The report on the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) of the Maldives 2002-2003 presents an analysis of findings from the survey. This is the first nationwide HIES conducted in the Maldives. The survey was conducted during the period September 2002 to June 2003 in four quarterly rounds during the months of September and December in 2002 and March and June in 2003. The survey was designed as a scientific random sample with separate strata for Male' and the five development regions. It covered the capital Male' and forty islands from the Atolls and includes data for 834 households.

HIES data is an analytical tool that many countries use to gather information on household consumption on a regular basis to monitor changes in the level of poverty and analyse the well-being of the people and the economy. The main purpose of this survey was to collect information on the economic well-being of the population. Specifically, the results will be used to bring about improvements in the national accounts, consumer price index and the vulnerability and poverty statistics of the country.

As HIES data provide a snapshot of the socio-economic situation of the households prior to the Tsunami, it would also serve as significant baseline data in the future assessments and comparisons in this regard.

The tables presented in the report provide the data by standard classifications that include income quintiles, income classes, and daily per capita expenditure classes, cross-tabulated by demographic variables such as the size of household, number of earners, proportion of expenditure on different expenditure categories. To the extent possible, all information is presented separately for Male' and the Atolls and also at the regional level for the atolls and comparisons are made with the 1997/98 VPA.

In order to provide easy access to the national as well as international data users, this report with the analysis, detailed tabulations, questionnaires, sample design and the database of the survey is made available on CD-ROM and on the Ministry’s website (http://www.planning.gov.mv)