Are neighbors equal? Estimating local inequality in three developing countries

Type Working Paper - Food Consumption and Nutrition Division, International Food Policy Research Institute, Discussion Paper No. 147
Title Are neighbors equal? Estimating local inequality in three developing countries
Author(s)
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2003
URL http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNACT012.pdf
Abstract
A methodology to produce disaggregated estimates of inequality is implemented in three developing countries: Ecuador, Madagascar, and Mozambique. These inequality estimates are decomposed into progressively more disaggregated spatial units and the results in all three countries are suggestive that even at a very high level of spatial disaggregation, the contribution of within-community inequality to overall inequality remains very high. The results also indicate there is a considerable amount of variation across communities in all three countries. The basic correlates of local-level inequality are explored, and it is consistently found that geographic characteristics are strongly correlated with inequality, even after controlling for demographic and economic conditions.

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