Topic: poverty in the U.S. and the world

Order Description

In this discussion, we will take a social scientist’s lens to look at poverty in the U.S. and the world. You will conduct research into poverty statistics in the U.S. and other countries.

First, research the latest data on poverty by searching the US Census website.
Next, drawing from this information as well as two additional academic resources (See the attached for two additional references), and answer the following questions. Be sure to indicate the dates of the information you are discussing. Try to locate the most up-to-date statistics.

What disparities did you note when first looking at the charts?
What fact did you find that was most disturbing to you and why?
What information is lacking when you review the statistics? Why might it be important in gaining a fuller picture of poverty?
Locate the poverty statistics on one of the following countries from the World Bank website: (Afghanistan. See the attached)

In your initial post, you are to include at least two references from academic sources that you have researched on this topic in the Excelsior Library and use appropriate citations in APA style.

Afghanistan at a glance 3/15/14
POVERTY and SOCIAL South Low-Afghanistan Asia income
2012
Population, mid-year(millions) 29.8 1,649 846
GNI per capita(Atlas method, US$) 680 1,437 590
GNI(Atlas method, US$ billions) 20.4 2,370 499
Average annual growth, 2006-12
Population(%) 2.5 1.4 2.2
Labor force(%) 3.1 1.0 2.6
Most recent estimate (latest year available, 2006-12)
Poverty(% of population below national poverty line) 36 .. ..
Urban population(% of total population) 24 31 28
Life expectancy at birth(years) 61 67 62
Infant mortality (per 1,000 live births) 71 47 56
Child malnutrition(% of children under 5) .. 32 22
Access to an improved water source(% of population) 64 91 69
Literacy(% of population age 15+) .. 62 61
Gross primary enrollment(% of school-age population) 104 110 108
Male 121 111 111
Female 87 109 106
KEY ECONOMIC RATIOS and LONG-TERM TRENDS
1992 2002 2011 2012
GDP(US$ billions) .. 4.1 17.9 20.5
Gross capital formation/GDP .. 12.3 16.6 16.8
Exports of goods and services/GDP .. 32.4 6.1 5.5
Gross domestic savings/GDP .. -20.6 -21.5 -16.8
Gross national savings/GDP .. 8.8 26.1 31.1
Current account balance/GDP .. -3.6 3.1 3.9
Interest payments/GDP .. .. 0.1 0.0
Total debt/GDP .. .. 14.7 13.2
Total debt service/exports .. .. 0.3 0.4
Present value of debt/GDP .. .. .. 3.3
Present value of debt/exports .. .. .. 20.6
1992-02 2002-12 2011 2012 2012-16
(average annual growth)
GDP .. 9.4 6.1 14.4 ..
GDP per capita .. 6.3 3.5 11.6 ..
Exports of goods and services .. .. .. .. ..
STRUCTURE of the ECONOMY
1992 2002 2011 2012
(% of GDP)
Agriculture .. 38.5 24.5 24.6
Industry .. 23.7 23.5 21.8
Manufacturing .. 18.7 14.2 12.8
Services .. 37.8 52.0 53.5
Household final consumption expenditure .. 112.2 108.7 104.5
General gov’t final consumption expenditure .. 8.4 12.8 12.4
Imports of goods and services .. 65.3 44.2 39.2
1992-02 2002-12 2011 2012
(average annual growth)
Agriculture .. 3.0 -7.6 18.2
Industry .. 9.4 9.8 7.7
Manufacturing .. 3.9 3.1 7.3
Services .. 13.1 10.3 16.0
Household final consumption expenditure .. .. .. ..
General gov’t final consumption expenditure .. .. .. ..
Gross capital formation .. .. .. ..
Imports of goods and services .. .. .. ..
Note: This table was produced from the Development Economics LDB database.
* The diamonds show four key indicators in the country (in bold) compared with its income-group average. If data are missing, the diamond will
be incomplete.
0
10
20
30
07 08 09 10 11 12
GCF GDP
Growth of capital and GDP (%)
Afghanistan
Low-income group
Development diamond*
Life expectancy
Access to improved water source
GNI
per
capita
Gross
primary
enrollment
Afghanistan
Low-income group
Economic ratios*
Trade
Indebtedness
Domestic
savings
Capital
Afghanistan
PRICES and GOVERNMENT FINANCE
1992 2002 2011 2012
Domestic prices
(% change)
Consumer prices .. .. 10.2 7.2
Implicit GDP deflator .. .. 10.6 8.3
Government finance
(% of GDP, includes current grants)
Current revenue .. 8.2 22.3 23.0
Current budget balance .. -0.1 4.9 6.0
Overall surplus/deficit .. -0.1 -1.2 -0.8
TRADE
1992 2002 2011 2012
(US$ millions)
Total exports (fob) .. 1,291 .. ..
Fresh fruits .. 6 .. ..
Dried fruits .. 41 .. ..
Manufactures .. .. .. ..
Total imports (cif) .. 2,508 .. ..
Food .. .. .. ..
Fuel and energy .. .. .. ..
Capital goods .. .. .. ..
Export price index(2000=100) .. .. .. ..
Import price index (2000=100) .. .. .. ..
Terms of trade(2000=100) .. .. .. ..
BALANCE of PAYMENTS
1992 2002 2011 2012
(US$ millions)
Exports of goods and services .. 1,341 3,126 3,200
Imports of goods and services .. 2,704 11,071 12,219
Resource balance .. -1,363 -7,945 -9,019
Net income .. -9 25 28
Net current transfers .. 1,222 8,489 9,785
Current account balance .. -150 562 798
Financing items (net) .. 251 166 -192
Changes in net reserves 2 -101 -727 -606
Memo:
Reserves including gold(US$ millions) .. .. 6,345 7,152
Conversion rate(DEC, local/US$) 51.0 44.9 47.9 51.8
EXTERNAL DEBT and RESOURCE FLOWS
1992 2002 2011 2012
(US$ millions)
Total debt outstanding and disbursed .. .. 2,627 2,709
IBRD 0 0 0 0
IDA 0 0 413 422
Total debt service .. .. 11 14
IBRD 0 0 0 0
IDA 0 0 2 2
Composition of net resource flows
Official grants 105 1,037 5,767 5,938
Official creditors .. .. 61 51
Private creditors .. .. 0 0
Foreign direct investment (net inflows) 0 50 91 94
Portfolio equity (net inflows) 0 0 0 2
World Bank program
Commitments .. .. 0 0
Disbursements 0 0 8 9
Principal repayments 0 0 0 0
Net flows 0 0 8 9
Interest payments 0 0 2 2
Net transfers 0 0 6 8
Note: This table was produced from the Development Economics LDB database. 3/15/14
-2
0
2
4
6
06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Current account balance to GDP (%)
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
06 07 08 09 10 11 12
Exports Imports
Export and import levels (US$ mill.)
-20
0
20
40
07 08 09 10 11 12
GDP deflator CPI
Inflation (%)
B: 422
C: 388
D: 699
E: 950
G: 250
A – IBRD
B – IDA
C – IMF
D – Other multilateral
E – Bilateral
F – Private
G – Short-term
Composition of 2012 debt (US$ mill.)