In 2004, 184 countries reported income inequality data. The highest top 1% income concentration was in Peru at 34.11%. The global average top 1% income share was 17.14%.
Countries With the Highest Income Inequality in 2004
The following table ranks countries by their top 1% income share in 2004, showing where wealth concentration is most pronounced.
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Peru's wealth gap |
34.11% | 60.65% | 7.57% |
| 2 |  Maldives |
31.01% | 54.70% | 11.98% |
| 3 |  Chile's wealth gap |
29.80% | 61.63% | 7.92% |
| 4 |  income distribution in Comoros |
29.13% | 66.96% | 7.73% |
| 5 |  Central African Republic's wealth gap |
28.76% | 64.75% | 7.15% |
| 6 |  Yemen |
28.17% | 60.23% | 9.35% |
| 7 |  Brazil's income inequality |
28.11% | 58.18% | 9.56% |
| 8 |  Cambodia |
26.79% | 55.74% | 8.78% |
| 9 |  Namibia's income inequality |
26.78% | 71.16% | 5.62% |
| 10 |  Myanmar's wealth gap |
26.49% | 51.12% | 12.71% |
| 11 |  income distribution in Rwanda |
26.45% | 62.27% | 9.23% |
| 12 |  Botswana's wealth gap |
26.15% | 66.25% | 6.20% |
| 13 |  Colombia |
25.83% | 62.24% | 7.16% |
| 14 |  Mozambique's income inequality |
24.86% | 57.66% | 10.87% |
| 15 |  Iraq's wealth gap |
24.41% | 55.33% | 11.83% |
| 16 |  Haiti |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 17 |  Guyana |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 18 |  Panama |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 19 |  Jamaica's wealth gap |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 20 |  Guatemala |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
Countries With the Most Equal Income Distribution in 2004
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 |  income distribution in Hungary |
10.58% | 31.67% | 24.91% |
| 2 |  Sweden's income inequality |
11.40% | 31.84% | 24.86% |
| 3 |  income distribution in Denmark |
9.96% | 29.22% | 24.60% |
| 4 |  income distribution in Norway |
13.52% | 32.97% | 23.90% |
| 5 |  Netherlands |
7.02% | 29.40% | 23.66% |
| 6 |  Austria's wealth gap |
9.64% | 32.61% | 22.90% |
| 7 |  Finland's income inequality |
12.95% | 33.79% | 22.71% |
| 8 |  income distribution in Slovenia |
7.62% | 30.18% | 22.67% |
| 9 |  Switzerland's wealth gap |
11.94% | 33.03% | 22.41% |
| 10 |  Italy's income inequality |
8.19% | 30.75% | 22.34% |
| 11 |  Slovakia's income inequality |
10.19% | 31.16% | 22.33% |
| 12 |  Iceland |
9.33% | 30.90% | 22.30% |
| 13 |  Malta |
8.40% | 30.31% | 22.15% |
| 14 |  Belarus |
10.00% | 33.51% | 21.34% |
| 15 |  income distribution in Germany |
10.58% | 32.89% | 21.05% |
| 16 |  income distribution in Cyprus |
7.39% | 30.58% | 20.98% |
| 17 |  income distribution in Azerbaijan |
14.26% | 38.34% | 20.53% |
| 18 |  Spain's wealth gap |
10.98% | 34.03% | 20.45% |
| 19 |  New Zealand |
21.11% | 40.91% | 20.39% |
| 20 |  Belgium's wealth gap |
8.52% | 32.21% | 20.08% |
Global Income Inequality Overview for 2004
- Countries with data: 184
- Average top 1% income share: 17.14%
- Average bottom 50% income share: 14.25%
- Highest top 1% share: Peru (34.11%)
- Lowest top 1% share: Netherlands (7.02%)
Complete Country Rankings for 2004
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peru |
34.11% | 60.65% | 7.57% |
| 2 | income distribution in Maldives |
31.01% | 54.70% | 11.98% |
| 3 | Chile |
29.80% | 61.63% | 7.92% |
| 4 | Comoros |
29.13% | 66.96% | 7.73% |
| 5 | Central African Republic's income inequality |
28.76% | 64.75% | 7.15% |
| 6 | Yemen's income inequality |
28.17% | 60.23% | 9.35% |
| 7 | Brazil's income inequality |
28.11% | 58.18% | 9.56% |
| 8 | Cambodia's wealth gap |
26.79% | 55.74% | 8.78% |
| 9 | Namibia's income inequality |
26.78% | 71.16% | 5.62% |
| 10 | income distribution in Myanmar |
