Legacy Is Not Destiny: Historical Ethno-Linguistic Diversity and Contemporary Deforestation across Africa

Iva Mihaylova

Journal of African Economies, 2026, vol. 35, issue 1, ejaf008.

Abstract: A vast literature on the effects of contemporary population diversity, frequently defined in terms of measures with ethnic and linguistic components, tends to highlight its negative consequences for contemporary real-world outcomes. Research on deforestation in this setting is scarce and has mostly taken a case-specific perspective. However, it only shows the visible ‘tip of the iceberg’ when it comes to deforestation by only focusing on contemporary population diversity. This study advances the argument that a historical perspective can illuminate the underlying drivers of deforestation. I focus on Africa due to its unprecedented deforestation and high population diversity. I show for the first time that historical population diversity, both originating centuries ago and more recently, accelerates contemporary deforestation. However, the ecological legacy of historic population diversity should not be understood as an irreversible destiny. Against this background, the study concludes with a discussion of how its findings can be used to improve Africa's forest management.

Date: 2026
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