Inequality of Rural Income Distribution in Iran: An Exploratory Analysis of Spatial Data

Despite regional differences, spatial distribution has not been addressed in studies on rural income in Iran. The main goal of this study is to analyze the spatial pattern of inequality in rural areas of the country. In this research, Moran's I index, Theil index and Gini coefficient have been used for the period 2005-2015. The results show that both inter-regional and intra-regional components affect the unequal distribution of rural income, but the importance of the intra-regional component is slightly higher. The study of the data obtained from the Moran's I index shows that there is evidence of the spatial clustering phenomenon in rural economy of the country.