Calculating S.S.T Poverty Intensity Index in Iran during 1984-2007

This article tries to survey and compare poverty intensity trend in Iran, using poverty intensity index estimates. Additive decomposability is one of the privileges of poverty intensity index. It would be possible to calculate the percentage of changes in the poverty intensity in the forms of the addition results of poverty rate percentage changes, average poverty gap ratio, and Gini coefficient of poverty gap ratios. The results of poverty intensity calculation in Iran indicate that urban and rural poverty intensity trends follow the same behavioral model. Moreover, poverty intensity comparison demonstrates a better welfare status in the villages during the whole period. Poverty rate factor is the most effective one in the poverty intensity trend. Yet poverty gap changes should also be taken into consideration in order to explain the poverty intensity behavior. The impact of Gini coefficient of poverty gap ratios is very little.