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Spatial dynamics of economic growth in Brazil (1970-2000): an empirical approach

Martin Dietrich Brauch, Leonardo Monteiro Monasterio

[2007]

Abstract: This paper uses contemporary tools to analyse the spatial dynamics of Brazilian economic growth (1970-2000). Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis, Markov chains and stochastic kernel techniques (spatially conditioned) are combined and applied to GDP per capita of Minimum Comparable Areas (MCAs) in Brazil and its regions. MCAs tended to converge to their neighbours’ classes, with higher probability in upper classes, and divergent trajectories were frequent. The results corroborate the role of space and the fact that usual convergence tests are nsatisfactory to depict the dynamics of economic growth in Brazil.