Is Geography Destiny?: Lessons from Latin America

Geographic interpretations of development recently have become the subject of much renewed interest and debate within scholarly and public policy circles. Focusing on Latin America, this book examines how physical and human geography has influenced the region's potential for economic and social development.

The book assesses how geography affects differences in development between countries and more specifically between Latin America and other regions of the world. The effects of geography on regional development are examined through four channels: the productivity of land, health conditions, frequency and intensity of natural disasters, and access to markets. The book then explores how geography has influenced development within countries through case studies of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru--countries significant for their geographical diversity as well as their wide socioeconomic disparities. These case studies illustrate numerous exceptions to international patterns and prove that while geography matters, it need not determine a country's destiny.

Using the knowledge gained from these two perspectives, the book concludes with recommendations for policies that can help countries overcome the limitations imposed by geography and thereby enhance their potential for economic and social development.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0804749272
• ISBN13: 9780804749275
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Stanford Social Sciences
• Length: 188 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

myriad effects of geography on economic development

The book tries to answer a disturbing question. Does a nation's geographic characteristics greatly affect its prospects for economic development? For example, the Caribbean countries are small and vulnerable to hurricanes, which can trash a large percentage of crops as well as infrastructure like houses and roads. Or consider the landlocked nations of South America. The lack of ports could make it harder to export and import, since shipping is the cheapest way to move large bulky goods. Another aspect also looked at is the influence of disease. A nation's geography might have several tropical diseases, that lower the human productivity. And if this is not enough, earthquakes and volcanos are also a factor, since Latin America include 5 crustal plates that move against each other. Indeed, the authors find that all these can impede development. Interestingly, they also look inside some large countries. Where geography can cause different provinces to have different growth rates.