So far we have painted abroad picture ofthe income distribution and poverty prob- lem in developing countries. We argued that the magnitude of absalute poverty re- sults from a combination oflow per capita incomes and highly unequal distributions of that income. Clearly, for any given distribution of income, the tugher the level of per capita income, the lower the numbers ofthe absolutely poor, But as we have seen, higher levels of per capita income are no guarantee of lower levels of poverty An understanding of the nature the distribution of income, therefore, iscentral analysis of the poverty problem ow income countries But inting a broad picture of absolute paverty is uot enough Before we cati ormulate effective policies and programs to attack poverty at its sounce, we need ome specific knowledge of e poverty groups and their economic characteristic