The nexus between the length of colonization and access to electricity in 126 countries around the world

The percentage of the population with access to electricity varies considerably from one country to another. This study examines the extent to which the percentage of a country’s population with access to electricity is affected by the length of time it has been under colonial rule. To do this, the study employs Ordinary and Two-Stage Least Squares estimation techniques with data from 126 countries around the world. The results show that people living in countries that have been under colonial rule for a long time are more likely to have better access to electricity. This is partly explained by high levels of political stability and education, but also by low population growth in these countries. Therefore, to guarantee access to electricity for a larger proportion of the population, countries that have experienced a short period of colonization, need to implement policies that not only promote political stability and education but also slow down population growth.