Socio-Economic Analysis

High-Resolution Maps of the Distributions of Vulnerable Populations

Data on the geographic distribution of poor and vulnerable populations inside countries is key to being able to target interventions and to monitor development, including the Sustainable Development Goals.

Traditional survey data on living conditions and poverty rates in low- and middle-income countries produce very rough estimates. National surveys can provide statistical estimates for indicators of living conditions on the first administrative level of a country (province, state). Using new internally developed statistical methods, data from mobile operators and from satellite sensors, we produce robust estimates of poverty and key social indicators at a resolution of 1 km2. We publish the methods openly in peer reviewed academic journals and we provide the data for free.