中文摘要
我评估了非洲每一个国家的运输网络效率。利用来自多个来源的空间数据，我模拟了覆盖整个非洲大陆逾70,000条连接上的贸易流。我对网络空间进行优化，为非洲每一个国家找到最优的道路系统。我的模拟预测，若重组其国家道路系统，非洲将获得相当于总福利1.3%的收益；若以最优方式将路网扩张十分之一，则可获得0.8%的收益。随后，我构建了一个局部网络低效数据集，发现殖民时期的基础设施项目显著地将当今的贸易网络推向了一个次优均衡。我找到了提示性证据，表明地区偏袒在维持这些失衡中发挥了作用。
Abstract
I assess the efficiency of transport networks for every country in Africa. Using spatial data from various sources, I simulate trade flows over more than 70,000 links covering the entire continent. I maximise over the space of networks and find the optimal road system for every African state. My simulations predict that Africa would gain 1.3% of total welfare from reorganising its national road systems, and 0.8% from optimally expanding it by a tenth. I then construct a dataset of local network inefficiency and find that colonial infrastructure projects significantly skew trade networks towards a sub-optimal equilibrium today. I find suggestive evidence that regional favouritism played a role sustaining these imbalances.