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The evolution of the location of economic activity in Chile in the long run: a paradox of extreme concentration in absence of agglomeration economies

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  • Marc Badia-Miró
Abstract
Chile is characterized as being a country with an extreme concentration of the economic activity around Santiago. In spite of this, and in contrast to what is found in many industrialized countries, income levels per inhabitant in the capital are below the country average and far from the levels in the wealthiest regions. This was a result of the weakness of agglomeration economies. At the same time, the mining cycles have had an enormous impact in the evolution of the location of economic activity, driving a high dispersion at the end of the 19th century with the nitrates (very concentrated in the space) and the later convergence with the cooper cycle (highly dispersed). In that context, this article describes the evolution of the location of economic activity in the long run, showing the tensions among Heckscher-Ohlin and New Economic Geography forces. I also offer a deeper analysis of the main drivers of this spatial distribution, focusing in the economic structure of the regions, the productivity levels of each specific economic sector and the evolution of market potential.

Suggested Citation

  • Marc Badia-Miró, 2015. "The evolution of the location of economic activity in Chile in the long run: a paradox of extreme concentration in absence of agglomeration economies," Estudios de Economia, University of Chile, Department of Economics, vol. 42(2 Year 20), pages 143-167, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:udc:esteco:v:42:y:2015:i:2:p:143-167
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    Cited by:

    1. José A. Peres-Cajías, 2020. "From West to East: Bolivian Regional GDPs since the 1950s. A Story of Natural Resources and Infrastructure," Palgrave Studies in Economic History, in: Daniel A. Tirado-Fabregat & Marc Badia-Miró & Henry Willebald (ed.), Time and Space, chapter 0, pages 97-129, Palgrave Macmillan.
    2. José Aguilar Retureta, 2016. "Explaining regional inequality from the periphery: The mexican case, 1900-2000," Documentos de Trabajo (DT-AEHE) 1608, Asociación Española de Historia Económica.
    3. Gómez Tello, Alicia & Murgui García, Mª Jesús & Sanchís Llopis, M. Teresa, 2019. "Exploring the recent upsurge of regional inequality in Europe," IFCS - Working Papers in Economic History.WH 28775, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Instituto Figuerola.
    4. Marc Badia-Miró & Esteban Nicolini & Henry Willebald, 2017. "Growth and regional disparities in the Southern Cone, 1890-1960," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 17-11, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    5. Rosés, Joan R. & Minns, Chris, 2018. "Power to the Periphery? The failure of Regional Convergence in Canada, 1890-2006," CEPR Discussion Papers 12803, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regional economics; Agglomeration economies; New Economic Geography; Heckscher-Ohlin; Regional convergence.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • N96 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - Latin America; Caribbean

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