In 1994, 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 16.57%.
Countries With the Highest Income Inequality in 1994
The following table ranks countries by their top 1% income share in 1994, showing where wealth concentration is most pronounced.
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Malawi |
64.09% | 80.29% | 5.20% |
| 2 |  Botswana |
36.36% | 68.87% | 6.21% |
| 3 |  Maldives's wealth gap |
35.61% | 57.72% | 11.37% |
| 4 |  Namibia |
32.52% | 75.38% | 3.49% |
| 5 |  Chile's income inequality |
30.23% | 62.73% | 7.52% |
| 6 |  income distribution in Ethiopia |
29.69% | 58.32% | 11.36% |
| 7 |  Eritrea |
29.69% | 58.32% | 11.36% |
| 8 |  Comoros's wealth gap |
29.13% | 66.96% | 7.73% |
| 9 |  Colombia's income inequality |
28.83% | 63.97% | 6.35% |
| 10 |  Brazil's income inequality |
27.24% | 58.61% | 9.12% |
| 11 |  Cambodia |
26.79% | 55.74% | 8.78% |
| 12 |  Myanmar's income inequality |
26.49% | 51.12% | 12.71% |
| 13 |  income distribution in Peru |
25.18% | 55.70% | 8.47% |
| 14 |  Iraq's income inequality |
24.41% | 55.33% | 11.83% |
| 15 |  Madagascar's income inequality |
24.32% | 54.13% | 11.96% |
| 16 |  Rwanda's income inequality |
24.11% | 59.84% | 10.13% |
| 17 |  income distribution in Mozambique |
24.09% | 61.97% | 8.37% |
| 18 |  Somalia's wealth gap |
23.66% | 54.83% | 11.78% |
| 19 |  income distribution in Thailand |
23.36% | 56.03% | 10.04% |
| 20 |  Saudi Arabia |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
Countries With the Most Equal Income Distribution in 1994
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 wealth gap |
6.98% | 26.55% | 26.93% |
| 2 |  Norway's income inequality |
8.58% | 27.50% | 26.32% |
| 3 |  Slovakia's wealth gap |
6.29% | 25.04% | 26.22% |
| 4 |  Slovenia's income inequality |
5.94% | 26.11% | 25.15% |
| 5 |  income distribution in Sweden |
10.90% | 30.58% | 24.84% |
| 6 |  Denmark |
9.38% | 28.33% | 24.75% |
| 7 |  income distribution in Netherlands |
5.81% | 27.37% | 24.12% |
| 8 |  Poland's income inequality |
9.72% | 28.88% | 24.07% |
| 9 |  Switzerland's wealth gap |
9.84% | 29.83% | 24.02% |
| 10 |  Tajikistan |
9.49% | 30.23% | 23.94% |
| 11 |  Finland's income inequality |
7.17% | 28.25% | 23.89% |
| 12 |  income distribution in Austria |
9.17% | 31.30% | 23.22% |
| 13 |  Italy |
6.72% | 27.98% | 23.05% |
| 14 |  Romania |
9.05% | 31.51% | 23.04% |
| 15 |  Germany's wealth gap |
8.92% | 29.97% | 22.90% |
| 16 |  income distribution in Iceland |
7.71% | 30.20% | 22.39% |
| 17 |  Kyrgyzstan's wealth gap |
11.51% | 33.64% | 22.23% |
| 18 |  Singapore |
10.22% | 33.60% | 22.03% |
| 19 |  Belarus |
11.43% | 33.55% | 21.94% |
| 20 |  Malta |
8.98% | 30.93% | 21.86% |
Global Income Inequality Overview for 1994
- Countries with data: 184
- Average top 1% income share: 16.57%
- Average bottom 50% income share: 14.66%
- Highest top 1% share: Malawi (64.09%)
- Lowest top 1% share: Netherlands (5.81%)
Complete Country Rankings for 1994
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malawi |
64.09% | 80.29% | 5.20% |
| 2 | income distribution in Botswana |
36.36% | 68.87% | 6.21% |
| 3 | Maldives's wealth gap |
35.61% | 57.72% | 11.37% |
| 4 | Namibia |
32.52% | 75.38% | 3.49% |
| 5 | Chile's income inequality |
30.23% | 62.73% | 7.52% |
| 6 | Ethiopia |
29.69% | 58.32% | 11.36% |
| 7 | Eritrea |
29.69% | 58.32% | 11.36% |
| 8 | Comoros's income inequality |
29.13% | 66.96% | 7.73% |
| 9 | income distribution in Colombia |
28.83% | 63.97% | 6.35% |
| 10 | Brazil |
27.24% | 58.61% | 9.12% |
| 11 | Cambodia's income inequality |
26.79% | 55.74% | 8.78% |
| 12 | income distribution in Myanmar |
26.49% | 51.12% | 12.71% |
