In 2000, 184 countries reported income inequality data. The highest top 1% income concentration was in Malawi at 44.92%. The global average top 1% income share was 16.72%.
Countries With the Highest Income Inequality in 2000
The following table ranks countries by their top 1% income share in 2000, showing where wealth concentration is most pronounced.
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Malawi |
44.92% | 67.95% | 8.63% |
| 2 |  income distribution in Maldives |
35.61% | 57.72% | 11.37% |
| 3 |  income distribution in Chile |
30.23% | 62.73% | 7.52% |
| 4 |  income distribution in Comoros |
29.13% | 66.96% | 7.73% |
| 5 |  Colombia's income inequality |
28.83% | 63.97% | 6.35% |
| 6 |  Namibia's wealth gap |
28.76% | 72.83% | 4.85% |
| 7 |  Botswana |
28.32% | 67.39% | 5.90% |
| 8 |  Brazil's income inequality |
27.24% | 58.61% | 9.12% |
| 9 |  Cambodia's income inequality |
26.79% | 55.74% | 8.78% |
| 10 |  Central African Republic |
26.52% | 64.59% | 6.66% |
| 11 |  Myanmar |
26.49% | 51.12% | 12.71% |
| 12 |  Peru |
25.18% | 55.70% | 8.47% |
| 13 |  Mozambique's wealth gap |
25.06% | 59.76% | 9.91% |
| 14 |  income distribution in Yemen |
24.62% | 57.93% | 9.77% |
| 15 |  Iraq's wealth gap |
24.41% | 55.33% | 11.83% |
| 16 |  Rwanda |
24.11% | 59.84% | 10.13% |
| 17 |  income distribution in Bahrain |
23.18% | 58.04% | 10.16% |
| 18 |  Saudi Arabia's income inequality |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
| 19 |  income distribution in Qatar |
22.95% | 55.46% | 9.50% |
| 20 |  Ecuador's income inequality |
22.86% | 54.43% | 8.90% |
Countries With the Most Equal Income Distribution in 2000
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 |
9.23% | 28.87% | 26.44% |
| 2 |  Sweden |
10.30% | 31.08% | 25.29% |
| 3 |  Netherlands |
6.28% | 27.84% | 24.61% |
| 4 |  Slovakia's wealth gap |
7.43% | 27.89% | 24.37% |
| 5 |  Norway's income inequality |
12.77% | 32.65% | 24.06% |
| 6 |  income distribution in Denmark |
11.85% | 31.39% | 23.51% |
| 7 |  Slovenia |
7.26% | 29.00% | 23.21% |
| 8 |  Austria's income inequality |
9.69% | 32.24% | 22.91% |
| 9 |  Switzerland |
11.47% | 32.42% | 22.84% |
| 10 |  Ukraine |
9.25% | 32.38% | 22.55% |
| 11 |  Finland |
13.48% | 34.60% | 22.47% |
| 12 |  Malta's income inequality |
8.75% | 30.72% | 21.90% |
| 13 |  Iceland's wealth gap |
8.47% | 30.64% | 21.85% |
| 14 |  Poland's income inequality |
10.43% | 33.26% | 21.77% |
| 15 |  income distribution in Germany |
10.49% | 32.29% | 21.62% |
| 16 |  Italy's wealth gap |
8.24% | 30.92% | 21.23% |
| 17 |  Solomon Islands's income inequality |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 18 |  Vanuatu's income inequality |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 19 |  Fiji's wealth gap |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 20 |  Samoa |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
Global Income Inequality Overview for 2000
- Countries with data: 184
- Average top 1% income share: 16.72%
- Average bottom 50% income share: 14.37%
- Highest top 1% share: Malawi (44.92%)
- Lowest top 1% share: Netherlands (6.28%)
Complete Country Rankings for 2000
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | income distribution in Malawi |
44.92% | 67.95% | 8.63% |
| 2 | income distribution in Maldives |
35.61% | 57.72% | 11.37% |
| 3 | Chile |
30.23% | 62.73% | 7.52% |
| 4 | Comoros's wealth gap |
29.13% | 66.96% | 7.73% |
| 5 | income distribution in Colombia |
28.83% | 63.97% | 6.35% |
| 6 | income distribution in Namibia |
28.76% | 72.83% | 4.85% |
| 7 | income distribution in Botswana |
28.32% | 67.39% | 5.90% |
| 8 | Brazil's wealth gap |
27.24% | 58.61% | 9.12% |
| 9 | Cambodia's income inequality |
26.79% | 55.74% | 8.78% |
| 10 | Central African Republic's income inequality |
