In 1989, 184 countries reported income inequality data. The highest top 1% income concentration was in Malawi at 64.09%. The global average top 1% income share was 15.81%.
Countries With the Highest Income Inequality in 1989
The following table ranks countries by their top 1% income share in 1989, showing where wealth concentration is most pronounced.
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  income distribution in Malawi |
64.09% | 80.29% | 5.20% |
| 2 |  Maldives's wealth gap |
35.61% | 57.72% | 11.37% |
| 3 |  Kenya |
34.81% | 66.26% | 7.30% |
| 4 |  Namibia's income inequality |
33.15% | 75.80% | 3.27% |
| 5 |  Botswana |
31.03% | 65.05% | 7.10% |
| 6 |  Chile's wealth gap |
30.23% | 62.73% | 7.52% |
| 7 |  Eritrea's wealth gap |
29.69% | 58.32% | 11.36% |
| 8 |  Ethiopia's wealth gap |
29.69% | 58.32% | 11.36% |
| 9 |  Comoros's wealth gap |
29.13% | 66.96% | 7.73% |
| 10 |  Colombia's wealth gap |
28.83% | 63.97% | 6.35% |
| 11 |  Brazil's wealth gap |
27.24% | 58.61% | 9.12% |
| 12 |  Cambodia |
26.79% | 55.74% | 8.78% |
| 13 |  income distribution in Myanmar |
26.49% | 51.12% | 12.71% |
| 14 |  income distribution in Turkey |
26.43% | 58.88% | 11.02% |
| 15 |  Madagascar's wealth gap |
25.56% | 56.14% | 11.12% |
| 16 |  income distribution in Somalia |
25.35% | 56.76% | 10.92% |
| 17 |  Senegal's wealth gap |
25.23% | 60.87% | 8.04% |
| 18 |  Peru's wealth gap |
25.18% | 55.70% | 8.47% |
| 19 |  income distribution in Iraq |
24.41% | 55.33% | 11.83% |
| 20 |  Rwanda's income inequality |
24.11% | 59.84% | 10.13% |
Countries With the Most Equal Income Distribution in 1989
These countries had the highest share of income going to the bottom 50% of earners, indicating more equitable distribution.
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Hungary's income inequality |
4.58% | 20.69% | 32.60% |
| 2 |  income distribution in Norway |
5.76% | 23.10% | 28.87% |
| 3 |  income distribution in Bulgaria |
4.50% | 22.75% | 27.51% |
| 4 |  Kyrgyzstan's income inequality |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 5 |  Uzbekistan |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 6 |  Armenia |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 7 |  Kazakhstan |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 8 |  income distribution in Ukraine |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 9 |  Georgia |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 10 |  Belarus's income inequality |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 11 |  Turkmenistan |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 12 |  Tajikistan's income inequality |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 13 |  income distribution in Azerbaijan |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 14 |  Slovakia |
4.72% | 23.50% | 27.32% |
| 15 |  Poland |
4.50% | 22.97% | 27.31% |
| 16 |  Slovenia's income inequality |
4.26% | 22.38% | 27.25% |
| 17 |  income distribution in Romania |
5.65% | 24.94% | 27.09% |
| 18 |  income distribution in Sweden |
9.65% | 28.05% | 26.18% |
| 19 |  Latvia's income inequality |
3.94% | 23.10% | 25.66% |
| 20 |  Denmark's income inequality |
8.37% | 27.32% | 24.84% |
Global Income Inequality Overview for 1989
- Countries with data: 184
- Average top 1% income share: 15.81%
- Average bottom 50% income share: 15.47%
- Highest top 1% share: Malawi (64.09%)
- Lowest top 1% share: Latvia (3.94%)
Complete Country Rankings for 1989
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malawi |
64.09% | 80.29% | 5.20% |
| 2 | Maldives's income inequality |
35.61% | 57.72% | 11.37% |
| 3 | income distribution in Kenya |
34.81% | 66.26% | 7.30% |
| 4 | income distribution in Namibia |
33.15% | 75.80% | 3.27% |
| 5 | Botswana's income inequality |
31.03% | 65.05% | 7.10% |
| 6 | Chile's wealth gap |
30.23% | 62.73% | 7.52% |
| 7 | Eritrea's wealth gap |
