In 1995, 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 16.68%.
Countries With the Highest Income Inequality in 1995
The following table ranks countries by their top 1% income share in 1995, showing where wealth concentration is most pronounced.
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Malawi's income inequality |
64.09% | 80.29% | 5.20% |
| 2 |  income distribution in Maldives |
35.61% | 57.72% | 11.37% |
| 3 |  Botswana's income inequality |
35.02% | 68.62% | 6.16% |
| 4 |  Namibia's income inequality |
31.90% | 74.95% | 3.72% |
| 5 |  Chile's wealth gap |
30.23% | 62.73% | 7.52% |
| 6 |  Ethiopia |
29.69% | 58.32% | 11.36% |
| 7 |  Eritrea |
29.69% | 58.32% | 11.36% |
| 8 |  income distribution in Comoros |
29.13% | 66.96% | 7.73% |
| 9 |  Colombia's income inequality |
28.83% | 63.97% | 6.35% |
| 10 |  Brazil |
27.24% | 58.61% | 9.12% |
| 11 |  income distribution in Cambodia |
26.79% | 55.74% | 8.78% |
| 12 |  Myanmar's wealth gap |
26.49% | 51.12% | 12.71% |
| 13 |  Peru's income inequality |
25.18% | 55.70% | 8.47% |
| 14 |  income distribution in Iraq |
24.41% | 55.33% | 11.83% |
| 15 |  income distribution in Rwanda |
24.11% | 59.84% | 10.13% |
| 16 |  Mozambique's wealth gap |
24.09% | 61.97% | 8.37% |
| 17 |  Central African Republic's income inequality |
23.72% | 64.40% | 6.05% |
| 18 |  income distribution in Somalia |
23.32% | 54.70% | 11.81% |
| 19 |  Saudi Arabia's income inequality |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
| 20 |  Qatar's income inequality |
22.95% | 55.46% | 9.50% |
Countries With the Most Equal Income Distribution in 1995
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 |
7.29% | 25.81% | 28.04% |
| 2 |  Norway |
8.56% | 27.51% | 26.35% |
| 3 |  Slovakia |
5.95% | 25.16% | 25.84% |
| 4 |  Denmark's wealth gap |
9.52% | 28.45% | 24.82% |
| 5 |  income distribution in Sweden |
11.75% | 31.49% | 24.79% |
| 6 |  income distribution in Netherlands |
5.91% | 27.62% | 24.27% |
| 7 |  income distribution in Switzerland |
9.93% | 29.83% | 24.19% |
| 8 |  Finland's wealth gap |
8.96% | 29.87% | 23.55% |
| 9 |  Slovenia's income inequality |
6.45% | 28.02% | 23.26% |
| 10 |  Poland |
10.98% | 30.98% | 23.14% |
| 11 |  income distribution in Germany |
8.78% | 29.79% | 23.09% |
| 12 |  Austria's wealth gap |
9.08% | 31.17% | 22.99% |
| 13 |  Tajikistan's wealth gap |
10.01% | 31.80% | 22.82% |
| 14 |  Italy's wealth gap |
7.27% | 28.85% | 22.59% |
| 15 |  Iceland's wealth gap |
7.70% | 30.19% | 22.50% |
| 16 |  Singapore's income inequality |
10.04% | 33.45% | 22.05% |
| 17 |  Malta's wealth gap |
9.18% | 31.11% | 21.80% |
| 18 |  France's wealth gap |
9.29% | 31.32% | 21.31% |
| 19 |  Montenegro's wealth gap |
8.51% | 30.69% | 21.07% |
| 20 |  Luxembourg |
13.65% | 35.94% | 21.06% |
Global Income Inequality Overview for 1995
- Countries with data: 184
- Average top 1% income share: 16.68%
- Average bottom 50% income share: 14.53%
- Highest top 1% share: Malawi (64.09%)
- Lowest top 1% share: Netherlands (5.91%)
Complete Country Rankings for 1995
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | income distribution in Malawi |
64.09% | 80.29% | 5.20% |
| 2 | Maldives's income inequality |
35.61% | 57.72% | 11.37% |
| 3 | Botswana's wealth gap |
35.02% | 68.62% | 6.16% |
| 4 | Namibia |
31.90% | 74.95% | 3.72% |
| 5 | Chile |
30.23% | 62.73% | 7.52% |
| 6 | Ethiopia's income inequality |
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 | Colombia's income inequality |
28.83% | 63.97% | 6.35% |
| 10 | Brazil's income inequality |