26.49% | 51.12% | 12.71% |
| 11 | Rwanda's income inequality |
26.45% | 62.27% | 9.23% |
| 12 | Botswana's income inequality |
26.15% | 66.25% | 6.20% |
| 13 | Colombia |
25.83% | 62.24% | 7.16% |
| 14 | income distribution in Mozambique |
24.86% | 57.66% | 10.87% |
| 15 | Iraq's wealth gap |
24.41% | 55.33% | 11.83% |
| 16 | Haiti |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 17 | Guyana's wealth gap |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 18 | income distribution in Panama |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 19 | Jamaica |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 20 | income distribution in Guatemala |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 21 |  income distribution in Paraguay |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 22 |  Suriname |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 23 |  income distribution in Trinidad and Tobago |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 24 |  Nicaragua's income inequality |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 25 |  Honduras's wealth gap |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 26 |  income distribution in Venezuela |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 27 |  Bolivia |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 28 |  Bahamas |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 29 |  income distribution in Belize |
24.14% | 55.88% | 8.72% |
| 30 |  Bahrain's wealth gap |
24.01% | 59.36% | 9.54% |
| 31 |  Saudi Arabia's wealth gap |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
| 32 |  Niger's wealth gap |
23.16% | 54.78% | 11.62% |
| 33 |  Thailand's wealth gap |
23.14% | 55.19% | 10.60% |
| 34 |  Zambia's wealth gap |
23.11% | 60.47% | 7.92% |
| 35 |  Qatar's wealth gap |
22.95% | 55.46% | 9.50% |
| 36 |  income distribution in Dominican Republic |
22.79% | 54.43% | 8.36% |
| 37 |  Ecuador's wealth gap |
22.70% | 51.88% | 9.69% |
| 38 |  Tunisia |
21.90% | 57.53% | 11.12% |
| 39 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis's wealth gap |
21.89% | 54.30% | 8.39% |
| 40 |  income distribution in Grenada |
21.89% | 54.30% | 8.39% |
| 41 |  Saint Lucia's income inequality |
21.89% | 54.30% | 8.39% |
| 42 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines's income inequality |
21.89% | 54.30% | 8.39% |
| 43 |  Antigua and Barbuda's income inequality |
21.89% | 54.30% | 8.39% |
| 44 |  income distribution in Dominica |
21.89% | 54.30% | 8.39% |
| 45 |  income distribution in Barbados |
21.89% | 54.30% | 8.39% |
| 46 |  Turkey's wealth gap |
21.34% | 53.33% | 13.30% |
| 47 |  Uruguay's wealth gap |
21.32% | 50.22% | 12.59% |
| 48 |  Kenya's income inequality |
21.17% | 55.04% | 10.93% |
| 49 | New Zealand |
21.11% | 40.91% | 20.39% |
| 50 |  income distribution in Kuwait |
21.10% | 54.68% | 11.06% |
| 51 |  Sri Lanka's wealth gap |
21.06% | 50.09% | 12.88% |
| 52 |  Seychelles's wealth gap |
20.95% | 52.24% | 12.17% |
| 53 |  income distribution in Gambia |
20.72% | 54.60% | 10.65% |
| 54 |  Palestine |
20.56% | 54.52% | 11.31% |
| 55 |  Lebanon |
20.41% | 51.11% | 12.18% |
| 56 |  Mexico's income inequality |
20.23% | 59.59% | 5.87% |
| 57 |  income distribution in Cuba |
20.19% | 50.53% | 10.85% |
| 58 |  Costa Rica |
20.15% | 51.77% | 9.71% |
| 59 |  Jordan |
20.10% | 51.39% | 13.26% |
| 60 |  El Salvador's wealth gap |
19.94% | 50.50% | 8.23% |
| 61 |  Oman's wealth gap |
19.93% | 56.27% | 9.06% |
| 62 |  income distribution in Hong Kong |
19.76% | 47.73% | 13.76% |
| 63 |  Israel |
19.58% | 51.92% | 11.95% |
| 64 |  income distribution in Uganda |
19.56% | 53.83% | 11.82% |
| 65 |  Malawi |
19.15% | 51.35% | 13.23% |
| 66 |  Egypt's wealth gap |
19.14% | 50.54% | 14.87% |
