Country size, Growth and Volatility

What are the effects of country size on growth and business cycle volatility? To investigate this question, previously asked by Rose (2006) and Furceri and Karras (2007), we developed an original country-size index with principal component analysis (PCA). Traditional analysis of this topic usually only includes the population. Our methodology enables us to simultaneously consider the countries’ population, GDP and arable land. The inclusion of these additional variables allows us to analyse different components of country size and to control for more than a merely demographic effect. Using a panel data set of 163 countries for 1960-2007, we find, contrary to Rose (2006), that country size has a significant and negative impact on economic performance. Our results for output volatility extend the negative and significant relationship found by Furceri and Karras (2007). In addition, we present differentiated results for small and large countries, OECD members, eurozone countries and the so-called BRIC countries. These results are robust for different country and time samples and several control sets.Country size, Principal component analysis, Economic growth, Business cycle volatility

Country size, economic performance and volatility

What are the relationships between country size, economic growth and business cycle volatility? To investigate this question, we developed an originalcountry-size index with principal component analysis. Traditional analysis usually equates country size with population. Our methodology enables to simultaneously consider several factors constitutive of country size: population,GDP and arable land. These additional variables allow us to capture different components of the country size and to control for more than a demographic effect. Using a panel data set of 163 countries for 1960–2007, we find, contrary to Rose (2006), that country size has a significant and negative correlation with economic performance. Our results for output volatility extend the negative and significant relationship found by Furceri and Karras (2007). In addition, we present differentiated results for small and large countries, OECD members, eurozone countries and the so-called BRIC countries

Country size, growth and the economic and monetary union

Der Zweck dieser Arbeit ist es, die Beziehung zwischen die Größe des Landes und das Wachstum auf internationaler Ebene und vergleichsweise in der Wirtschafts-und Währungsunion zu untersuchen und erarbeiten ihre Folgen für das Verhalten der wachstumsorientierte Finanzpolitik. Um ein globales Verständnis des Zusammenhangs zwischen Größe des Landes und das Wachstum in der EWU weiter verfolgen wir einen interdisziplinären Ansatz, einschließlich der makroökonomischen Modellierung (DSGE), Ökonometrie und Analyse der politischen Ökonomie. Die Kombination dieser Untersuchungen schließen wir, dass die Größe des Landes einen Einfluss auf die wirtschaftlichen Strukturen der Nationen, die Auswirkungen ihrer Politik und damit auf ihre Wachstumsdynamik hat. Aus diesem Grund ist es notwendig, die Bedeutung der Größe des Landes und ihre Folgen für die WWU wieder.The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the relationship between country size and growth at the international level and comparatively in the Economic and Monetary Union, and to draw up its consequences for the conduct of growth-orientated fiscal policies. To further a global understanding of the link between country size and growth in the EMU, we follow an interdisciplinary approach, including macro-economic modelling (DSGE), econometrics and political economy analysis. Combining these analyses, we conclude that country size has an incidence on the economic structures of nations, the effects of their policies and therefore on their pace of growth. For this reason there is a need to reinstate the importance of country size and its consequences for the EMU

Taille des pays, performance économique et économie politique de la zone euro

How country size influences economic performance is an area that has received renewed interest, especially with Rose (2006), who found no pattern between a country?s size and its economic performance at the world level. However, when assessing the economic performance of EMU countries, a size divide appears between small, and fast-growing economies and larger laggard ones. I explain this phenomenon by examining how the institutional settings of the EMU?namely, the Stability and Growth Pact and the European Central Bank ?suit the economic policies of smaller economies and hinder those of the larger ones. The econometric analysis, ran with panel data for the fifteen euro-zone countries (1998-2008) and for robustness, with data on the pre-EMU period and on countries that opted out of the monetary union, confirms that the size divide in terms of economic performance is a by-product of the monetary union. JEL classification codes: E60, F59.EMU, Euro zone, monetary union, political economy, country size, heterogeneity, economic growth