27.24% | 58.61% | 9.12% |
| 11 | Cambodia's wealth gap |
26.79% | 55.74% | 8.78% |
| 12 | 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 | Rwanda |
24.11% | 59.84% | 10.13% |
| 16 | Mozambique's wealth gap |
24.09% | 61.97% | 8.37% |
| 17 | Central African Republic's income inequality |
23.72% | 64.40% | 6.05% |
| 18 | Somalia's wealth gap |
23.32% | 54.70% | 11.81% |
| 19 | income distribution in Saudi Arabia |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
| 20 | Qatar's wealth gap |
22.95% | 55.46% | 9.50% |
| 21 |  Ecuador's income inequality |
22.86% | 54.43% | 8.90% |
| 22 |  Dominican Republic's income inequality |
22.79% | 54.43% | 8.36% |
| 23 |  Thailand |
22.71% | 55.57% | 10.20% |
| 24 |  Yemen's wealth gap |
22.70% | 56.68% | 9.99% |
| 25 |  Burkina Faso |
22.63% | 58.97% | 10.00% |
| 26 |  Dominica's wealth gap |
22.52% | 55.40% | 8.04% |
| 27 |  Grenada |
22.52% | 55.40% | 8.04% |
| 28 |  Antigua and Barbuda |
22.52% | 55.40% | 8.04% |
| 29 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis |
22.52% | 55.40% | 8.04% |
| 30 |  Saint Lucia's wealth gap |
22.52% | 55.40% | 8.04% |
| 31 |  Barbados's income inequality |
22.52% | 55.40% | 8.04% |
| 32 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines's wealth gap |
22.52% | 55.40% | 8.04% |
| 33 |  Panama's wealth gap |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 34 |  Venezuela's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 35 |  Paraguay |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 36 |  Guatemala |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 37 |  Guyana's wealth gap |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 38 |  Haiti's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 39 |  Honduras's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 40 |  Jamaica's wealth gap |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 41 |  income distribution in Nicaragua |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 42 |  Bolivia |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 43 |  Belize's wealth gap |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 44 |  Trinidad and Tobago |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 45 |  Bahamas's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 46 |  Suriname |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 47 |  Bahrain |
22.21% | 56.52% | 10.89% |
| 48 |  Angola's wealth gap |
22.00% | 58.03% | 9.15% |
| 49 |  Tunisia's wealth gap |
21.90% | 57.53% | 11.12% |
| 50 |  Lesotho |
21.90% | 63.21% | 5.51% |
| 51 |  Turkey's income inequality |
21.88% | 55.40% | 12.22% |
| 52 |  Seychelles |
21.80% | 52.63% | 12.28% |
| 53 |  Philippines |
21.45% | 51.59% | 11.60% |
| 54 |  income distribution in Madagascar |
21.16% | 51.76% | 12.54% |
| 55 |  Kuwait |
21.10% | 54.68% | 11.06% |
| 56 |  Mali's income inequality |
20.52% | 56.87% | 9.87% |
| 57 |  Lebanon |
20.41% | 51.11% | 12.18% |
| 58 |  Palestine |
20.18% | 53.50% | 11.75% |
| 59 |  Costa Rica |
20.15% | 51.77% | 9.71% |
| 60 |  income distribution in Iran |
20.06% | 53.52% | 12.92% |
| 61 |  United Arab Emirates's income inequality |
20.02% | 55.77% | 10.08% |
| 62 |  Oman |
19.93% | 56.27% | 9.06% |
| 63 |  Malaysia's wealth gap |
19.66% | 47.08% | 13.71% |
| 64 |  El Salvador's wealth gap |
19.23% | 50.85% | 7.08% |
| 65 |  Indonesia |
19.02% | 47.71% | 13.21% |
| 66 |  Uruguay's income inequality |
19.01% | 48.42% | 13.61% |
| 67 |  Kenya's wealth gap |
19.00% | 52.29% | 11.99% |
| 68 |  Jordan |
18.92% | 49.78% | 13.74% |