| 67 |  United Arab Emirates's income inequality |
19.09% | 56.55% | 9.56% |
| 68 |  Iran's income inequality |
18.97% | 53.46% | 11.93% |
| 69 |  income distribution in India |
18.81% | 45.38% | 16.90% |
| 70 |  Armenia's wealth gap |
18.80% | 45.67% | 16.14% |
| 71 |  Angola's income inequality |
18.66% | 53.69% | 10.69% |
| 72 |  Congo's income inequality |
18.57% | 54.53% | 10.39% |
| 73 |  Turkmenistan's income inequality |
18.37% | 47.96% | 13.12% |
| 74 |  Luxembourg's wealth gap |
18.10% | 41.92% | 18.43% |
| 75 |  Philippines's wealth gap |
18.10% | 49.22% | 12.10% |
| 76 |  Somalia |
18.07% | 50.24% | 13.53% |
| 77 |  Taiwan's income inequality |
18.01% | 46.09% | 11.23% |
| 78 |  income distribution in Lesotho |
17.98% | 54.44% | 9.39% |
| 79 |  Madagascar's wealth gap |
17.88% | 51.37% | 12.63% |
| 80 |  income distribution in Pakistan |
17.52% | 45.24% | 15.55% |
| 81 |  income distribution in South Africa |
17.44% | 57.37% | 10.46% |
| 82 |  income distribution in Cameroon |
17.41% | 51.05% | 12.16% |
| 83 |  Bhutan |
17.21% | 47.86% | 12.83% |
| 84 |  Georgia's wealth gap |
17.18% | 43.70% | 14.93% |
| 85 |  Gabon |
17.14% | 50.78% | 12.51% |
| 86 |  income distribution in Papua New Guinea |
17.05% | 47.96% | 12.08% |
| 87 |  Burkina Faso's wealth gap |
16.94% | 51.12% | 12.17% |
| 88 |  Malaysia |
16.91% | 44.99% | 14.34% |
| 89 |  Mongolia's income inequality |
16.75% | 44.48% | 13.43% |
| 90 |  Mauritania |
16.75% | 50.57% | 13.34% |
| 91 |  Bangladesh |
16.70% | 45.32% | 15.26% |
| 92 |  Uzbekistan's wealth gap |
16.58% | 45.47% | 14.67% |
| 93 |  Argentina |
16.53% | 49.50% | 10.28% |
| 94 |  income distribution in Guinea |
16.41% | 49.80% | 12.72% |
| 95 |  Afghanistan's wealth gap |
16.22% | 41.94% | 17.17% |
| 96 |  Benin's income inequality |
16.22% | 49.21% | 13.63% |
| 97 |  income distribution in Zimbabwe |
15.93% | 51.37% | 11.88% |
| 98 |  Djibouti's income inequality |
15.77% | 48.66% | 13.17% |
| 99 |  income distribution in Algeria |
15.72% | 46.60% | 15.08% |
| 100 |  Nepal's income inequality |
15.67% | 43.51% | 15.78% |
| 101 |  Libya's income inequality |
15.62% | 47.06% | 14.94% |
| 102 |  Estonia's wealth gap |
15.39% | 40.95% | 15.13% |
| 103 |  income distribution in Ghana |
15.31% | 49.24% | 12.58% |
| 104 |  Indonesia's income inequality |
15.17% | 41.21% | 16.49% |
| 105 |  Eritrea's income inequality |
15.13% | 43.05% | 17.52% |
| 106 |  Ethiopia's wealth gap |
15.13% | 43.05% | 17.52% |
| 107 |  Guinea-Bissau's wealth gap |
14.93% | 48.73% | 13.86% |
| 108 |  Senegal's income inequality |
14.90% | 48.03% | 13.47% |
| 109 |  North Korea's income inequality |
14.65% | 43.54% | 14.84% |
| 110 |  income distribution in Tanzania |
14.65% | 47.75% | 13.90% |
| 111 |  income distribution in Chad |
14.64% | 47.94% | 13.19% |
| 112 |  income distribution in Romania |
14.50% | 40.57% | 17.12% |
| 113 |  income distribution in Serbia |
14.36% | 38.00% | 16.63% |
| 114 |  Tuvalu's wealth gap |
14.29% | 42.46% | 18.98% |
| 115 |  income distribution in Palau |
14.29% | 42.46% | 18.98% |
| 116 |  Tonga's income inequality |
14.29% | 42.46% | 18.98% |
| 117 |  Marshall Islands's income inequality |
14.29% | 42.46% | 18.98% |
| 118 |  Vanuatu |
14.29% | 42.46% | 18.98% |
| 119 |  Solomon Islands's wealth gap |
14.29% | 42.46% | 18.98% |
| 120 |  Samoa's wealth gap |
14.29% | 42.46% | 18.98% |
| 121 |  income distribution in Kiribati |
14.29% | 42.46% | 18.98% |
| 122 |  Fiji's income inequality |
14.29% | 42.46% | 18.98% |
| 123 |  income distribution in Nauru |
14.29% | 42.46% | 18.98% |
| 124 | Azerbaijan's wealth gap |
14.26% | 38.34% | 20.53% |
| 125 |  South Sudan |
14.21% | 49.39% | 10.97% |
| 126 |  Togo's income inequality |
14.06% | 49.59% | 12.35% |
| 127 |  income distribution in Burundi |
