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Climatic Change and Rural-Urban Migration: The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa
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Climatic Change and Rural-Urban Migration: The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Salvador Barrios

    (European Commission Joint Research Centre – Institute for Prospective Technological StudiesTechnological Studies)

  • Luisito Bertinelli

    (CREA, University of Luxembourg)

  • Eric Strobl

    (Ecole Polytechnique, Paris)

Abstract

We investigate the role that climatic change has played in the pattern of urbanization in sub-Saharan countries compared to the rest of the developing world. To this end we assemble a cross-country panel data set that allows us to estimate the determinants of urbanization. The results of our econometric analysis suggest that climatic change, as proxied by rainfall, has acted to change urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa but not elsewhere in the developing world. Moreover, this link has become stronger since decolonization, which is likely due to the often simultaneous lifting of legislation prohibiting the free internal movement of native Africans.

Suggested Citation

  • Salvador Barrios & Luisito Bertinelli & Eric Strobl, 2006. "Climatic Change and Rural-Urban Migration: The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers 06-01, Asociación Española de Economía y Finanzas Internacionales.
    • Handle: RePEc:aee:wpaper:0601
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    urbanization; climate change; rainfall; rural-urban migration; Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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