| 69 |  Cuba's wealth gap |
18.91% | 51.14% | 10.23% |
| 70 |  Israel's income inequality |
18.88% | 50.47% | 13.05% |
| 71 |  Guinea's income inequality |
18.72% | 53.68% | 10.94% |
| 72 |  Gambia's wealth gap |
18.57% | 55.26% | 10.21% |
| 73 |  income distribution in Congo |
18.57% | 54.53% | 10.39% |
| 74 |  Cameroon's income inequality |
18.49% | 54.31% | 11.51% |
| 75 |  Guinea-Bissau's wealth gap |
18.45% | 50.83% | 12.52% |
| 76 |  Zambia's income inequality |
18.24% | 55.33% | 9.54% |
| 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 |  Nepal's income inequality |
17.95% | 45.93% | 15.38% |
| 80 |  Niger's income inequality |
17.42% | 50.48% | 12.70% |
| 81 |  Senegal's income inequality |
17.16% | 49.74% | 13.36% |
| 82 |  income distribution in Gabon |
17.14% | 50.78% | 12.51% |
| 83 |  Egypt |
17.09% | 46.81% | 17.57% |
| 84 |  Armenia's wealth gap |
17.03% | 42.91% | 16.07% |
| 85 |  income distribution in Bangladesh |
16.71% | 44.88% | 16.25% |
| 86 |  Georgia's wealth gap |
16.68% | 41.49% | 16.89% |
| 87 |  Uganda's wealth gap |
16.55% | 49.68% | 13.46% |
| 88 |  Pakistan's wealth gap |
16.40% | 42.35% | 17.62% |
| 89 |  income distribution in Benin |
16.35% | 48.83% | 13.88% |
| 90 |  Afghanistan |
16.22% | 41.94% | 17.17% |
| 91 |  income distribution in Sri Lanka |
16.16% | 45.30% | 15.23% |
| 92 |  Zimbabwe |
15.93% | 51.37% | 11.88% |
| 93 |  Azerbaijan |
15.89% | 42.87% | 14.82% |
| 94 |  Estonia's income inequality |
15.84% | 42.10% | 14.80% |
| 95 |  Algeria |
15.72% | 46.60% | 15.08% |
| 96 |  Ukraine's wealth gap |
15.70% | 42.49% | 16.54% |
| 97 |  Djibouti's income inequality |
15.41% | 47.90% | 13.47% |
| 98 |  Libya's wealth gap |
15.14% | 46.55% | 15.04% |
| 99 |  Argentina's wealth gap |
14.86% | 50.57% | 8.17% |
| 100 |  Mongolia's wealth gap |
14.84% | 42.51% | 13.90% |
| 101 |  Hong Kong's wealth gap |
14.69% | 42.51% | 16.72% |
| 102 |  Chad |
14.49% | 47.74% | 13.32% |
| 103 |  income distribution in Burundi |
14.30% | 46.64% | 14.50% |
| 104 |  Turkmenistan's wealth gap |
14.30% | 38.98% | 18.83% |
| 105 |  South Sudan's wealth gap |
14.21% | 49.39% | 10.97% |
| 106 |  Togo's wealth gap |
14.06% | 49.59% | 12.35% |
| 107 |  income distribution in Bulgaria |
13.81% | 40.52% | 17.78% |
| 108 |  Mauritius's income inequality |
13.75% | 45.78% | 15.20% |
| 109 |  income distribution in Uzbekistan |
13.71% | 39.21% | 18.01% |
| 110 | Luxembourg |
13.65% | 35.94% | 21.06% |
| 111 |  Morocco's income inequality |
13.43% | 48.20% | 14.39% |
| 112 |  India's income inequality |
13.35% | 39.28% | 18.90% |
| 113 |  Sierra Leone's income inequality |
12.89% | 48.98% | 13.31% |
| 114 |  Ghana |
12.87% | 46.28% | 13.70% |
| 115 |  income distribution in Romania |
12.79% | 37.01% | 19.58% |
| 116 |  Liberia's wealth gap |
12.70% | 44.69% | 15.39% |
| 117 |  income distribution in North Korea |
12.58% | 39.91% | 16.84% |
| 118 |  Kyrgyzstan's income inequality |
12.53% | 36.06% | 20.69% |
| 119 |  Mauritania's income inequality |
12.53% | 44.95% | 14.53% |
| 120 |  Mexico's wealth gap |
12.45% | 54.45% | 6.29% |
| 121 |  New Zealand's income inequality |
12.43% | 37.82% | 13.88% |
| 122 |  Belarus |
12.40% | 34.62% | 20.65% |
| 123 |  Taiwan's income inequality |
12.12% | 38.74% | 15.21% |
| 124 |  Tanzania |
12.06% | 44.15% | 15.27% |
| 125 |  Equatorial Guinea's income inequality |
12.01% | 45.33% | 13.94% |
| 126 |  income distribution in South Africa |
11.99% | 48.43% | 12.84% |
| 127 |  Nigeria |
11.89% | 46.64% | 12.07% |
| 128 | income distribution in Sweden |
