, 1978-2000

5. Economics 172: Lecture 25

6. 6 1. Agricultural factors Rainfall patterns –Less rainfall than other regions: arid soil –More variable rainfall Highland regions Soil quality is low

7. Economics 172: Lecture 27 1. Agricultural factors Rainfall patterns –Less rainfall than other regions: arid soil –More variable rainfall Highland regions Soil quality is low Crop pests

8. Economics 172: Lecture 28 2. Health factors Widespread tropical disease –Yellow fever, sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis), schistosomiasis, intestinal helminths …

9. Economics 172: Lecture 29 2. 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

10. Economics 172: Lecture 210 3. 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

11. Economics 172: Lecture 211 3. 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

12. 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

13. Economics 172: Lecture 213 Acemoglu, Johnson, Robinson (2001) Concerns: Omitted variable bias

14. Economics 172: Lecture 214

15. Economics 172: Lecture 215 For next time: Read Miguel (2005)

16. Economics 172: Lecture 216 Whiteboard #1

17. Economics 172: Lecture 217 Whiteboard #2

18. Economics 172: Lecture 218 Whiteboard #3

19. Economics 172: Lecture 219 Whiteboard #4

20. Economics 172: Lecture 220 Whiteboard #5

21. Economics 172: Lecture 221 Map of Africa