Measuring Regional Ethnolinguistic Diversity in Sub-Saharan Africa: Surveys vs. GIS
8 Pages Posted: 30 Aug 2016 Last revised: 26 Jan 2018
Date Written: January 12, 2018
Abstract
This paper compares two approaches to measuring subnational ethnolinguistic diversity in Sub-Saharan Africa, one based on censuses and large-scale population surveys and the other relying on the use of geographic information systems (GIS). The two approaches yield sets of regional fractionalization indices that are moderately positively correlated, with a stronger association across rural areas. These differences matter for empirical analysis: in a common sample of regions, survey-based indices of deep-rooted diversity are more strongly negatively associated with a range of development indicators relative to their highest-quality GIS-based counterparts.
Keywords: African Development, Ethnolinguistic Diversity, GIS, Subnational Analysis
JEL Classification: O10, O15, Z13
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