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

Quamrul Ashraf, Oded Galor and Marc Klemp

No 2014-4, Working Papers from Brown University, Department of Economics

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)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (30)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bro:econwp:2014-4

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