The effects of proximity and transportation on developing country population migrations

A substantial body of evidence indicates that distance deters migration, internally and internationally, in the industrialized as well as the developing economies. Despite this, distance plays almost no role either in the development literature or even the new economic geography. After a brief overview of the types of evidence on the role of distance in affecting migration, the paper critically examines a number of hypotheses as to why distance might deter migration, then draws out some implications for the emergence and persistence of geographic poverty traps. The paper closes with a series of suggestions for additional research and data needs, to better inform policy decisions that impinge upon the geographic distribution of poverty, and hence upon the potential for trickle‐down development.