Human capital and natural resource dependence

This paper offers an evaluation of the contribution of natural resource dependence to human capital. Two aspects of human capital are examined: education and health. Using a panel time series approach and a large cross-country dataset, it finds that natural resource dependence improves education but worsens health. It is also found that agricultural exports lower education and health whereas non-agricultural primary exports promote both. Finally, large differences in the relationships are detected across countries, depending upon a country's economic and sociopolitical institutions.