26.52% | 64.59% | 6.66% |
| 11 | Myanmar's wealth gap |
26.49% | 51.12% | 12.71% |
| 12 | Peru |
25.18% | 55.70% | 8.47% |
| 13 | income distribution in Mozambique |
25.06% | 59.76% | 9.91% |
| 14 | Yemen's wealth gap |
24.62% | 57.93% | 9.77% |
| 15 | Iraq's income inequality |
24.41% | 55.33% | 11.83% |
| 16 | income distribution in Rwanda |
24.11% | 59.84% | 10.13% |
| 17 | Bahrain |
23.18% | 58.04% | 10.16% |
| 18 | Saudi Arabia |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
| 19 | Qatar's wealth gap |
22.95% | 55.46% | 9.50% |
| 20 | Ecuador's income inequality |
22.86% | 54.43% | 8.90% |
| 21 |  income distribution in Burkina Faso |
22.79% | 57.76% | 10.61% |
| 22 |  Dominican Republic |
22.79% | 54.43% | 8.36% |
| 23 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines's income inequality |
22.47% | 54.94% | 8.21% |
| 24 |  income distribution in Antigua and Barbuda |
22.47% | 54.94% | 8.21% |
| 25 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis's wealth gap |
22.47% | 54.94% | 8.21% |
| 26 |  income distribution in Grenada |
22.47% | 54.94% | 8.21% |
| 27 |  Dominica's income inequality |
22.47% | 54.94% | 8.21% |
| 28 |  Barbados's wealth gap |
22.47% | 54.94% | 8.21% |
| 29 |  Saint Lucia's income inequality |
22.47% | 54.94% | 8.21% |
| 30 |  Turkey's wealth gap |
22.33% | 55.70% | 12.36% |
| 31 |  income distribution in Guyana |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 32 |  Honduras's wealth gap |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 33 |  income distribution in Paraguay |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 34 |  Nicaragua's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 35 |  income distribution in Panama |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 36 |  income distribution in Guatemala |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 37 |  income distribution in Haiti |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 38 |  income distribution in Jamaica |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 39 |  Venezuela's wealth gap |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 40 |  income distribution in Suriname |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 41 |  Trinidad and Tobago's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 42 |  Bolivia |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 43 |  Bahamas's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 44 |  Belize's income inequality |
22.27% | 55.41% | 8.39% |
| 45 |  Angola |
22.00% | 58.03% | 9.15% |
| 46 |  Tunisia |
21.90% | 57.53% | 11.12% |
| 47 |  Thailand's income inequality |
21.66% | 54.71% | 10.12% |
| 48 |  income distribution in Philippines |
21.64% | 51.54% | 11.74% |
| 49 |  Seychelles's income inequality |
21.63% | 52.55% | 12.25% |
| 50 |  Kuwait's income inequality |
21.10% | 54.68% | 11.06% |
| 51 |  Niger's income inequality |
20.61% | 52.87% | 12.10% |
| 52 |  Uganda's income inequality |
20.46% | 54.27% | 11.88% |
| 53 |  Lebanon's wealth gap |
20.41% | 51.11% | 12.18% |
| 54 |  Iran's wealth gap |
20.36% | 55.08% | 11.68% |
| 55 |  Costa Rica |
20.15% | 51.77% | 9.71% |
| 56 |  Kenya's income inequality |
19.96% | 54.76% | 11.12% |
| 57 |  Georgia's wealth gap |
19.94% | 47.36% | 13.32% |
| 58 |  income distribution in Oman |
19.93% | 56.27% | 9.06% |
| 59 |  Zambia's income inequality |
19.88% | 54.00% | 11.12% |
| 60 |  Egypt's income inequality |
19.81% | 51.53% | 14.78% |
| 61 |  income distribution in Palestine |
19.79% | 53.80% | 11.51% |
| 62 |  United Arab Emirates's income inequality |
19.74% | 56.00% | 9.93% |
| 63 |  income distribution in Sri Lanka |
19.60% | 49.26% | 13.34% |
| 64 |  income distribution in Lesotho |
19.49% | 57.49% | 8.07% |
| 65 |  income distribution in Gambia |