| 13 | Peru's income inequality |
25.18% | 55.70% | 8.47% |
| 14 | Iraq's wealth gap |
24.41% | 55.33% | 11.83% |
| 15 | income distribution in Madagascar |
24.32% | 54.13% | 11.96% |
| 16 | Rwanda |
24.11% | 59.84% | 10.13% |
| 17 | income distribution in Mozambique |
24.09% | 61.97% | 8.37% |
| 18 | Somalia's income inequality |
23.66% | 54.83% | 11.78% |
| 19 | Thailand |
23.36% | 56.03% | 10.04% |
| 20 | Saudi Arabia's wealth gap |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
| 21 |  Central African Republic's income inequality |
23.15% | 64.36% | 5.93% |
| 22 |  income distribution in Qatar |
22.95% | 55.46% | 9.50% |
| 23 |  income distribution in Ecuador |
22.86% | 54.43% | 8.90% |
| 24 |  Dominican Republic's income inequality |
22.79% | 54.43% | 8.36% |
| 25 |  Yemen |
22.70% | 56.68% | 9.99% |
| 26 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
22.53% | 55.50% | 8.00% |
| 27 |  Saint Lucia's income inequality |
22.53% | 55.50% | 8.00% |
| 28 |  Grenada's income inequality |
22.53% | 55.50% | 8.00% |
| 29 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis's wealth gap |
22.53% | 55.50% | 8.00% |
| 30 |  income distribution in Barbados |
22.53% | 55.50% | 8.00% |
| 31 |  income distribution in Antigua and Barbuda |
22.53% | 55.50% | 8.00% |
| 32 |  Dominica's wealth gap |
22.53% | 55.50% | 8.00% |
| 33 |  income distribution in Lesotho |
22.39% | 64.35% | 5.00% |
| 34 |  Panama's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 35 |  Jamaica's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 36 |  income distribution in Paraguay |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 37 |  Trinidad and Tobago |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 38 |  Honduras's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 39 |  income distribution in Bahamas |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 40 |  Guyana's wealth gap |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 41 |  income distribution in Haiti |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 42 |  Nicaragua's wealth gap |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 43 |  Bolivia |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 44 |  Venezuela |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 45 |  income distribution in Guatemala |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 46 |  Belize |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 47 |  Suriname's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 48 |  Bahrain's wealth gap |
22.21% | 56.52% | 10.89% |
| 49 |  Mauritania's wealth gap |
22.10% | 53.41% | 12.08% |
| 50 |  income distribution in Angola |
22.00% | 58.03% | 9.15% |
| 51 |  Tunisia's wealth gap |
21.90% | 57.53% | 11.12% |
| 52 |  Turkey's wealth gap |
21.80% | 55.34% | 12.19% |
| 53 |  Seychelles's wealth gap |
21.80% | 52.63% | 12.28% |
| 54 |  income distribution in Mali |
21.64% | 58.55% | 9.30% |
| 55 |  Burkina Faso's wealth gap |
21.27% | 57.95% | 10.09% |
| 56 |  Kuwait's income inequality |
21.10% | 54.68% | 11.06% |
| 57 |  Lebanon's wealth gap |
20.41% | 51.11% | 12.18% |
| 58 |  Jordan |
20.39% | 51.39% | 13.08% |
| 59 |  Iran's wealth gap |
20.23% | 53.73% | 12.80% |
| 60 |  Palestine's income inequality |
20.18% | 53.50% | 11.75% |
| 61 |  Costa Rica's wealth gap |
20.15% | 51.77% | 9.71% |
| 62 |  United Arab Emirates's income inequality |
20.02% | 55.77% | 10.08% |
| 63 |  income distribution in Oman |
19.93% | 56.27% | 9.06% |
| 64 |  Malaysia's wealth gap |
19.53% | 46.91% | 13.78% |
| 65 |  Philippines |
19.33% | 50.00% | 12.15% |
| 66 |  El Salvador's income inequality |
19.23% | 50.85% | 7.08% |
