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PovcalNet, WDI and ‘All the Ginis’: a critical review

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  • Timothy Smeeding
  • Jonathan Latner

Abstract

In this paper, we review three data sets which summarize world-wide inequality across countries and years: World Development Indicators (‘WDI’)/‘PovcalNet’ and ‘All the Ginis’ (ATG), each of which has some origins at the World Bank. We hope to inform both experienced and novice users of the existence of these important data sets, provide a review of their benefits and drawbacks, suggest how to use them, and provide suggestions for future improvements. The review is grounded in the history of the development of such data sets, which also necessarily informs users of critical information and the types of choices one must make in order to understand how to measure and compare poverty and inequality over space and time. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

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  • Timothy Smeeding & Jonathan Latner, 2015. "PovcalNet, WDI and ‘All the Ginis’: a critical review," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 13(4), pages 603-628, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jecinq:v:13:y:2015:i:4:p:603-628
    DOI: 10.1007/s10888-015-9312-4
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