Regional differences are a big deal in the Caucasus. Thus, I did a comparison between capital city residents, those that live in regional cities, and rural villagers with the 2010 Caucasus Barometer. In Armenia in 2010, people living in the capital have the most consumption ability (mean = 2.33), followed by regional cities (mean =…
Armenians, Azerbaijanis, and Georgians were asked to estimate what percentage of their income is used for food and utilities. Overall, people in the Caucasus aren’t spending a lot on utilities. Food, on the other hand, uses up quite a bit of a family’s income. In all three countries, about half of all families spend more…
So with all this poverty, how much money are Armenians, Azerbaijanis, and Georgians making? In Armenia in 2010, the average monthly income was about $200 (mean = 4.74, SD = 1.28). In Azerbaijan in 2010, the average monthly income was about $300 (mean = 4.17, SD = 1.28). In Georgia in 2010, the average monthly…
With the high level of poverty, it is not surprising that many Armenians, Azerbaijanis, and Georgians borrow money to buy food. In Armenia, the number of households that have to borrow money regularly has grown from 13% in 2007 to 31% in 2010. Nearly a third of all Armenian families borrow money MONTHLY to buy…
To me, this is the most telling analysis of all. (In my series of economic wellbeing in the Caucasus, analysis of Caucasus Barometer data.) About a quarter to a third of Armenians, Azerbaijanis, and Georgians say that they do not have enough money for food. Further, another third (give or take), although they can buy…
Following on the consumption theme, it appears that about half of all Armenians, Azerbaijanis, and Georgians have debt. And few Armenians and Georgians have any savings (Azerbaijanis are slightly more likely to have savings). While this isn’t the most mind blowing analysis, it is interesting to get some insight on how people are managing their…
More on the topic of consumption… now on to durable goods and ownership in Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian households. TVs and DVD players: Everyone, more or less, in Armenia and Azerbaijan has a TV. Interestingly, less than two-thirds of Georgians in 2007 had a TV — is this a refugee issue? An electricity issue? (Electricity…
Sanitation — not the most interesting of topics, but nonetheless telling. Anyone that has visited the Caucasus can tell you that trash is problematic. And anyone that has travelled outside of the capital cities can discuss outhouses / outdoor toliet facilities. Taking into consideration that Armenia is the most urban of the three countries, it…
This begins a series of blogs looking at comparative economic wellbeing in the Caucasus. My primary questions are: who is doing well? Is wealth changing over time? and What are the differences/similarities between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. (This is Caucasus Barometer 2007-2010). The first topic is utilities. Some scholars argue that access to utilities is…
As I’ve discussed before, the sex ratio imbalance in the Caucasus is of great concern. In this region that already faces instability, the 2 consequences of sex imbalance (first general population decline, second more boys than girls) could have dire consequences. In other sex-imbalanced countries, the labor market decreases which slows economic growth. Men can’t…