The Out of Africa Hypothesis of Comparative Development Reflected by Nighttime Light Intensity

Quamrul Ashraf, Oded Galor and Marc Klemp

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: This research establishes that migratory distance from the cradle of anatomically modern humans in East Africa and its effect on the distribution of genetic diversity across countries has a hump-shaped effect on nighttime light intensity per capita as observed by satellites, reflecting the trade-off between the beneficial and the detrimental effects of diversity on productivity. The finding lends further credence to the hypothesis that a significant portion of the variation in the standard of living across the globe can be attributed to factors that were determined in the distant past.

Keywords: Nighttime light intensity; Out of Africa Hypothesis of Comparative Development; Genetic Diversity; Comparative Development; Migratory Distance from Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N10 N30 N50 O10 O50 Z10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014-04-29
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr, nep-evo, nep-gro and nep-his
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (28)

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Working Paper: The Out of Africa Hypothesis of Comparative Development Reflected by Nighttime Light Intensity (2014)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pra:mprapa:55634

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