The Death Toll from Natural Disasters: The Role of Income, Geography and Institutions

24 Pages Posted: 7 Apr 2003

See all articles by Matthew E. Kahn

Matthew E. Kahn

University of Southern California; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Abstract

Using a new data set on annual deaths from natural disasters in 48 nations from 1980 to 1999, this paper tests several hypotheses concerning disaster mitigation. While richer nations do not experience fewer natural disaster shocks than poorer nations, richer nations do suffer less death from disaster. Democracies and nations with higher quality institutions suffer less death from natural disaster. The results are relevant for judging the incidence of a Global Warming induced increased in the count of natural disaster shocks.

Keywords: Natural Disasters, Geography, Institutions

JEL Classification: O1, P5

Suggested Citation

Kahn, Matthew E., The Death Toll from Natural Disasters: The Role of Income, Geography and Institutions. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=391741 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.391741

Matthew E. Kahn (Contact Author)

University of Southern California ( email )

2250 Alcazar Street
Los Angeles, CA 90089
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
752
Abstract Views
8,151
Rank
62,114
PlumX Metrics