Economic Growth of Asia Pacific Countries

Abstract

This empirical study examines the determinant of economic growth among Asia Pacific countries. While many other studies focused on specific economies with particular determinants identified from previous studies, this study expands the boundaries of countries to examine different factors that are expected to affect the economic growth in Asia Pacific countries. Estimation results of this study are based on the analysis of a panel data for the period 1994–2011. The impact of total population, industry share of GNI, interest rate, gross fixed capital formation, and tax rate are statistically examined to be strongly significant for the whole sample. In the case of government expenditure and trade openness, they are examined to be significant to some degree. Finally, though human capital is expected to be the main driver of economic growth, the result from correlation analysis revealed that there is a high correlation between expenditure on education and health. To show the impact of human capital on economic growth in Asia Pacific countries, estimation with years of schooling may enhance the study instead of using expenditure on education and health.