Malawi 2015-16

Table 2.5 presents wealth quintiles according to
urban-rural residence and region. Included in the
table is the Gini coefficient, which indicates the level
of concentration of wealth, with 0 an equal
distribution and 1 a totally unequal distribution.
Figure 2.3 Household wealth by
residence
Percent distribution of de jure population
by wealth quintiles
In Malawi, the wealthiest households are
concentrated in urban areas. Ninety-one percent of
the urban population belongs to the two highest
wealth quintiles. By contrast, almost half of the rural
population (46%) falls in the two lowest wealth
quintiles (Figure 2.3).
The survey also collected information on household
effects, means of transportation, agricultural land,
16
and farm animals (Table 2.6). Urban households are
23
more likely than rural households to own a radio
5
2 2
(65% versus 36%), television (45% versus 6%), or
Urban
Rural
mobile telephone (86% versus 48%). In contrast,
rural households are more likely than urban
households to own agricultural land (83% versus 37%) or farm animals (53% versus 23%).
75
11
21
23
23
Highest
Fourth
Middle
Second
Lowest
2.5 HAND WASHING
To obtain hand washing information, interviewers asked to see the place where members of the household
most often wash their hands. A place for washing hands was observed in 83% of households. Soap and
water were observed in 11% of the hand washing locations, while 26% had water only (Table 2.7).
Water, soap, or other cleaning agents were not observed in 58% of hand washing locations.
2.6 HOUSEHOLD POPULATION AND COMPOSITION
Household
A person or group of related or unrelated persons who live together in the
same dwelling unit(s), who acknowledge one adult male or female as the head
of the household, who share the same housekeeping arrangements, and who
are considered a single unit.
De facto population
All persons who stayed in the selected households the night before the
interview (whether usual residents or visitors).
De jure population
All persons who are usual residents of the selected households, whether or
not they stayed in the household the night before the interview.
12 • Housing Characteristics and Household Population