11.75% | 31.49% | 24.79% |
| 129 |  income distribution in Tuvalu |
11.72% | 37.81% | 20.74% |
| 130 |  income distribution in Samoa |
11.72% | 37.81% | 20.74% |
| 131 |  Tonga's wealth gap |
11.72% | 37.81% | 20.74% |
| 132 |  Vanuatu's income inequality |
11.72% | 37.81% | 20.74% |
| 133 |  Solomon Islands's wealth gap |
11.72% | 37.81% | 20.74% |
| 134 |  Nauru's wealth gap |
11.72% | 37.81% | 20.74% |
| 135 |  Fiji |
11.72% | 37.81% | 20.74% |
| 136 |  Marshall Islands's income inequality |
11.72% | 37.81% | 20.74% |
| 137 |  Kiribati |
11.72% | 37.81% | 20.74% |
| 138 |  income distribution in Palau |
11.72% | 37.81% | 20.74% |
| 139 |  income distribution in Spain |
11.67% | 35.52% | 19.31% |
| 140 |  Serbia's wealth gap |
11.43% | 32.85% | 20.14% |
| 141 |  income distribution in Kazakhstan |
11.40% | 38.61% | 17.20% |
| 142 |  Cyprus |
11.38% | 36.39% | 18.68% |
| 143 |  Sudan's income inequality |
11.30% | 42.51% | 15.54% |
| 144 | income distribution in Poland |
10.98% | 30.98% | 23.14% |
| 145 |  Japan's wealth gap |
10.26% | 37.34% | 19.59% |
| 146 |  Ireland |
10.12% | 33.15% | 21.01% |
| 147 |  income distribution in United Kingdom |
10.12% | 34.49% | 18.71% |
| 148 | Singapore |
10.04% | 33.45% | 22.05% |
| 149 | Tajikistan |
10.01% | 31.80% | 22.82% |
| 150 |  Moldova |
9.97% | 35.96% | 16.54% |
| 151 | Switzerland's income inequality |
9.93% | 29.83% | 24.19% |
| 152 |  Canada's income inequality |
9.88% | 33.17% | 17.71% |
| 153 |  Latvia's wealth gap |
9.86% | 33.59% | 19.61% |
| 154 |  Portugal |
9.85% | 36.67% | 17.94% |
| 155 |  income distribution in San Marino |
9.75% | 33.86% | 19.56% |
| 156 |  Andorra |
9.75% | 33.86% | 19.56% |
| 157 |  Monaco |
9.75% | 33.86% | 19.56% |
| 158 |  Liechtenstein |
9.75% | 33.86% | 19.56% |
| 159 |  Greece |
9.70% | 35.35% | 17.12% |
| 160 | Denmark's income inequality |
9.52% | 28.45% | 24.82% |
| 161 |  China's income inequality |
9.42% | 34.03% | 18.17% |
| 162 |  Macao |
9.38% | 33.90% | 18.49% |
| 163 | France |
9.29% | 31.32% | 21.31% |
| 164 | income distribution in Malta |
9.18% | 31.11% | 21.80% |
| 165 |  Sao Tome and Principe |
9.13% | 39.69% | 16.84% |
| 166 | income distribution in Austria |
9.08% | 31.17% | 22.99% |
| 167 |  Lithuania |
9.01% | 35.01% | 18.48% |
| 168 | income distribution in Finland |
8.96% | 29.87% | 23.55% |
| 169 | Germany's wealth gap |
8.78% | 29.79% | 23.09% |
| 170 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
8.64% | 31.06% | 20.68% |
| 171 | income distribution in Norway |
8.56% | 27.51% | 26.35% |
| 172 |  Kosovo's income inequality |
8.55% | 33.75% | 17.44% |
| 173 | income distribution in Montenegro |
8.51% | 30.69% | 21.07% |
| 174 |  income distribution in North Macedonia |
8.35% | 31.65% | 17.78% |
| 175 |  income distribution in Albania |
8.14% | 32.55% | 18.91% |
| 176 |  income distribution in Belgium |
8.05% | 32.47% | 20.78% |
| 177 |  Australia |
7.88% | 30.87% | 18.47% |
| 178 | income distribution in Iceland |
7.70% | 30.19% | 22.50% |
| 179 | income distribution in Hungary |
7.29% | 25.81% | 28.04% |
| 180 | Italy's income inequality |
7.27% | 28.85% | 22.59% |
| 181 |  income distribution in Croatia |
7.22% | 32.65% | 19.59% |
| 182 | Slovenia's wealth gap |
6.45% | 28.02% | 23.26% |
| 183 | Slovakia's wealth gap |
5.95% | 25.16% | 25.84% |
| 184 | Netherlands's wealth gap |
5.91% | 27.62% | 24.27% |
Last updated: April 8, 2026
Data source: World Inequality Database (WID). This dataset covers income distribution metrics for 199 countries from 1980 to 2024.