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

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

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

Economics 172: Lecture 24 Rainfall distribution,

Economics 172: Lecture 25

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

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

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

Economics 172: Lecture 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

Economics 172: Lecture 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

Economics 172: Lecture 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

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

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

Economics 172: Lecture 214

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

Economics 172: Lecture 216 Whiteboard #1

Economics 172: Lecture 217 Whiteboard #2

Economics 172: Lecture 218 Whiteboard #3

Economics 172: Lecture 219 Whiteboard #4

Economics 172: Lecture 220 Whiteboard #5

Economics 172: Lecture 221 Map of Africa