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Non-Economic Quality of Life and Population Density in South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Talita Greyling
  • Stephanié Rossouw

    (School of Economics, Faculty of Business and Law, Auckland University of Technology)

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between population density and non-economic quality of life. Popular opinion has generally been that population density can be seen as beneficial for economic growth, as it allows for greater productivity, greater incomes and can be translated into higher levels of quality of life. Recently though, growing evidence tends to suggest the exact opposite in that increases in productivity and incomes are not translated into better quality of life. As economic or income variables have always played a significant role in any research, questions regarding the relationship between population density and non-economic quality of life has largely remained unanswered. In this light, the paper utilises a panel data set on the eight metropolitans in South Africa for the period 1996 to 2014 to determine the relationship between population density and non-economic quality of life in the South African context. In the analyses we make use of panel estimation techniques which allows us to compare changes in this relationship over time as well as adding a spatial dimension to the results. This paper contributes to the literature by firstly studying the aforementioned relationship over time and secondly conducting the analyses at a sub-national basis in a developing country. Our results show that there is a significant and negative relationship between population density and non-economic quality of life. Based on our findings policy measures to encourage urbanisation should not be supported if the ultimate outcome is to increase non-economic quality of life.

Suggested Citation

  • Talita Greyling & Stephanié Rossouw, 2016. "Non-Economic Quality of Life and Population Density in South Africa," Working Papers 2016-03, Auckland University of Technology, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:aut:wpaper:201603
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    2. Greyling, Talita & Fisher, Bianca, 2020. "Women’s optimism, the gender happiness equaliser: a case of South Africa," GLO Discussion Paper Series 472, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    3. Sarah Jacobs & Oladipo Olalekan David & Abigail Stiglingh-Van Wyk, 2023. "The Impact of Urbanization on Economic Growth in Gauteng Province, South Africa," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 13(2), pages 1-11, March.
    4. Namrata Chindarkar & Yvonne Jie Chen & Yogendra Gurung, 2019. "Subjective Well-Being Effects of Coping Cost: Evidence from Household Water Supply in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(8), pages 2581-2608, December.
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    6. Ana Paula Barreira & Carla Amado & Sérgio Santos & Jorge Andraz & Maria Helena Guimarães, 2021. "Assessment and Determinants of the Quality of Life in Portuguese Cities," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 44(6), pages 647-683, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Quality of life; Population density; Urbanisation; South Africa; Panel data analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • C01 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - General - - - Econometrics
    • C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation

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