This paper introduces new data on climatic conditions to empirical tests of growth theories. We find that, since 1960, temperate countries have converged towards high levels of income while tropical nations have converged towards various income levels associated with economic scale and the...

The authors posit and test an intertemporal political economy model in which the government sets tax and R and D levels while investors respond with production. Equilibrium policy and growth rates depend on the initial cost structure. It is found that in many African countries, low tax/high...

This paper uses historical census data from Burkina Faso to characterize local demographic pressures associated with internal migration into river valleys after Onchocerciasis eradication, combined with a new survey of village elders to document change over time and differences across villages...