| 67 |  Guinea-Bissau's wealth gap |
19.05% | 51.68% | 12.13% |
| 68 |  Uruguay's income inequality |
19.01% | 48.42% | 13.61% |
| 69 |  Kenya's income inequality |
18.98% | 51.16% | 12.35% |
| 70 |  Cuba's income inequality |
18.91% | 51.14% | 10.23% |
| 71 |  Israel's income inequality |
18.86% | 50.36% | 13.16% |
| 72 |  income distribution in Guinea |
18.74% | 53.93% | 10.78% |
| 73 |  Congo's income inequality |
18.57% | 54.53% | 10.39% |
| 74 |  Gambia's wealth gap |
18.57% | 55.26% | 10.21% |
| 75 |  Cameroon's income inequality |
18.49% | 54.31% | 11.51% |
| 76 |  Indonesia |
18.42% | 47.06% | 13.51% |
| 77 |  Bhutan's wealth gap |
18.08% | 49.19% | 12.25% |
| 78 |  income distribution in Papua New Guinea |
18.06% | 50.25% | 10.91% |
| 79 |  Uganda's wealth gap |
17.74% | 50.47% | 13.23% |
| 80 |  income distribution in Nepal |
17.52% | 45.29% | 15.75% |
| 81 |  Zambia's wealth gap |
17.48% | 55.67% | 9.06% |
| 82 |  income distribution in Gabon |
17.14% | 50.78% | 12.51% |
| 83 |  Egypt's income inequality |
16.98% | 46.87% | 17.47% |
| 84 |  income distribution in Senegal |
16.83% | 49.40% | 13.49% |
| 85 |  Niger's income inequality |
16.79% | 50.00% | 12.82% |
| 86 |  Sri Lanka |
16.41% | 45.19% | 15.42% |
| 87 |  Benin's income inequality |
16.35% | 48.83% | 13.88% |
| 88 |  income distribution in Afghanistan |
16.22% | 41.94% | 17.17% |
| 89 |  Pakistan's income inequality |
16.15% | 42.48% | 17.37% |
| 90 |  income distribution in Zimbabwe |
15.93% | 51.37% | 11.88% |
| 91 |  Bangladesh's income inequality |
15.79% | 43.48% | 16.83% |
| 92 |  Algeria's income inequality |
15.72% | 46.60% | 15.08% |
| 93 |  Estonia's income inequality |
15.61% | 42.15% | 14.74% |
| 94 |  Djibouti |
15.41% | 47.90% | 13.47% |
| 95 |  Libya's wealth gap |
15.14% | 46.54% | 15.04% |
| 96 |  Armenia's wealth gap |
15.11% | 39.10% | 18.55% |
| 97 |  Hong Kong |
15.04% | 43.04% | 16.65% |
| 98 |  Argentina |
14.86% | 50.57% | 8.17% |
| 99 |  Mongolia's income inequality |
14.84% | 42.51% | 13.90% |
| 100 |  income distribution in Georgia |
14.84% | 37.99% | 19.19% |
| 101 |  Chad's wealth gap |
14.49% | 47.74% | 13.32% |
| 102 |  Ukraine |
14.39% | 39.88% | 17.48% |
| 103 |  South Sudan |
14.21% | 49.39% | 10.97% |
| 104 |  Azerbaijan's income inequality |
14.19% | 39.05% | 17.59% |
| 105 |  Togo's income inequality |
14.06% | 49.59% | 12.35% |
| 106 |  Mauritius's income inequality |
13.75% | 45.78% | 15.20% |
| 107 |  Luxembourg's wealth gap |
13.47% | 35.58% | 21.31% |
| 108 |  Morocco |
13.43% | 48.20% | 14.39% |
| 109 |  Burundi |
13.23% | 45.37% | 15.06% |
| 110 |  Ghana's wealth gap |
13.11% | 46.47% | 13.79% |
| 111 |  income distribution in Turkmenistan |
12.93% | 35.98% | 20.74% |
| 112 |  Sierra Leone's income inequality |
12.89% | 48.98% | 13.31% |
| 113 |  Bulgaria's wealth gap |
12.72% | 38.95% | 18.55% |
| 114 |  Liberia |
12.70% | 44.69% | 15.39% |
| 115 |  India's wealth gap |
12.67% | 39.22% | 18.87% |
| 116 |  North Korea's wealth gap |
12.63% | 40.08% | 16.65% |
| 117 |  Uzbekistan |
12.47% | 36.17% | 20.07% |
| 118 |  income distribution in Mexico |
12.45% | 54.45% | 6.29% |
| 119 |  income distribution in New Zealand |
12.32% | 37.86% | 13.78% |
| 120 |  Equatorial Guinea |
12.01% | 45.33% | 13.94% |
| 121 |  income distribution in Taiwan |
11.98% | 38.05% | 15.60% |
| 122 |  Tanzania's income inequality |
11.93% | 43.90% | 15.40% |
| 123 |  Nigeria's wealth gap |
11.68% | 46.70% | 11.90% |
| 124 | income distribution in Kyrgyzstan |
11.51% | 33.64% | 22.23% |
| 125 |  Palau |
11.47% | 37.53% | 20.74% |
| 126 |  Samoa's income inequality |
11.47% | 37.53% | 20.74% |
| 127 |  Solomon Islands's income inequality |
