How has poverty changed at the district level between 2004 and 2014?
  • All districts experienced steep declines in poverty rates.

  • The highest poverty rate in 2014 is nearly 10 percentage points lower than lowest poverty rate in 2004.
  • All districts experienced declines in poverty rates.

  • FCT is less of a province and more of a city-province. Islamabad, it's capital, and the surrounding areas make up a large portion of FCT.

  • It would be interesting to juxtapose poverty indicator of Islamabad with Rawalpindi, a city from which many day laborers commute every day.

  • Also, it is unclear if the expat community is included in this survey. If so, excluding them could be more insightful.
  • The first thing that stands out is the stark contrast in poverty rates between Karachi and the rest of the province.

  • Also, too many districts seem to have experienced no improvement in poverty and 2 districts have worsened.

  • Districts in Balochistan show the greatest heterogeneity; of 32 provinces, 9 showed a marked increase in poverty, 5 showed no change and 10 improved.

  • The range of poverty is more or less the same; in 2004, it ranged from 44% to 74% and 10 years later, it ranged from 41% to 74%.
About

This data visualization elucidates the story behind the data used in the data portal created by the Government of Pakistan. Perhaps more importantly, it can clarify what new questions we need to be asking. This is the first in what will be a series of data stories.

Sources: Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey, Multiple Indicator Survey Clusters