Night-Time Light Data and Economic Activity in Russian Regions

Student: Sergeeva Polina

Supervisor: Vera Ivanova

Faculty: St.Petersburg School of Economics and Management

Educational Programme: Economics (Bachelor)

Year of Graduation: 2020

The satellite imageries of Earth manifest a wide significance for social, environmental and economic research. The collection of data on a sub-national level is problematic and represents a part of economy, often excluded from official statistics. The night-time satellite imagery is an alternative method for measuring economic activity. Regressions are developed to calibrate the distribution of lights to official measures of economic performance at the state level for Russia, whereby unique coefficients are derived. The statistical ratio between the night light and social, economic, demographic, urbanistic and geographic variables should highlight a strong indirect relationship with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.

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