Population Growth and Economic Development in Southern Mediterranean Countries : A Comparative Focus

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The Southern Mediterranean(SM) countries, nine North African and Middle Eastern partners and one permanent observer which border the Mediterranean sea (MS) as defined in the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (or Barcelona Declaration) launched in 1995, form one of the slowest growing regions in terms of economic and social development Many development economists blame the slow development of SM countries on high population growth. Others, however, defend the view that high population growth could encourage economic growth through expansion of the labour force. The myth of Asia’s miracle of the newly industrialised economies(NIEs) was unmasked by Krugman (1994), demonstrating that the impressive economic grow was in fact fuelled by high population growth. This phenomenon gives SM countries hope with regards to exploring possibilities for achieving economic development through high population growth. However, the governments of SM countries have failed to tap demographic dividends but instead turn to migrants to further economic development.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• 1. Introduction 2
• 2. Economic Outlook of SM and SEA Countries 4
• 3. Population Outlook in SM and SEA Countries 8
• 4. Effects of Population Structure on Human Capital Development and Economic Growth 12
• 5, Effects of Unemployment on Economic Growth 19
• 6. Migration: An Alternative to Demographic Dividends as a Development Tool 22
• 6.1. Remittances as a Source of Economic Development 23
• 6.2. Brain Drain or Brain Gain 25
• 6.3. Diasporas and Hometown Associations 26
• 7. Summary: Sustainability of Migration as a Source of Economic Development 27
• Bibliography 29