29.69% | 58.32% | 11.36% |
| 8 | Ethiopia's income inequality |
29.69% | 58.32% | 11.36% |
| 9 | Comoros's wealth gap |
29.13% | 66.96% | 7.73% |
| 10 | income distribution in Colombia |
28.83% | 63.97% | 6.35% |
| 11 | Brazil |
27.24% | 58.61% | 9.12% |
| 12 | Cambodia's income inequality |
26.79% | 55.74% | 8.78% |
| 13 | Myanmar's income inequality |
26.49% | 51.12% | 12.71% |
| 14 | Turkey's income inequality |
26.43% | 58.88% | 11.02% |
| 15 | Madagascar's income inequality |
25.56% | 56.14% | 11.12% |
| 16 | Somalia's wealth gap |
25.35% | 56.76% | 10.92% |
| 17 | Senegal |
25.23% | 60.87% | 8.04% |
| 18 | Peru's income inequality |
25.18% | 55.70% | 8.47% |
| 19 | income distribution in Iraq |
24.41% | 55.33% | 11.83% |
| 20 | income distribution in Rwanda |
24.11% | 59.84% | 10.13% |
| 21 |  Mozambique's income inequality |
24.09% | 61.97% | 8.37% |
| 22 |  Thailand |
23.89% | 56.83% | 9.70% |
| 23 |  Guinea-Bissau's income inequality |
23.28% | 59.57% | 7.71% |
| 24 |  Saudi Arabia's income inequality |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
| 25 |  Lesotho's income inequality |
23.03% | 62.34% | 6.52% |
| 26 |  Qatar's wealth gap |
22.95% | 55.46% | 9.50% |
| 27 |  income distribution in Ecuador |
22.86% | 54.43% | 8.90% |
| 28 |  income distribution in Dominican Republic |
22.79% | 54.43% | 8.36% |
| 29 |  income distribution in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
22.70% | 55.91% | 7.89% |
| 30 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis |
22.70% | 55.91% | 7.89% |
| 31 |  Saint Lucia's income inequality |
22.70% | 55.91% | 7.89% |
| 32 |  Yemen |
22.70% | 56.68% | 9.99% |
| 33 |  Dominica |
22.70% | 55.91% | 7.89% |
| 34 |  Grenada's wealth gap |
22.70% | 55.91% | 7.89% |
| 35 |  Antigua and Barbuda's income inequality |
22.70% | 55.91% | 7.89% |
| 36 |  Barbados |
22.70% | 55.91% | 7.89% |
| 37 |  income distribution in Jamaica |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 38 |  Honduras's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 39 |  Haiti's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 40 |  Guatemala |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 41 |  Paraguay |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 42 |  Nicaragua |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 43 |  income distribution in Guyana |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 44 |  Panama's wealth gap |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 45 |  income distribution in Trinidad and Tobago |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 46 |  Bolivia's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 47 |  income distribution in Suriname |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 48 |  income distribution in Bahamas |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 49 |  Belize |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 50 |  income distribution in Venezuela |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 51 |  income distribution in Bahrain |
22.21% | 56.52% | 10.89% |
| 52 |  Central African Republic's income inequality |
22.03% | 64.28% | 5.68% |
| 53 |  Angola's wealth gap |
22.00% | 58.03% | 9.15% |
| 54 |  income distribution in Tunisia |
21.90% | 57.53% | 11.12% |
| 55 |  Seychelles's wealth gap |
21.80% | 52.63% | 12.28% |
| 56 |  Mali's wealth gap |
21.64% | 58.55% | 9.30% |
| 57 |  Burkina Faso |
21.27% | 57.95% | 10.09% |
| 58 |  Kuwait's income inequality |
21.10% | 54.68% | 11.06% |
| 59 |  Iran |
21.02% | 54.79% | 12.27% |
| 60 |  income distribution in Lebanon |
20.41% | 51.11% | 12.18% |
| 61 |  income distribution in Palestine |
20.18% | 53.50% | 11.75% |
| 62 |  Costa Rica |
20.15% | 51.77% | 9.71% |
| 63 |  United Arab Emirates's income inequality |
20.02% | 55.77% | 10.08% |
| 64 |  Oman |
19.93% | 56.27% | 9.06% |
| 65 |  Jordan's income inequality |
