Population would tend to negatively correlate with trade flows, as larger populations imply larger
domestic markets, richer resource endowment and more diversified outputs, as well as less dependence on international specialisation.
However, Brada and Mendez (1985) pointed out that the coefficient of population can also be positive, because a larger population in an
importing country enables imported goods to compete better with domestic goods and compensates exporters for the cost of sales
activities abroad