11.47% | 37.53% | 20.74% |
| 128 |  income distribution in Vanuatu |
11.47% | 37.53% | 20.74% |
| 129 |  Tuvalu's wealth gap |
11.47% | 37.53% | 20.74% |
| 130 |  Tonga |
11.47% | 37.53% | 20.74% |
| 131 |  Fiji's income inequality |
11.47% | 37.53% | 20.74% |
| 132 |  Marshall Islands's wealth gap |
11.47% | 37.53% | 20.74% |
| 133 |  Kiribati's income inequality |
11.47% | 37.53% | 20.74% |
| 134 |  Nauru's income inequality |
11.47% | 37.53% | 20.74% |
| 135 | Belarus's income inequality |
11.43% | 33.55% | 21.94% |
| 136 |  Spain |
11.38% | 35.24% | 19.59% |
| 137 |  Sudan's income inequality |
11.30% | 42.51% | 15.54% |
| 138 |  South Africa's wealth gap |
11.28% | 47.39% | 13.37% |
| 139 |  Cyprus's income inequality |
11.24% | 36.43% | 18.62% |
| 140 |  Serbia's income inequality |
10.99% | 32.40% | 20.35% |
| 141 | income distribution in Sweden |
10.90% | 30.58% | 24.84% |
| 142 |  Kazakhstan's income inequality |
10.39% | 36.21% | 18.92% |
| 143 | Singapore's income inequality |
10.22% | 33.60% | 22.03% |
| 144 |  Liechtenstein |
10.07% | 34.16% | 19.39% |
| 145 |  Monaco's wealth gap |
10.07% | 34.16% | 19.39% |
| 146 |  Andorra |
10.07% | 34.16% | 19.39% |
| 147 |  San Marino |
10.07% | 34.16% | 19.39% |
| 148 |  United Kingdom |
9.96% | 34.35% | 19.23% |
| 149 |  income distribution in Japan |
9.88% | 36.35% | 20.18% |
| 150 | Switzerland's wealth gap |
9.84% | 29.83% | 24.02% |
| 151 |  income distribution in Ireland |
9.82% | 33.25% | 20.82% |
| 152 | Poland's wealth gap |
9.72% | 28.88% | 24.07% |
| 153 |  Portugal's income inequality |
9.67% | 36.33% | 17.70% |
| 154 |  Greece |
9.63% | 35.07% | 17.16% |
| 155 |  income distribution in Canada |
9.61% | 32.68% | 18.21% |
| 156 |  China's income inequality |
9.58% | 34.46% | 17.80% |
| 157 |  Moldova |
9.56% | 35.09% | 17.15% |
| 158 |  Macao's income inequality |
9.54% | 34.33% | 18.11% |
| 159 | income distribution in Tajikistan |
9.49% | 30.23% | 23.94% |
| 160 | income distribution in Denmark |
9.38% | 28.33% | 24.75% |
| 161 |  Lithuania |
9.33% | 35.95% | 17.57% |
| 162 | Austria's income inequality |
9.17% | 31.30% | 23.22% |
| 163 |  France's income inequality |
9.13% | 31.20% | 21.28% |
| 164 |  Sao Tome and Principe's income inequality |
9.13% | 39.69% | 16.84% |
| 165 | Romania's wealth gap |
9.05% | 31.51% | 23.04% |
| 166 | income distribution in Malta |
8.98% | 30.93% | 21.86% |
| 167 | income distribution in Germany |
8.92% | 29.97% | 22.90% |
| 168 | Norway |
8.58% | 27.50% | 26.32% |
| 169 |  Kosovo's income inequality |
8.55% | 33.75% | 17.44% |
| 170 |  income distribution in Latvia |
8.23% | 32.82% | 19.78% |
| 171 |  Belgium's wealth gap |
8.19% | 32.97% | 20.94% |
| 172 |  income distribution in Bosnia and Herzegovina |
8.10% | 30.25% | 21.17% |
| 173 |  Montenegro's income inequality |
8.02% | 30.08% | 21.27% |
| 174 |  income distribution in North Macedonia |
7.88% | 30.63% | 18.87% |
| 175 |  Albania's income inequality |
7.81% | 32.07% | 19.05% |
| 176 | income distribution in Iceland |
7.71% | 30.20% | 22.39% |
| 177 |  Australia |
7.59% | 30.34% | 18.56% |
| 178 | Finland's wealth gap |
7.17% | 28.25% | 23.89% |
| 179 | Hungary's wealth gap |
6.98% | 26.55% | 26.93% |
| 180 |  Croatia's income inequality |
6.72% | 32.04% | 19.67% |
| 181 | Italy's income inequality |
6.72% | 27.98% | 23.05% |
| 182 | Slovakia |
6.29% | 25.04% | 26.22% |
| 183 | Slovenia's wealth gap |
5.94% | 26.11% | 25.15% |
| 184 | Netherlands |
5.81% | 27.37% | 24.12% |
Last updated: April 8, 2026
Data source: World Inequality Database (WID). This dataset covers income distribution metrics for 199 countries from 1980 to 2024.