Abstract

MILLAN LOPEZ, Andrés Jerson  and  GONZALEZ OLIVARES, Daniel. Satellite Nighttime Lights as a Measurement of Economic Growth in Mexico’s Municipalities. Ens. Rev. econ. [online]. 2024, vol.43, n.1, pp.1-18.  Epub Feb 11, 2025. ISSN 2448-8402.  https://doi.org/10.29105/ensayos43.1-1.

The lack of information regarding economic performance and the temporal limitations of national accounts and economic censuses at a local level in Mexico motivates the exploration of alternative indicators. Based on Henderson (2012), in this document, economic dynamism is analyzed through the use of satellite nighttime lights images. This construction complements the omissions of information and measures economic dynamism at a sub-national level. Results highlight that changes in luminosity observed from outer space are positively related to economic dynamism, therefore the luminosity variable can be used as a proxy to analyze changes in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Keywords : satellite nighttime lights images; economic dynamism; municipalities.

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