19.39% | 55.07% | 10.30% |
| 66 |  Israel's income inequality |
19.26% | 51.09% | 12.64% |
| 67 |  El Salvador's income inequality |
19.23% | 50.85% | 7.08% |
| 68 |  Malaysia |
19.20% | 45.90% | 14.23% |
| 69 |  Cameroon |
19.02% | 52.29% | 12.20% |
| 70 |  Uruguay's income inequality |
19.01% | 48.42% | 13.61% |
| 71 |  Cuba's wealth gap |
18.91% | 51.14% | 10.23% |
| 72 |  income distribution in Senegal |
18.77% | 51.47% | 12.76% |
| 73 |  Guinea's income inequality |
18.61% | 52.44% | 11.73% |
| 74 |  income distribution in Congo |
18.57% | 54.53% | 10.39% |
| 75 |  Turkmenistan |
18.50% | 48.07% | 13.00% |
| 76 |  income distribution in Somalia |
18.13% | 50.26% | 13.52% |
| 77 |  income distribution in Bhutan |
18.08% | 49.19% | 12.25% |
| 78 |  Jordan's income inequality |
18.02% | 49.19% | 14.17% |
| 79 |  income distribution in Pakistan |
17.69% | 44.52% | 16.50% |
| 80 |  Papua New Guinea's wealth gap |
17.54% | 49.15% | 11.49% |
| 81 |  Luxembourg's wealth gap |
17.21% | 40.31% | 18.82% |
| 82 |  Uzbekistan's wealth gap |
17.20% | 45.50% | 14.50% |
| 83 |  Gabon's income inequality |
17.14% | 50.78% | 12.51% |
| 84 |  Nepal's wealth gap |
16.37% | 44.26% | 15.84% |
| 85 |  Benin's wealth gap |
16.35% | 48.83% | 13.88% |
| 86 |  Burundi |
16.34% | 49.11% | 13.54% |
| 87 |  Bangladesh |
16.23% | 44.49% | 15.85% |
| 88 |  income distribution in Afghanistan |
16.22% | 41.94% | 17.17% |
| 89 |  income distribution in Azerbaijan |
16.09% | 43.65% | 15.39% |
| 90 |  Hong Kong's wealth gap |
15.97% | 43.80% | 15.56% |
| 91 |  Zimbabwe's income inequality |
15.93% | 51.37% | 11.88% |
| 92 |  Armenia's wealth gap |
15.89% | 43.09% | 16.48% |
| 93 |  Algeria's income inequality |
15.72% | 46.60% | 15.08% |
| 94 |  India's wealth gap |
15.51% | 40.90% | 18.54% |
| 95 |  Mongolia |
15.50% | 42.29% | 14.41% |
| 96 |  Libya's wealth gap |
15.49% | 46.89% | 14.94% |
| 97 |  South Africa's wealth gap |
15.46% | 53.58% | 10.25% |
| 98 |  income distribution in Guinea-Bissau |
15.42% | 46.60% | 14.50% |
| 99 |  Djibouti |
15.41% | 47.90% | 13.47% |
| 100 |  Estonia's income inequality |
15.14% | 42.15% | 15.19% |
| 101 |  Mali's wealth gap |
14.93% | 48.44% | 12.72% |
| 102 |  income distribution in Argentina |
14.86% | 50.57% | 8.17% |
| 103 |  Kazakhstan |
14.69% | 43.21% | 14.50% |
| 104 |  Taiwan's wealth gap |
14.61% | 41.81% | 13.06% |
| 105 |  income distribution in Chad |
14.49% | 47.74% | 13.32% |
| 106 |  Serbia |
14.45% | 38.72% | 17.08% |
| 107 |  South Sudan's wealth gap |
14.21% | 49.39% | 10.97% |
| 108 |  Togo's wealth gap |
14.06% | 49.59% | 12.35% |
| 109 |  Ethiopia's income inequality |
13.87% | 42.57% | 17.66% |
| 110 |  Eritrea's income inequality |
13.87% | 42.57% | 17.66% |
| 111 |  Madagascar |
13.83% | 49.43% | 12.13% |
| 112 |  Mauritius |
13.75% | 45.78% | 15.20% |
| 113 |  Indonesia's income inequality |
13.70% | 38.84% | 18.01% |
| 114 | Finland |
13.48% | 34.60% | 22.47% |
| 115 |  Singapore's wealth gap |
13.44% | 41.99% | 17.87% |
| 116 |  Morocco |
13.43% | 48.20% | 14.39% |
| 117 |  Ghana's wealth gap |
13.23% | 46.88% | 13.13% |
| 118 |  North Korea's wealth gap |
13.20% | 41.23% | 16.07% |
| 119 |  income distribution in Nigeria |
12.95% | 46.39% | 12.95% |
| 120 |  Sierra Leone's wealth gap |
12.89% | 48.98% | 13.31% |
| 121 | Solomon Islands's wealth gap |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 122 | Vanuatu's income inequality |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 123 | Fiji's income inequality |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 124 | income distribution in Samoa |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 125 |  Tonga's income inequality |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 126 |  Palau's income inequality |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 127 |  Tuvalu's wealth gap |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 128 |  Marshall Islands's wealth gap |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 129 |  Nauru's income inequality |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 130 |  Kiribati's income inequality |
