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POVERTY ON A GLOBAL SCALE

A

dvances in data collection and processing have made it possible to portray the global distribution of poverty with greater spatial precision than ever before. By identifying geographic patterns of poverty, and expressing these patterns in the visual language of maps, we can explore the relationship between poverty and forces of nature such as climate and landscape.

Such maps provide a better idea of where to target interventions, letting us use knowledge to translate political ideals and commitment into action.

WHERE THE POOR ARE

FIGURE

CIESIN 2005

2.1. Global Distribution of Infant Mortality

Robinson Projection

Number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births, 2000

< 9.1 9.1–25.0 25.1–50.0 50.1–75.0 75.1–100.0 100.1–125.0 125.1–150.0 >150.0 no data National Boundary

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ON A GLOBAL SCALE

FIGURE

2.2. Global Distribution of Hunger

CIESIN 2005

Robinson Projection

Percentage of children age 0–5 underweight, circa 2000

<10.1 10.1–20.0

Unlike the global infant mortality map, this map suggests that children in parts of South Asia are faring as poorly or worse than their counterparts in Africa. In South Asia, areas of highest hunger correspond to some of the areas of highest population density. However, nowhere in the Americas comes close to the highest levels of hunger in the Eastern hemisphere, at least at the levels mapped.

20.1–30.0 30.1–40.0 40.1–50.0 >50.0 no data National Boundary

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