The Rise of the Mega-Region

Richard Florida (), Tim Gulden () and Charlotta Mellander
Additional contact information
Richard Florida: MPI Rotman School of Management
Tim Gulden: Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy

No 129, Working Paper Series in Economics and Institutions of Innovation from Royal Institute of Technology, CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies

Abstract: This paper uses a global dataset of nighttime light emissions to produce an objectively consistent set of mega-regions for the globe. We draw on high resolution population data to estimate the population of each of these regions. We then process the light data in combination with published estimates of national GDP to produce rough but useful estimates of the economic activity of each region. We also present estimates of technological and scientific innovation. We identify 40 mega-regions with economic output of more than $100 billion that produce 66 percent of world output and accounts for 85 percent of global innovation.

Keywords: Mega-region; Globalization; Urbanization; Nighttime lights (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O18 R10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30 pages
Date: 2008-04-28
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene, nep-geo, nep-soc and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (43)

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Related works:
Journal Article: The rise of the mega-region (2008)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hhs:cesisp:0129

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