How Serious Regional Economic Inequality in Jordan? Evidence from Two National Household Surveys

Abstract

The objective of this study is to measure and explain the extent of regional economic inequalities in Jordan. To do so, this study uses the raw data of two national household surveys on expenditure and income that covers 5,971 and 11,153 households in 1997 and 2002, respectively. As a check on the empirical results, the study applies four measures of inequality: The Gini index, Atkinson's index, the 90/10 ratios, and the standard deviation of the natural logarithm. The study concludes that economic inequality has increased over the five years of growth period following 1997. The overall increase is estimated at about 17% indicating a shift in the function of income distribution so that income may have become more unequal. In its evaluation of income distribution, the study has reached the conclusion that regional economic inequality in Jordan is serious and there is a need for a more space-balanced approach.</font

Assessment of Macro-Level Socioeconomic Factors That Impact Waterborne Diseases: The Case of Jordan

“…However, only health expenditure per capita and the percentage of the urban population with access to sanitation facilities have the expected signs of the coefficients. As with the previous models, the reason for the negative coefficient for the percentage of the population that is female is likely to be because less than 50% of the population is female, while the reason for the sign on GDP per capita might relate to increasing regional economic inequality [41]. As in the third model, both the percentage of the population that is female and the percentage of the urban population with access to sanitation facilities have the greatest impact on life expectancy.…”

“…Another possible explanation is that rural women are more exposed to viruses and contaminants working in the fields and running their households. The reason for the negative sign on the coefficient for GDP per capita might be related to the reported serious and increasing regional economic inequality [41]. Theoretically, an increasing GDP per capita corresponds with better life expectancy.…”

“…One potential explanation for this result is that the longer people live the greater the likelihood that someone will get diarrhea which would not be life threatening. On the other hand, gross national income has a negative coefficient when a positive one was expected, possibly in relation to regional economic inequality [41]. None of the coefficients for the variables have a large magnitude; however, out-of-pocket health expenditure has the greatest impact of those variables used in this model.…”

A Note on Some Measures of Income Distribution

“…The Lorenz curve can be defined as the relationship between the cumulative proportion of income units and the cumulative proportion of income received when units are arranged in ascending order of their income; see for example Cowell (1995), Sen(1997), and Shahateet(2006). Also, The Lorenz curve has been used as a graphical device to represent size distribution of income and wealth.…”

A Study of the Impact of the Fiscal Decentralization on the Regional Disparity: Focus on 16 Metropolitan and Provincial Governments of South Korea

“…According to his analysis, incomebased disparities appeared to be unrelated to disparities in turnout and political knowledge and only weakly related to disparities in the extent of constituents' contact with senators and their staffs (Bartels, L. M., 2005). Shahateet (2006) measured and explained the extent of regional economic inequalities in Jordan. He used the raw data of two national household surveys on expenditure and income that covers 5,971 and 11,153 households in 1997 and 2002.…”