16
Apr
Tag Archives: georgia
18
Aug
English language proficiency in the Caucasus
I’m working on a project right now looking at the relationship between English language proficiency and Internet use in the Caucasus.
Although wandering around Yerevan, Baku, or Tbilisi might tell you something different, English language proficiency in these countries is actually quite low.
Between 1-4% of the population considers themselves “advanced” in the English language and two-thirds to three-quarters have no proficiency whatsoever.
And despite conventional wisdom, it looks like there hasn’t been much growth in English proficiency since Caucasus Barometer started measuring it in 2007. And in Azerbaijan it seems to have gone down a little bit (out migration?).
What are the demographic characteristics that predict English language proficiency?
First, one’s education level (standardized beta .30) is the stronger predictor of English language proficiency.
Next is one’s urbanness. The more urban you are (capital, regional city, rural area), the more likely you are to know English (standardized beta .15).
Then one’s material deprivation (which means wealth/poverty). The wealthier you are, the more likely you are to know English (standardized beta .13).
Finally, gender matters. Women are more likely to know English (there is a lot of research on this and isn’t surprising) (standardized beta .07).
Age didn’t matter at all.
English
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11
Aug
Summary of all economic wellbeing posts – Poverty in the Caucasus
Since I posted a lot of analyses on economic wellbeing in the Caucasus, I thought that I’d put links to them all in one post.
Overall, I hope that this gives people a better sense of what dire poverty exists in all three states. If pressed, I’d say that based on these analyses, Georgia is doing the worst overall and Azerbaijan is doing the best. But without a doubt, there are more similarities in poverty in these three neighbors than there are differences.
Consumption ability
Consumption ability by capital/urban/rural
New consumption 2012
Income sources
Income distribution
Food expenses
Borrowing money to buy food
Please feel free to ask questions or requests for further analysis.
11
Aug
What are the sources of income in the Caucasus?
So where do people in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia get the money that they need to live?
For most households, the primary source of income comes from a paid salary (43% in Armenia, 44% in Azerbaijan, 32% in Georgia).
Another primary source of income for many families is a pension or other government benefit (23% in Armenia, 28% in Azerbaijan, and 30% in Georgia.)
Agricultural sales is another primary source (12% in Armenia, 12% in Azerbaijan, and 15% in Georgia).
But perhaps more interesting looking at total sources of money. Nearly 20% of Armenian families use money from relatives abroad to live on (11% of families use it as the PRIMARY source of income).
In all three countries, relatives help our other relatives that live in the same place (maybe a capital city relative helps village relatives?) (11% in Armenia, 8% in Azerbaijan, and 12% in Georgia).
But what is really interesting is that half of all families depend on some form of government assistance for money, although only a quarter or so say that it is their primary income.
In all three countries, salary and pension are the primary ways that people get money.
Incomesources
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11
Aug
Not surprisingly, Yerevan, Baku, and Tbilisi residents wealthier
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 = 2.04), and the least able to consume are rural people (mean = 1.89).
In Azerbaijan in 2010, people living in the capital are the most able to consume (mean = 2.52), while people in regional cities (mean = 2.11) and rural (mean = 2.12) areas are no different in their consumption ability.
In Georgia in 2010, people living in the capital have the most consumption ability (mean = 2.29), followed by regional cities (mean = 2.11), and the least able to consume are rural people (mean = 1.97).
Comparing all three countries, the group that is able to consume the most is
1. AZ capital
2. AM capital
3. GE capital
4 (tie). AZ rural/ AZ urban / GE urban
5. AM urban
6 (tie). AM rural / GE rural
Thus, a rural Azerbaijani has more ability to buy things than a regional city Armenian or any Armenian or Georgian rural person.
Regionalconsumption
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11
Aug
Armenians, Azerbaijanis, and Georgians’ Food Expenses
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 than 50% of their take home on food expenses.
As a comparison, Americans spend 5-6% of their income on food and Russians spend about 20% of their income on food.
Spending
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11
Aug
Income Distribution in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia
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 income was about $150 (mean = 5.42, SD = 1.30).
Between 2009 and 2010, Armenia moved closer to a bell curve of income distribution. In 2009, the vast majority made less than $250 U.S.
In Azerbaijan as well, the distribution is moving closer to a larger middle class.
Georgia remains skewed towards the lower end of income distribution.
Incomedistr
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11
Aug
Many Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian Households have to Borrow Money to Buy Food
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 food. (And the percent of families that do not have to borrow money for food has remained constant.)
In Azerbaijan, things have remained relatively constant as well. Not very many families have to borrow money regularly, but about a quarter have to borrow occasionally. This raises concern about the overall poverty situation. Do Azerbaijani families have more trouble at particular times of the year? Are there times when a lot of money comes in or perhaps are they less inclined to have to borrow in the summer months when they can grow their own?
In Georgia, only about a third of households never borrow money for food and the percentages have remained stable over the four years, more or less. Like in Armenia, there are a large number of families that borrow monthly (about 20%) and like in Azerbaijan, there are a large number of families that have to borrow now-and-then (almost 30%).
Borrowmoneyfood
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11
Aug
Poverty in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia
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 food, do not have enough money for clothes.
Less than 10% of everyone in the Caucasus has enough money to buy an expensive item. In Armenia and Georgia only 1% can afford whatever they want (Azerbaijan, not surprisingly, is a bit higher).
Additionally, in the 3 years that this covered, there hasn’t been a great deal of movement.
It appears that some Azerbaijanis became poorer in 2009 and 2010, compared to 2008. (Global economic crisis?) And Georgia had a 2009 downturn (global economic crisis and the Russian-Georgian war?).
Although food prices and other consumables are rising, it doesn’t look like Armenians, Azerbaijanis, or Georgians are able to manage this well.
(If you’re interested in any breakdown of these numbers – rural/urban/capital, gender, age, education, please let me know – I’m happy to do so.)
Econ
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11
Aug
Debt and Savings in the Caucasus
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 money (or not).
Debtsavings
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