Income inequality within and across counties in rural China 1988 and 1995

Using household data from samples covering 18 provinces in 1988 and 1995, income inequality within and between counties in rural China is assessed. The approach enables us to aggregate average income and income inequality to the levels of provinces and the three regions comprising eastern, central and western China. Most of income inequality in rural China in 1995 was found to be spatial and the uneven development of mean income across counties stood for most, but not all, of the rapid increase in income inequality. Mean income of the three regions diverged most forcefully. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.