Data and Code for: Mangroves Protect Coastal Economic Activity from Hurricanes

The increasing losses from tropical cyclones in developing countries highlight the importance of understanding how natural habitats can be used to protect assets and economic activity against this hazard. Here, we estimate the relationship between hurricane strength and economic damages in Central America and explore how the presence of mangrove habitats mitigate these losses. We find that hurricanes lead to significant losses in economic activity in the short run, and that wide mangrove belts are capable of mitigating these losses. One important implication of these findings is that only large-scale mangrove conservation efforts are likely to provide a benefit in terms of protection.