We explore how railroads affected population growth during the first globalization (1865–1920) in Chile. We look at areas with a strong comparative advantage in agriculture using novel data that document 60 years of railroad construction. Using instrumental variables, we present four main findings. First, railroads increased both urban and rural population growth. Second, the impact was stronger in areas with more potential for agricultural expansion. Third, railroads increased specialization in agriculture when combined with a high level of the real exchange rate. And fourth, railroads had little effect on human capital and fertility. These results suggest that the effects of transportation technologies depend on existing macroeconomic conditions.

我们探索了智利在第一次全球化（1865–1920）期间铁路如何影响人口增长。我们使用记录了60年铁路建设历史的新数据，来研究农业方面具有较强比较优势的地区。使用工具变量，我们提出了四个主要发现。首先，铁路增加了城乡人口的增长。其次，在具有更大农业扩张潜力的地区影响更大。第三，结合实际汇率的高水平，铁路提高了农业专业化水平。第四，铁路对人力资本和生育率影响很小。这些结果表明，运输技术的影响取决于现有的宏观经济条件。