Growth Spillovers for the <scp>MENA</scp> Region: Geography, Institutions, or Trade?

We examine the role of spatial spillovers in economic growth for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. explicitly model interactions that may arise from geography, bilateral trade, or institutional similarities, ask how much they are likely to matter externalities spillover effects. find a MENA country is positively affected by countries geographically close have similar characteristics. The effects due activities trade primarily oil, which accounts gap similarity between resource-rich resource-poor However, linkages less. Where do an effect, it through local range spatially lagged explanatory variable capturing balance on growth.