19.91% | 51.33% | 13.23% |
| 66 |  income distribution in El Salvador |
19.23% | 50.85% | 7.08% |
| 67 |  Philippines's income inequality |
19.17% | 49.47% | 12.66% |
| 68 |  Malaysia's income inequality |
19.15% | 46.10% | 14.57% |
| 69 |  Mauritania's wealth gap |
19.07% | 52.67% | 11.33% |
| 70 |  Uruguay's income inequality |
19.01% | 48.42% | 13.61% |
| 71 |  Cuba's income inequality |
18.91% | 51.14% | 10.23% |
| 72 |  Zambia |
18.86% | 58.81% | 5.56% |
| 73 |  income distribution in Gambia |
18.57% | 55.26% | 10.21% |
| 74 |  income distribution in Congo |
18.57% | 54.53% | 10.39% |
| 75 |  Cameroon's income inequality |
18.49% | 54.31% | 11.51% |
| 76 |  income distribution in Israel |
18.18% | 49.70% | 13.45% |
| 77 |  Bhutan's wealth gap |
18.08% | 49.19% | 12.25% |
| 78 |  Papua New Guinea's wealth gap |
18.06% | 50.25% | 10.91% |
| 79 |  income distribution in Niger |
17.41% | 47.52% | 14.91% |
| 80 |  Sri Lanka |
17.15% | 44.19% | 16.41% |
| 81 |  income distribution in Gabon |
17.14% | 50.78% | 12.51% |
| 82 |  Egypt |
16.53% | 47.14% | 17.04% |
| 83 |  Benin's income inequality |
16.35% | 48.83% | 13.88% |
| 84 |  Hong Kong's wealth gap |
16.29% | 44.97% | 16.87% |
| 85 |  Afghanistan's income inequality |
16.22% | 41.94% | 17.17% |
| 86 |  income distribution in Zimbabwe |
15.93% | 51.37% | 11.88% |
| 87 |  income distribution in Algeria |
15.72% | 46.60% | 15.08% |
| 88 |  Indonesia |
15.48% | 44.55% | 14.54% |
| 89 |  Djibouti's income inequality |
15.41% | 47.90% | 13.47% |
| 90 |  Libya's income inequality |
15.31% | 46.55% | 15.05% |
| 91 |  income distribution in Pakistan |
15.30% | 43.33% | 16.29% |
| 92 |  Uganda |
15.20% | 50.75% | 11.66% |
| 93 |  Argentina's income inequality |
14.86% | 50.57% | 8.17% |
| 94 |  income distribution in Mongolia |
14.84% | 42.51% | 13.90% |
| 95 |  Nepal |
14.63% | 41.06% | 18.17% |
| 96 |  Chad's wealth gap |
14.49% | 47.74% | 13.32% |
| 97 |  South Sudan's wealth gap |
14.21% | 49.39% | 10.97% |
| 98 |  Togo |
14.06% | 49.59% | 12.35% |
| 99 |  income distribution in Mauritius |
13.75% | 45.78% | 15.20% |
| 100 |  income distribution in Bangladesh |
13.71% | 39.86% | 18.38% |
| 101 |  Japan's wealth gap |
13.64% | 40.13% | 18.63% |
| 102 |  income distribution in Luxembourg |
13.43% | 35.44% | 21.26% |
| 103 |  Morocco's wealth gap |
13.43% | 48.20% | 14.39% |
| 104 |  Ghana's wealth gap |
12.93% | 45.48% | 14.81% |
| 105 |  Sierra Leone's income inequality |
12.89% | 48.98% | 13.31% |
| 106 |  Liberia's income inequality |
12.70% | 44.69% | 15.39% |
| 107 |  Mexico |
12.45% | 54.45% | 6.29% |
| 108 |  Spain's wealth gap |
12.12% | 37.34% | 18.96% |
| 109 |  Equatorial Guinea |
12.01% | 45.33% | 13.94% |
| 110 |  North Korea's income inequality |
11.88% | 38.19% | 18.32% |
| 111 |  income distribution in Germany |
11.80% | 32.46% | 21.77% |
| 112 |  income distribution in Cyprus |
11.69% | 37.37% | 18.12% |
| 113 |  Tanzania's wealth gap |
11.55% | 43.14% | 15.77% |
| 114 |  income distribution in Taiwan |
11.42% | 36.54% | 16.87% |
| 115 |  India's wealth gap |
11.31% | 36.34% | 19.65% |
| 116 |  income distribution in Sudan |
11.30% | 42.51% | 15.54% |
| 117 |  Burundi's income inequality |
11.09% | 42.83% | 16.19% |
| 118 |  income distribution in Singapore |
10.98% | 37.31% | 20.31% |
| 119 |  Nigeria |
10.40% | 45.40% | 12.56% |
| 120 |  Palau |
10.25% | 36.23% | 20.81% |
| 121 |  Fiji |
10.25% | 36.23% | 20.81% |
| 122 |  Marshall Islands |
10.25% | 36.23% | 20.81% |
| 123 |  Tonga's income inequality |
10.25% | 36.23% | 20.81% |
| 124 |  Kiribati's income inequality |
10.25% | 36.23% | 20.81% |
| 125 |  Nauru's wealth gap |
10.25% | 36.23% | 20.81% |
| 126 |  income distribution in Samoa |
10.25% | 36.23% | 20.81% |
| 127 |  Solomon Islands's income inequality |
10.25% | 36.23% | 20.81% |
| 128 |  income distribution in Vanuatu |
10.25% | 36.23% | 20.81% |
