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A New Global Subnational Poverty and Inequality Database Based on Harmonized Household Surveys

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  • Dang, Hai-Anh

    (World Bank)

  • Nguyen, Minh

    (World Bank)

  • Brunckhorst, Ben

    (World Bank)

  • Yang, Judy

    (World Bank)

Abstract

Subnational data on household welfare helps identify and monitor locations with high concentration of poverty and inequality, resulting in more efficient policy interventions. Yet, very few global databases on poverty and inequality exist at the subnational level. Using the World Bank’s Global Monitoring Database (GMD) of more than 1,250 harmonized, official household (consumption or income) surveys from 172 economies, we present two new global datasets that focus on poverty and inequality at the subnational level: the Subnational Poverty and Inequality Database (SPID) and the Global Subnational Atlas of Poverty (GSAP). SPID, a (unbalanced) panel data set, allows for analysis of longitudinal changes of subnational poverty and inequality within countries based on direct survey estimates. GSAP, a cross-sectional dataset, offers direct and lined-up estimates for nearly all regions in the world for multiple common years. The datasets can also be matched with other georeferenced datasets, such as on natural disasters or climate change, to provide richer analysis.

Suggested Citation

  • Dang, Hai-Anh & Nguyen, Minh & Brunckhorst, Ben & Yang, Judy, 2026. "A New Global Subnational Poverty and Inequality Database Based on Harmonized Household Surveys," IZA Discussion Papers 18672, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18672
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • I00 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General - - - General
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • Q50 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - General

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