Asian Development Review: Volume 34, Number 2

Contents 

Special Issue on Urban and Regional Development in Asia – Klaus Desmet and Jesus Felipe

This special issue of the Asian Development Review brings together a series of papers that analyze urban and regional development in Asia.

Asia’s Geographic Development – Klaus Desmet, Dávid Krisztián Nagy, and Esteban Rossi-Hansberg

This paper studies the impact of spatial frictions on Asia’s long-term spatial development. Using the framework that the authors provided, it analyzes the evolution of Asia’s economy and the relative performance of specific regions and countries.

Transport Infrastructure and the Decentralization of Cities in the People’s Republic of China – Nathaniel Baum-Snow and Matthew A. Turner

This paper describes the evolution of transport infrastructure in the People’s Republic of China and how it relates to the evolution of location patterns of population and production in Chinese cities and their surrounding regions.

Natural City Growth in the People’s Republic of China – Peter H. Egger, Gabriel Loumeau, and Nicole Püschel

This paper analyzes the growth of Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the PRC between 1992 and 2013 by focusing on the night-light radiance—a measure of economic activity—of connected subcity places that we refer to as a natural city.

Evolution of the Size and Industrial Structure of Cities in Japan between 1980 and 2010: Constant Churning and Persistent Regularity – Tomoya Mori

This paper investigates the evolution of the Japanese economy between 1980 and 2010 with regard to the population and industrial structure of cities.

Real Estate Bubbles and Urban Development – Edward L. Glaeser

This paper addresses the larger question of why real estate booms and busts are so common and whether they can be good for growth.

Determinants of Urban Land Supply in the People’s Republic of China: How Do Political Factors Matter? – Wen-Tai Hsu, Xiaolu Li, Yang Tang, and Jing Wu

This paper explores whether and how corruption and competition-for-promotion motives affect urban land supply in the People’s Republic of China.

Productivity Gains from Agglomeration and Migration in the People’s Republic of China between 2002 and 2013 – Pierre-Philippe Combes, Sylvie Démurger, and Shi Li

This paper evaluates the evolution of productivity gains in cities in the People’s Republic of China between 2002 and 2013.

Urban Agglomeration Effects in India: Evidence from Town-Level Data – Rana Hasan, Yi Jiang, and Radine Michelle Rafols

This paper suggests to realize more fully urbanization’s potential by addressing issues related to urban planning, infrastructure, and public service delivery, as has been emphasized previously by observers of Indian urbanization.

Will Climate Change Cause Enormous Social Costs for Poor Asian Cities? – Matthew E. Kahn

This paper studies strategies for reducing the increased social costs imposed on cities by climate change.