Trade and Geography in the Origins and Spread of Islam
46 Pages Posted: 6 Oct 2012 Last revised: 20 May 2023
Date Written: October 2012
Abstract
In this study we explore the historical determinants of contemporary Muslim representation. Motivated by a plethora of case studies and historical accounts among Islamicists stressing the role of trade for the adoption of Islam, we construct detailed data on pre-Islamic trade routes, harbors, and ports to determine the empirical regularity of this argument. Our analysis—conducted across countries and across ethnic groups within countries—establishes that proximity to the pre-600 CE trade network is a robust predictor of today's Muslim adherence in the Old World. We also show that Islam spread successfully in regions that are ecologically similar to the birthplace of the religion, the Arabian Peninsula. Namely, territories characterized by a large share of arid and semi- arid regions dotted with few pockets of fertile land are more likely to host Muslim communities. We discuss the various mechanisms that may give rise to the observed pattern.
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Recommended Papers
-
The Long-Term Effects of Africa's Slave Trades
By Nathan Nunn
-
Ruggedness: The Blessing of Bad Geography in Africa
By Nathan Nunn and Diego Puga
-
Ruggedness: The Blessing of Bad Geography in Africa
By Nathan Nunn and Diego Puga
-
The Modern Impact of Precolonial Centralization in Africa
By Nicola Gennaioli and Ilia Rainer
-
The Importance of History for Economic Development
By Nathan Nunn
-
Economic and Political Inequality in Development: The Case of Cundinamarca, Colombia
By Daron Acemoglu, M B, ...
-
Economic and Political Inequality in Development: The Case of Cundinamarca, Colombia
By Daron Acemoglu, M B, ...
-
By Daron Acemoglu and Martin Kaae Jensen
-
Inequality and Redistribution: Evidence from U.S. Counties and States, 1890-1930
-
The Persistent Effects of Peru's Mining Mita
By Melissa Dell