Google Public Data on Sub-Saharan Africa

I will acknowledge at the outset of this post that I am an information junkie. I just discovered Google's Public Data Explorer and I find it fascinating. But beyond fascination, when I look at information on Sub-Saharan Africa, I find that it puts into perspective what has happened and what is happening on the continent and in the various countries.

For instance, looking at the population growth chart below, the thing that immediately stood out to me was the incredible drop in population growth in Rwanda in the mid-90's. The mid-90's was the horrific genocide in Rwanda. As incredible as it is, it seems that the genocide resulted in a net population decline of 8.27%, followed by a net increase 5 years later of 10%. The data and the graph really drive home the severe impact of the genocide. (This is my initial, lay assessment and certainly needs further research to confirm my assumption that the genocide and the population decline were related and that there is not another explanation for the changes or that it was not just a glitch in data gathering at that particular point in time.)

Beyond satisfying my curiosity and helping me get a perspective on reality, statistics and data can also inform Kingdom work among the peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa. For example, if 52% of the Kenyan population lives below the poverty line (as defined by Kenya, not as defined in the US), then that speaks volumes to me about methodology -- western methods, no matter how effective they are in the US or the UK or Germany, may simply not be sustainable in Africa (I would also need a good understanding of the PG or segment that I'm working with). That means I need to evaluate what I do and how I do it so that the continuance of the spread of the gospel of Jesus is not dependent on my presence and my funding.

Below are some graphs that I found most fascinating on Google's Public Data Explorer. I've just barely scratched the surface of what's there. Also, this is a Google Lab project and very much at a beta stage -- they will add much more information in the future. Put your cursor over a country name or a line on the graph to explore the data.

Poverty Headcount Ratio at National Poverty Line (% of population)

World Bank Definition: National poverty rate is the percentage of the population living below the national poverty line. National estimates are based on population-weighted subgroup estimates from household surveys. Source: World Bank staff estimates based on the World Bank's country poverty assessments.

[Note by Bob] It is important to note that the graph below does not reflect that actual number of people who are living in poverty. In his blog on African poverty, Africa Can ... End Poverty, Shanta Devarajan, World Bank Chief Economist for Africa, recently wrote a post asking the question, Is African Poverty Falling? in which he said:

...aggregate poverty rates have fallen in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) since the mid-1990s ... [however,] the decline in the aggregate poverty rate has not been sufficient to reduce the number of poor, given population growth.

GNI per capita PPP (current international $)

World Bank Definition: GNI per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP). PPP GNI is gross national income (GNI) converted to international dollars using purchasing power parity rates. An international dollar has the same purchasing power over GNI as a U.S. dollar has in the United States. GNI is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad. Data are in current international dollars. Source: World Bank, International Comparison Program database.

[Note by Bob] Again, it is important to be aware of what this graph does not say. Just because a country like Equatorial Guinea has seen a dramatic increase in its Gross National Income per capita, it does not necessarily follow that families and individuals in that country have seen a dramatic increase in their income or wealth.





Population Growth (annual %)

World Bank Definition: Annual population growth rate. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of the country of origin. Source: United Nations Population Division, World Population Prospects: the 2008 Revision and 2006 Revision, Eurostat, national statistical offices, and World Bank staff estimates from various sources including census reports, national statistical offices, World Population Prospects, and household surveys conducted by national agencies and Macro International.




Prevalence of HIV, Total (% of population ages 15-49)

World Bank Definition: Prevalence of HIV refers to the percentage of people ages 15-49 who are infected with HIV. Source: UNAIDS and the WHO's Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic.




How do you use research data to inform your mission efforts, your evangelism, your discipleship, your church planting?

For the Kingdom,
Bob A