ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how certain geographical and spatial factors make it more likely that a person is poor, and make it harder for that person to escape poverty. Through both direct and indirect effects, these factors can create poverty traps. After definitions of the terms “geographical” and “spatial,” the chapter systematically discusses the factors, beginning with the disease burden. This relates to how some places have more negative impacts on human health. The next factor is temperature, agriculture, and natural resource endowments, which can be summed up as a person’s ability to earn a productive livelihood given environmental constraints. Then the chapter considers how difficult terrain such as mountains contribute to remoteness and lack of integration, which in turn can increase poverty. The next factors are the problem of neighbors, which relates to relative geography, and geography and institutions, by which certain geographical factors are associated with governance that does not support basic capabilities. A separate section summarizes relationships between spatial poverty and capabilities. Finally, the chapter offers selected policy solutions to mitigate geographical and spatial disadvantages.