12.82% | 39.07% | 20.72% |
| 131 | Norway's wealth gap |
12.77% | 32.65% | 24.06% |
| 132 |  Liberia's wealth gap |
12.70% | 44.69% | 15.39% |
| 133 |  income distribution in Canada |
12.69% | 36.48% | 17.02% |
| 134 |  Tanzania's income inequality |
12.69% | 45.42% | 14.65% |
| 135 |  income distribution in Tajikistan |
12.59% | 39.15% | 17.66% |
| 136 |  income distribution in Ireland |
12.58% | 36.47% | 20.64% |
| 137 |  Greece's wealth gap |
12.55% | 40.24% | 15.15% |
| 138 |  Mexico's wealth gap |
12.45% | 54.45% | 6.29% |
| 139 |  Belarus's wealth gap |
12.25% | 36.93% | 18.89% |
| 140 |  income distribution in Equatorial Guinea |
12.01% | 45.33% | 13.94% |
| 141 | Denmark's wealth gap |
11.85% | 31.39% | 23.51% |
| 142 |  Romania's income inequality |
11.76% | 36.22% | 19.78% |
| 143 |  United Kingdom |
11.73% | 35.97% | 18.75% |
| 144 |  New Zealand |
11.61% | 37.17% | 18.08% |
| 145 | Switzerland's wealth gap |
11.47% | 32.42% | 22.84% |
| 146 |  France's wealth gap |
11.33% | 33.59% | 20.54% |
| 147 |  Sudan's wealth gap |
11.30% | 42.51% | 15.54% |
| 148 |  Monaco's income inequality |
11.29% | 35.56% | 18.93% |
| 149 |  income distribution in Andorra |
11.29% | 35.56% | 18.93% |
| 150 |  San Marino's wealth gap |
11.29% | 35.56% | 18.93% |
| 151 |  Liechtenstein |
11.29% | 35.56% | 18.93% |
| 152 |  Japan's wealth gap |
11.15% | 40.22% | 18.00% |
| 153 |  Mauritania |
11.13% | 45.62% | 13.86% |
| 154 |  Spain |
11.01% | 34.24% | 20.24% |
| 155 |  Montenegro's wealth gap |
10.50% | 35.26% | 19.13% |
| 156 |  China's wealth gap |
10.50% | 36.00% | 17.07% |
| 157 | income distribution in Germany |
10.49% | 32.29% | 21.62% |
| 158 |  Macao's income inequality |
10.46% | 35.87% | 17.37% |
| 159 |  income distribution in Portugal |
10.45% | 37.45% | 18.60% |
| 160 | income distribution in Poland |
10.43% | 33.26% | 21.77% |
| 161 |  Latvia's income inequality |
10.37% | 36.61% | 17.60% |
| 162 | income distribution in Sweden |
10.30% | 31.08% | 25.29% |
| 163 |  Cyprus's wealth gap |
10.29% | 34.51% | 19.46% |
| 164 |  Bulgaria |
10.24% | 35.03% | 20.19% |
| 165 | Austria's income inequality |
9.69% | 32.24% | 22.91% |
| 166 |  Kyrgyzstan |
9.65% | 37.91% | 18.63% |
| 167 | income distribution in Ukraine |
9.25% | 32.38% | 22.55% |
| 168 | Hungary's income inequality |
9.23% | 28.87% | 26.44% |
| 169 |  Sao Tome and Principe |
9.13% | 39.69% | 16.84% |
| 170 |  Moldova's wealth gap |
9.00% | 35.23% | 16.26% |
| 171 |  Australia's wealth gap |
8.93% | 31.89% | 17.96% |
| 172 | income distribution in Malta |
8.75% | 30.72% | 21.90% |
| 173 |  income distribution in Bosnia and Herzegovina |
8.70% | 32.18% | 19.26% |
| 174 | income distribution in Iceland |
8.47% | 30.64% | 21.85% |
| 175 |  Kosovo |
8.38% | 33.56% | 17.51% |
| 176 |  Albania's income inequality |
8.33% | 32.90% | 18.49% |
| 177 | Italy's income inequality |
8.24% | 30.92% | 21.23% |
| 178 |  Lithuania's wealth gap |
8.20% | 33.38% | 19.38% |
| 179 |  Belgium |
8.19% | 32.60% | 20.00% |
| 180 |  North Macedonia's wealth gap |
7.91% | 30.17% | 17.96% |
| 181 | Slovakia |
7.43% | 27.89% | 24.37% |
| 182 | Slovenia's wealth gap |
7.26% | 29.00% | 23.21% |
| 183 |  Croatia |
7.16% | 32.43% | 19.16% |
| 184 | Netherlands |
6.28% | 27.84% | 24.61% |
Last updated: April 8, 2026
Data source: World Inequality Database (WID). This dataset covers income distribution metrics for 199 countries from 1980 to 2024.