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Estimating Poverty Over Time and Space: Construction of a Time-Variant Poverty Index for Costa Rica

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Document Format: Motu Working Paper

Publication Year: 2004

Abstract

This paper presents the construction of a spatially explicit, nationally disaggregated measure of poverty over time in Costa Rica. The paper first describes the two possible methods considered for the construction of a poverty map: principal component analysis (PCA) versus small area estimation. Next, reasons for choosing PCA and a description of its application both at one point in time (1973) and over time are presented together with the resulting poverty maps. The methodology applied represents a methodological innovation in that the resulting poverty map is time variant rather than concentrated in a single moment in time. A comparison of the results obtainable using various techniques and a discussion on the relative merits of the various options available concludes the paper.

Citation

Cavatassi, Romina; Benjamin Davis and Leslie Lipper. 2004. "Estimating Poverty Over Time and Space: Construction of a Time-Variant Poverty Index for Costa Rica," ESA Working Paper No. 04-21.

Motu code: MYS0073

JEL codes: C43, I32, C31