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Are Neighbors Equal? Estimating Local Inequality In Three Developing Countries

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  • Elbers, Chris
  • Lanjouw, Peter
  • Mistiaen, Johan A.
  • Ozler, Berk
  • Simler, Kenneth R.

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Elbers, Chris & Lanjouw, Peter & Mistiaen, Johan A. & Ozler, Berk & Simler, Kenneth R., 2003. "Are Neighbors Equal? Estimating Local Inequality In Three Developing Countries," Papers 16411, FCND Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:fcnddp:16411
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.16411
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    1. Elbers, Chris & Lanjouw, Jean O. & Lanjouw, Peter, 2002. "Micro-level estimation of welfare," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2911, The World Bank.
    2. Josef Novotný, 2007. "On the measurement of regional inequality: does spatial dimension of income inequality matter?," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 41(3), pages 563-580, September.
    3. Ghazala Mansuri, 2004. "Community-Based and -Driven Development: A Critical Review," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 19(1), pages 1-39.
    4. Christopher Cramer, 2011. "Unemployment and Participation in Violence," World Bank Publications - Reports 9247, The World Bank Group.
    5. Cornia, Giovanni Andrea, "undated". "Income Inequality Trends in sub-Saharan Africa: Divergence, determinants and consequences: Inequality Levels, Trends and Determinants in sub-Saharan Africa: An Overview of main changes since the early," UNDP Africa Reports 267642, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
    6. Lessmann, Christian, 2014. "Spatial inequality and development — Is there an inverted-U relationship?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 35-51.
    7. Marta Jankowska & Magdalena Benza & John Weeks, 2013. "Estimating spatial inequalities of urban child mortality," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 28(2), pages 33-62.
    8. Barrett, Christopher B. & Swallow, Brent M., 2006. "Fractal poverty traps," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 1-15, January.
    9. Arsenio M. Balisacan & Nobuhiko Fuwa, 2004. "Changes in Spatial Income Inequality in the Philippines: An Exploratory Analysis," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2004-34, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    10. Lessmann, Christian, 2013. "Foreign direct investment and regional inequality: A panel data analysis," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 129-149.
    11. World Bank, 2007. "Yemen Poverty Assessment : Volume 2. Annexes," World Bank Publications - Reports 7906, The World Bank Group.
    12. David Warner & Prasada Rao & William E. Griffiths & Duangkamon Chotikapanich, 2011. "Global Inequality: Levels and Trends, 1993-2005," Discussion Papers Series 436, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    13. Walker, Thomas S. & Pitoro, Raul & Tomo, Alda & Sitoe, Isabel & Salencia, Celestino & Mahanzule, Rosalina & Donovan, Cynthia & Mazuze, Feliciano M., 2006. "Priority Setting for Public-Sector Agricultural Research in Mozambique with the National Agricultural Survey Data," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 56113, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    14. Fujii, Tomoki, 2008. "How Well Can We Target Aid with Rapidly Collected Data? Empirical Results for Poverty Mapping from Cambodia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 1830-1842, October.
    15. Walker, Thomas S. & Pitoro, Raul & Tomo, Alda & Sitoe, Isabel & Salencia, Celestino & Mahanzule, Rosalina & Donovan, Cynthia & Mazuze, Feliciano M., 2006. "Estabelecimento de Prioridades para a Investigação Agrária no Sector Público em Moçambique Baseado nos Dados do Trabalho de Inquérito Agrícola (TIA)," Food Security Collaborative Working Papers 55866, Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
    16. Baschieri, Angela & Falkingham, Jane & Hornby, Duncan & Hutton, Craig, 2005. "Creating a Poverty Map for Azerbaijan," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3793, The World Bank.
    17. repec:ilo:ilowps:458221 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Anthony Shorrocks & Guanghua Wan, 2005. "Spatial decomposition of inequality," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 5(1), pages 59-81, January.
    19. UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa & Giovanni Andrea Cornia, "undated". "Inequality Levels, Trends and Determinants in sub-Saharan Africa: An overview of main changes since the early 1990s," UNDP Africa Policy Notes 2017-03, United Nations Development Programme, Regional Bureau for Africa.
    20. Claudio Agostini & Phillip Brown, 2007. "Desigualdad geográfica en Chile," Revista de Analisis Economico – Economic Analysis Review, Universidad Alberto Hurtado/School of Economics and Business, vol. 22(1), pages 3-33, June.
    21. Georg Hirte & Christian Lessmann, 2014. "Trade, Integration, and Interregional Inequality," CESifo Working Paper Series 4799, CESifo.
    22. World Bank, 2007. "Bangladesh : Strategy for Sustained Growth, Volume 1. Summary Report," World Bank Publications - Reports 7765, The World Bank Group.
    23. Jesse Naidoo, 2009. "Finite-Sample Bias and Inconsistency in the Estimation of Poverty Maps," SALDRU Working Papers 36, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    24. Sergei Soares, 2018. "The Market Value of Owner Occupied Housing and Public Infrastructure Services," Commitment to Equity (CEQ) Working Paper Series 69, Tulane University, Department of Economics.

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