| 129 |  Tuvalu's income inequality |
10.25% | 36.23% | 20.81% |
| 130 |  Switzerland |
10.21% | 30.50% | 23.85% |
| 131 |  income distribution in South Africa |
10.14% | 47.18% | 13.50% |
| 132 |  New Zealand's income inequality |
9.92% | 34.11% | 15.24% |
| 133 |  Guinea's income inequality |
9.73% | 46.54% | 10.93% |
| 134 | Sweden's wealth gap |
9.65% | 28.05% | 26.18% |
| 135 |  Canada's wealth gap |
9.48% | 31.44% | 20.36% |
| 136 |  San Marino's wealth gap |
9.44% | 32.62% | 20.66% |
| 137 |  Monaco |
9.44% | 32.62% | 20.66% |
| 138 |  income distribution in Andorra |
9.44% | 32.62% | 20.66% |
| 139 |  Liechtenstein's income inequality |
9.44% | 32.62% | 20.66% |
| 140 |  Serbia's income inequality |
9.30% | 30.64% | 21.00% |
| 141 |  Austria's wealth gap |
9.20% | 31.46% | 23.21% |
| 142 |  income distribution in Sao Tome and Principe |
9.13% | 39.69% | 16.84% |
| 143 |  Belgium's income inequality |
9.09% | 33.73% | 20.58% |
| 144 |  Greece's income inequality |
9.03% | 32.41% | 18.05% |
| 145 |  Malta's wealth gap |
9.01% | 30.96% | 21.85% |
| 146 |  income distribution in Ireland |
8.99% | 30.77% | 22.97% |
| 147 |  income distribution in France |
8.91% | 31.50% | 21.76% |
| 148 |  income distribution in Portugal |
8.70% | 32.91% | 20.48% |
| 149 |  Kosovo's wealth gap |
8.55% | 33.75% | 17.44% |
| 150 | Denmark's wealth gap |
8.37% | 27.32% | 24.84% |
| 151 |  income distribution in China |
8.37% | 31.26% | 20.89% |
| 152 |  United Kingdom's income inequality |
8.32% | 30.95% | 20.94% |
| 153 |  Macao's income inequality |
8.21% | 30.85% | 21.46% |
| 154 |  Iceland's income inequality |
7.68% | 29.92% | 22.27% |
| 155 |  income distribution in Australia |
7.57% | 27.53% | 18.65% |
| 156 |  Estonia's income inequality |
7.03% | 27.66% | 21.83% |
| 157 |  income distribution in Albania |
6.79% | 30.58% | 19.49% |
| 158 |  Montenegro |
6.69% | 28.29% | 21.72% |
| 159 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
6.44% | 27.54% | 22.77% |
| 160 |  income distribution in North Macedonia |
6.42% | 27.05% | 23.01% |
| 161 |  Italy's wealth gap |
6.30% | 27.05% | 24.05% |
| 162 |  Netherlands's wealth gap |
6.07% | 27.45% | 24.78% |
| 163 | Norway |
5.76% | 23.10% | 28.87% |
| 164 |  Finland |
5.74% | 26.60% | 24.00% |
| 165 |  Moldova's wealth gap |
5.69% | 26.58% | 24.18% |
| 166 | income distribution in Romania |
5.65% | 24.94% | 27.09% |
| 167 | income distribution in Kyrgyzstan |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 168 | income distribution in Uzbekistan |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 169 | income distribution in Armenia |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 170 | income distribution in Kazakhstan |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 171 | income distribution in Ukraine |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 172 | Georgia's wealth gap |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 173 | Belarus |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 174 | Turkmenistan's income inequality |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 175 | Tajikistan |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 176 | Azerbaijan's wealth gap |
5.59% | 24.57% | 27.38% |
| 177 |  Lithuania's income inequality |
5.46% | 27.08% | 23.70% |
| 178 | Slovakia's income inequality |
4.72% | 23.50% | 27.32% |
| 179 | Hungary's wealth gap |
4.58% | 20.69% | 32.60% |
| 180 | Bulgaria's income inequality |
4.50% | 22.75% | 27.51% |
| 181 | Poland's wealth gap |
4.50% | 22.97% | 27.31% |
| 182 |  Croatia's wealth gap |
4.49% | 29.68% | 20.63% |
| 183 | Slovenia's income inequality |
4.26% | 22.38% | 27.25% |
| 184 | Latvia's wealth gap |
3.94% | 23.10% | 25.66% |
Last updated: April 8, 2026
Data source: World Inequality Database (WID). This dataset covers income distribution metrics for 199 countries from 1980 to 2024.