I document the existence of discontinuities in short- and long-term growth rates of satellite-recorded nighttime lights per capita across national borders, with growth rates of nighttime lights increasing abruptly as one crosses a border from a slower-growing country into a faster-growing one. I show that growth discontinuities are not driven by any special set of borders, or by differences in geographic and climatic conditions on the different sides of borders. I investigate multiple explanations for growth discontinuities, including differences in the determinants of growth across borders and differences in the extent to which borders form barriers to flows of goods, capital or people. I present evidence that differences in the quality of the rule of law are consistently helpful in explaining differences in growth between two countries at their border, and conclude that national-level variables such as institutions and policies may have rapid and important effects on growth.

中文翻译：

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边界增长不连续

我记录了跨越国界的人均夜间记录的夜间记录的人造卫星夜间和短期增长率的不连续性，随着一个人从一个增长缓慢的国家越过边界进入一个较快的国家，夜间照明的增长率急剧上升。成长中的一个。我表明，增长的不连续性不是由任何特殊的边界集或边界两侧的地理和气候条件的差异引起的。我研究了关于增长不连续性的多种解释，包括跨境增长决定因素的差异以及边界对商品，资本或人员流动形成障碍的程度的差异。