Global Poverty Data Set
At a global scale, poverty is usually represented by national-level indicators such as gross domestic product or population living on less than one U.S. dollar per day. These indicators are not available at a subnational level for most countries. CIESIN constructed global data sets of poverty that are based on estimates of subnational infant mortality and child malnutrition data, recognizing that both are proxies for poverty and welfare rather than direct measures. Data were drawn from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), national Human Development Reports (HDRs), and other sources. These data were first linked to boundary data for their reporting regions and then translated to a common grid. For details on how these data sets were constructed please refer to the Global Poverty Catalog and to the following publication:
Storeygard, A., D. Balk, M. Levy, and G. Deane. 2008. “The Global Distribution of Infant Mortality: A Subnational Spatial View.” Population, Space and Place, 14(3): 209-229. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/psp.484
The article describes how the data set was produced, delineates its known strengths and weaknesses, and reports some spatial patterns that emerge, such as the relationship between coastal proximity and poverty rates.
Further documentation of data set development and applications of the data sets include the following.
Papers and Presentations:
Levy, M. et al. 2005. "The Geographical Correlates of Global Poverty." Presentation at the Open Meeting of the Human Dimensions of Global Change Community, Bonn, Germany, 9–13 October. [View Presentation]
Balk, D., A. Storeygard, M. Levy, J. Gaskell, M. Sharma and R. Flor. 2005. "Child Hunger in the Developing World: An Analysis of Environmental and Social Correlates." Food Policy 30 (5-6): 584–611. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2005.10.007 [Access local copy here]
Wirth, M., D. Balk, E. Delamonica, A. Storeygard, E. Sacks, and A. Minujin. 2006, forthcoming. "Setting the Stage for Equity-Sensitive Monitoring of the Maternal and Child Health MDGs." Bulletin of the World Health Organization. [preprint]
Wirth, M., E. Delamonica, E. Sacks, D. Balk, A. Storeygard, and A. Minujin. 2006. Monitoring Health Equity in the MDGs: A Practical Guide. New York: CIESIN and UNICEF, pp. 71. [Access local copy here]
Here are some other useful references:
Bigman, D. and H. Fofack. 2000. "Geographic Targeting for Poverty Alleviation: Methodology and Applications." World Bank Regional and Sectoral Studies. Washington DC. [View Document]
Deichmann, U. 1999. "Geographic aspects of inequality and poverty." World Bank. [View Document]
DHS StatMapper - dynamic maps of Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data. [View Page]