The Poverty Demography Trap in Third World Countries: Empirical Evidence from Tanzania

In this paper, the relation between poverty indicators and demographic variables is explored using household survey data from two regions in Northern Tanzania (the Lake Victoria area).

The empirical results show that demographic variables and poverty indicators (undernutrition and malnutrition; monetary expenditure; and access to land, clean water, sanitary facilities, and energy sources) are interrelated. The results showed moderate undernutrition and acute malnutrition associated with children ever born and household size. Large households tend to spend much less on food, compared to smaller households. As much as 50 percent of farming households do not own land and depend on wood for energy needs. Access to clean water, modern toilet facilities, and electricity is very poor, especially among large households. Getting out of the poverty trap implies reducing fertility and vice versa.

EfD Authors

Professor Asmerom Kidane Research Fellow

Keywords

Files

link to pdf 200.4 kB

Centers

tanzania

Type of publication

EfD Discussion paper

Reference

Asmerom Kidane (2010), "The Poverty Demography Trap in Third World Countries Empirical Evidence from Tanzania", Efd Discussion Paper 10-08, a joint publication of the Environment for Development Initiative and Resources for the Future (www.rff.org), Washington DC. March 2010.

Environment for Development

Environment for Development