Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/142617 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2011
Series/Report no.: 
EERI Research Paper Series No. 10/2011
Publisher: 
Economics and Econometrics Research Institute (EERI), Brussels
Abstract: 
Kahn (2005) found that ethnic heterogeneity reduces the number of deaths caused by natural disasters, a finding that is contrary to theoretical predictions. This paper casts doubt on this finding and uses cross-country data from 1965 to 2008 to conduct a re-estimation. To alleviate omitted variable bias, a legal origin dummy and additional economic variables are incorporated as independent variables. Further, to control for measurement problems, I have included an ethnic fractionalization index and an ethnic polarization index to capture ethnic heterogeneity. The key finding is that ethnic polarization is positively related to number of deaths, while ethnic fractionalization is not. This implies that ethnic polarization increases the level of damage caused by natural disasters, and is a more appropriate measure for ethnic heterogeneity than ethnic fractionalization.
Subjects: 
Deaths
Natural disaster
Ethnic fractionalization
Ethic polarization
Legal origin
Institution
JEL: 
D81
O11
Q54
Z13
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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