Some Macro-Indicators of Poverty

Abstract

Of the various methods of poverty assessment, we take up first some macro-indicators. An assessment of overall poverty or affluence of different countries in each designated category can be made on the basis of broad indicators of income, consumption and investment. Income itself can be measured in many ways, the most commonly used definitions being the gross national product (GNP) and gross domestic product (GDP) in real terms — either in absolute or in per capita dimension.