14.04% | 46.48% | 14.99% |
| 128 |  China |
13.97% | 41.34% | 14.89% |
| 129 |  income distribution in Kyrgyzstan |
13.96% | 42.81% | 15.22% |
| 130 |  Macao |
13.93% | 41.21% | 15.15% |
| 131 |  Singapore |
13.81% | 42.50% | 18.08% |
| 132 |  Mauritius's wealth gap |
13.75% | 45.78% | 15.20% |
| 133 |  Canada's income inequality |
13.59% | 37.56% | 17.01% |
| 134 | Norway's wealth gap |
13.52% | 32.97% | 23.90% |
| 135 |  Morocco's wealth gap |
13.43% | 48.20% | 14.39% |
| 136 |  Tajikistan's income inequality |
13.33% | 42.15% | 15.99% |
| 137 |  Mali |
13.22% | 46.84% | 13.72% |
| 138 |  income distribution in Nigeria |
13.11% | 45.69% | 13.72% |
| 139 |  United Kingdom |
12.97% | 37.21% | 18.49% |
| 140 |  income distribution in Japan |
12.96% | 44.20% | 16.30% |
| 141 |  income distribution in Poland |
12.96% | 36.39% | 20.06% |
| 142 | Finland's income inequality |
12.95% | 33.79% | 22.71% |
| 143 |  Kazakhstan's income inequality |
12.88% | 39.76% | 17.54% |
| 144 |  Liberia's wealth gap |
12.70% | 44.69% | 15.39% |
| 145 |  Sierra Leone's wealth gap |
12.62% | 48.23% | 13.64% |
| 146 |  Ireland's wealth gap |
12.34% | 36.06% | 19.91% |
| 147 |  Equatorial Guinea's income inequality |
12.01% | 45.33% | 13.94% |
| 148 | Switzerland's income inequality |
11.94% | 33.03% | 22.41% |
| 149 |  France's income inequality |
11.71% | 34.31% | 19.94% |
| 150 |  income distribution in Ukraine |
11.71% | 35.93% | 19.92% |
| 151 |  Greece's income inequality |
11.46% | 37.12% | 17.73% |
| 152 | income distribution in Sweden |
11.40% | 31.84% | 24.86% |
| 153 |  Latvia |
11.31% | 38.66% | 17.00% |
| 154 |  Sudan's income inequality |
11.30% | 42.51% | 15.54% |
| 155 |  Andorra's wealth gap |
11.14% | 34.98% | 18.21% |
| 156 |  Monaco's income inequality |
11.14% | 34.98% | 18.21% |
| 157 |  San Marino's income inequality |
11.14% | 34.98% | 18.21% |
| 158 |  Liechtenstein |
11.14% | 34.98% | 18.21% |
| 159 |  Bulgaria's wealth gap |
11.04% | 35.79% | 19.37% |
| 160 | Spain's income inequality |
10.98% | 34.03% | 20.45% |
| 161 |  Portugal's income inequality |
10.85% | 39.37% | 17.28% |
| 162 | income distribution in Hungary |
10.58% | 31.67% | 24.91% |
| 163 | income distribution in Germany |
10.58% | 32.89% | 21.05% |
| 164 | Slovakia's wealth gap |
10.19% | 31.16% | 22.33% |
| 165 | Belarus |
10.00% | 33.51% | 21.34% |
| 166 | income distribution in Denmark |
9.96% | 29.22% | 24.60% |
| 167 |  Australia's wealth gap |
9.92% | 33.29% | 18.07% |
| 168 |  income distribution in Montenegro |
9.74% | 33.59% | 19.25% |
| 169 | income distribution in Austria |
9.64% | 32.61% | 22.90% |
| 170 |  Moldova's income inequality |
9.56% | 35.61% | 16.32% |
| 171 | income distribution in Iceland |
9.33% | 30.90% | 22.30% |
| 172 |  Sao Tome and Principe's wealth gap |
9.06% | 39.56% | 17.10% |
| 173 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
8.88% | 34.31% | 17.83% |
| 174 |  Lithuania's wealth gap |
8.84% | 35.49% | 17.95% |
| 175 |  income distribution in Albania |
8.56% | 33.34% | 18.35% |
| 176 | Belgium |
8.52% | 32.21% | 20.08% |
| 177 |  Kosovo's wealth gap |
8.49% | 33.83% | 17.33% |
| 178 | income distribution in Malta |
8.40% | 30.31% | 22.15% |
| 179 | Italy's wealth gap |
8.19% | 30.75% | 22.34% |
| 180 |  Croatia's income inequality |
8.17% | 32.01% | 19.94% |
| 181 | income distribution in Slovenia |
7.62% | 30.18% | 22.67% |
| 182 |  North Macedonia's wealth gap |
7.55% | 30.90% | 17.60% |
| 183 | Cyprus's income inequality |
7.39% | 30.58% | 20.98% |
| 184 | Netherlands's income inequality |
7.02% | 29.40% | 23.66% |
Last updated: April 8, 2026
Data source: World Inequality Database (WID). This dataset covers income distribution metrics for 199 countries from 1980 to 2024.