A Tropical Success Story: A Century of Improvements in the Biological Standard of Living, Colombia 1910-2002

Number: 
289
Published: 
Classification JEL: 
I12, I31, N16, N36
Keywords: 
Human capital agglomeration, Social returns, Private returns, Externalities, Uncertainty, Fiscal policy

In this paper the evolution in the average height of Colombians from 1910 to 1984 is analyzed. The anthropometric evidence reveals a sustained increase in the standard of biological welfare during this period. A database with more than 8.000.000 observat