As of 2024, the top 1% in Seychelles earned 8.78% of total national income, while the bottom 50% received just 17.38%. Seychelles’s income inequality has decreased since 1980, when the top 1% share was 21.80%.
Key Income Distribution Metrics for Seychelles in 2024
In 2024, income in Seychelles was distributed as follows: the wealthiest 1% of the population captured 8.78% of total national income, which is notably lower than the global average of 16.17%. Meanwhile, the bottom half of earners received 17.38% of income, slightly higher than the global average of 14.97%.
| Metric | Seychelles | Global Average |
|---|---|---|
| Top 1% Income Share | 8.78% | 16.17% |
| Top 10% Income Share | 38.65% | 45.21% |
| Bottom 50% Income Share | 17.38% | 14.97% |
How Has Income Inequality Changed in Seychelles?
Top 1% Income Share Trend (1980-2024)
The share of income going to Seychelles’s top 1% has decreased over the past 44 years. In 1980, the top 1% captured 21.80% of national income. By 2024, this figure had fallen by 13.02 percentage points to 8.78%.
Top 10% vs Bottom 50% Income Gap Over Time
The income gap between the top 10% and bottom 50% in Seychelles has narrowed over this period. In 1980, the top 10% earned 52.63% while the bottom 50% received 12.28%. By 2024, these figures shifted to 38.65% and 17.38% respectively.
| Year | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% | Gap (Top 10 – Bottom 50) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 21.80% | 52.63% | 12.28% | 40.35 pp |
| 1986 | 21.80% | 52.63% | 12.28% | 40.35 pp |
| 1992 | 21.80% | 52.63% | 12.28% | 40.35 pp |
| 1998 | 21.80% | 52.63% | 12.28% | 40.35 pp |
| 2004 | 20.95% | 52.24% | 12.17% | 40.07 pp |
| 2010 | 27.90% | 56.73% | 11.42% | 45.31 pp |
| 2016 | 18.64% | 47.30% | 14.78% | 32.52 pp |
| 2022 | 8.78% | 38.65% | 17.38% | 21.27 pp |
How Seychelles Compares Globally
Seychelles vs Africa Average
Compared to other countries in Africa, Seychelles’s top 1% income share of 8.78% is notably lower than the regional average of 15.62%. The bottom 50% in Seychelles receives 17.38% of income, compared to the Africa average of 13.46%.
Where Seychelles Ranks Among All Countries
- Top 1% income concentration: Seychelles ranks 176th out of 184 countries (higher rank = more concentrated wealth at the top)
- Bottom 50% income share: Seychelles ranks 45th out of 184 countries (higher rank = larger share for the bottom half)
Countries with similar income inequality levels to Seychelles include Guinea's wealth gap, income distribution in Belgium, Austria.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the income share of the top 1% in Seychelles?
As of 2024, the top 1% in Seychelles earned 8.78% of total national income. This level of concentration is considered relatively low by international standards.
Is income inequality increasing or decreasing in Seychelles?
Income inequality in Seychelles has decreased since 1980. The top 1% income share moved from 21.80% in 1980 to 8.78% in 2024.
What percentage of income goes to the bottom 50% in Seychelles?
In 2024, the bottom 50% of earners in Seychelles received 17.38% of total national income. This compares with the top 10% who captured 38.65%.
Last updated: April 8, 2026
Data source: World Inequality Database (WID). This dataset covers income distribution metrics for 199 countries from 1980 to 2024.