Resource information
The authors construct a new measure of
connectivity in the global air transport network, covering
211 countries and territories for the year 2007. It is
grounded in network analysis methods, and is based on a
gravity-like model that is familiar from the international
trade and regional science literatures. It is a global
measure of connectivity, in the sense that it captures the
full range of interactions among all network nodes, even
when there is no direct flight connection between them. The
best connected countries are the United States, Canada, and
Germany; the United States' score is more than
two-thirds higher than the next placed country's, and
connectivity overall follows a power law distribution that
is fully consistent with the hub-and-spoke nature of the
global air transport network. The measure of connectivity is
closely correlated with important economic variables, such
as the degree of liberalization of air transport markets,
and the extent of participation in international production
networks. It provides a strong basis for future research in
areas such as air and maritime transport, as well as
international trade.
