Mapping local economic activity using night-time light data: statistical indicators and long-term determinants of economic geography
Scientific Responsible: ROBERTO GANAU
Project objectives: The study of economic geography patterns - and their long-term determinants - represents a particularly relevant research area for better understanding the dynamics of economic growth, inequality, and sustainable development at the local level. In this respect, Italy represents an ideal case study given its deep and long-lasting geographical heterogeneity. Despite the availability of official Gross Domestic Product (GDP) estimates at the province and Local Labour System level, and the most recent production of municipality-level figures on firms’ labor productivity, there is still a lack of information and statistical sources on GDP and other economic variables for Italy at both the municipality and sub-municipality level. The availability of this type of information at a very fine geographical scale can be very useful both for mapping economic geography, and for analyzing the historically-rooted factors explaining persistence in spatial differentials of economic activity, development, and inequality in the population of Italian municipalities. The aim of this research project is, first, to offer a mapping of local economic activity in Italy using night-time light data, and, second, to investigate the role of long-term, time-persistent determinants of current economic geography patterns in Italy. Specifically, this project aims at combining (i) the use of sophisticated and innovative data (including night-time light data and historical vectorised maps), (ii) the development of statistical procedures for dealing with methodological problems associated with the socio-economic use of night-time light data, (iii) the identification of novel appropriate statistical indicators for mapping economic activity across and within municipalities, and (iv) the study of long-term historical, geographical, and institutional determinants of economic geography in terms of economic development and inequality.
Grantor: MUR - PRIN
Duration: 18/10/2023 - 17/10/2025
Partners:
- University of Padova, dSEA
- Università del Molise
- ISTAT
dSEA staff involved:
- Giulio Cainelli
- Roberto Ganau
- Nadiia Matsiuk
