Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
world population at the time the data were collected (and still is the majority as we write,
given current trends). The map shows everyone from the previous map, plus the extra
801 million who earn between $2 and 10 a day. The definition here is now shifting from
absolute poverty to relative poverty, as we slide up the scale of how much people have to
live on. Here are the homes of the poor of the earth, including those who are wretched and
those living in absolute poverty.
Text Box 5.20: Living on up to
$
10 a Day
In Indonesia US$10 buys more than it does in the United States, so comparing earning
in US$ alone does not allow for the cost of living changing between places. The map
shows purchasing power parity (PPP) - someone earning PPP US$10 in Indonesia can
buy the equivalent of what PPP US$10 would buy in the United States. As such, more
practical assessments of individuals' earnings can be made.
In seven out of the 12 regions more than half of the population live in households
where the people live on below PPP US$10 a day. In Central Africa 95% of households
have workers earning this little; in Western Europe and Japan less than 1% of the
population does.
There is no work here, and when you do find a job, you earn pathetically low
wages. I'm a factory watchman, and I earn the equivalent of eight dollars for a
12-hour day.
(Pirana, 2005)
5.2.20 Living on $10-20 a day
As the range in earnings we consider doubles from $0-10 to $10-20 a day, the shape of the
world shifts again to reflect the distribution of these 1.115 billion middle-income people.
Already Central African territories have begun to shrink themselves off the income map,
due to the tiny proportion of people earning this much/little. The map series suggests that
whether earning $10-20 a day is understood to be good or bad depends on where you live.
In Western Europe, where territories are now just appearing on the map, the people shown
are those in the lowest earning brackets there (most of those whose income is so low will not
actually be working). The opposite is true of those Central African territories, where some
of the higher earners from that territory are shown. If we are honest with ourselves, this
amount of money is still not enough anywhere to be included in society locally in Europe
or global society in the case of African territories.
All these income maps show dollars as measured having adjusted for purchasing power
parity, so maps show earnings according to what can be bought in the place in which they
are earned. If what can be bought in Western Europe for $15 (measured in purchasing power
parity) is not enough, then of course it is not enough in Central African territories either. If
it is enough to live on, then all of the people about to be represented in the following maps
could afford to give up some of their spare money so the people on preceding maps can live
more meaningful lives.
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