Mean Expenditure Distribution

Project Overview

This project analyses the spatial variation of mean household expenditure across Sri Lanka using district-level census data. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and exploratory statistical techniques were applied to identify regional expenditure patterns and socio-economic disparities.

Study Area

The study area includes all administrative districts of Sri Lanka, allowing comparative analysis of expenditure characteristics across urban, semi-urban, and rural regions.

Data Sources

District-wise Mean Household Expenditure – Department of Census & Statistics
Sri Lanka Administrative Boundary Shapefile

Methodology

Data cleaning, preprocessing, and attribute joining
Choropleth mapping using graduated colour classification
Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA)
Histogram, Scatter Plot, and Box Plot analysis

Mean Expenditure Choropleth Map

The choropleth map visualises district-level variations in mean household expenditure, revealing distinct spatial patterns and expenditure concentration zones across Sri Lanka.

Statistical Visualisation

Expenditure Histogram

Expenditure Scatter Plot

Expenditure Box Plot

Key Findings

Noticeable variation in mean household expenditure among districts
Higher expenditure levels are concentrated in selected urban and coastal districts
Expenditure distribution shows right skewness with identifiable high-value outliers

Tools & Skills

ArcGIS Desktop, MS Excel
Socio-economic and spatial data analysis
Choropleth mapping techniques
Exploratory statistical visualisation

Conclusion

This project demonstrates the effective integration of GIS and statistical analysis to examine spatial expenditure patterns, providing insights that support regional planning and evidence-based socio-economic decision-making.

Mean Expenditure Distribution of Sri Lanka