In 2012, 184 countries reported income inequality data. The highest top 1% income concentration was in Yemen at 40.27%. The global average top 1% income share was 16.69%.
Countries With the Highest Income Inequality in 2012
The following table ranks countries by their top 1% income share in 2012, showing where wealth concentration is most pronounced.
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Yemen's wealth gap |
40.27% | 64.80% | 9.82% |
| 2 |  Mexico's income inequality |
33.47% | 63.79% | 5.45% |
| 3 |  income distribution in Chile |
33.21% | 67.18% | 6.82% |
| 4 |  Brazil's wealth gap |
32.73% | 58.56% | 10.59% |
| 5 |  Seychelles |
31.54% | 59.04% | 11.07% |
| 6 |  Peru's wealth gap |
29.11% | 55.67% | 9.87% |
| 7 |  income distribution in Mozambique |
28.57% | 61.65% | 9.27% |
| 8 |  income distribution in Myanmar |
26.49% | 51.12% | 12.71% |
| 9 |  Central African Republic's wealth gap |
26.28% | 60.46% | 9.01% |
| 10 |  income distribution in Botswana |
25.37% | 62.62% | 7.43% |
| 11 |  Malawi's income inequality |
25.10% | 56.55% | 11.14% |
| 12 |  Qatar's income inequality |
24.44% | 56.94% | 9.70% |
| 13 |  income distribution in Colombia |
24.10% | 58.25% | 8.60% |
| 14 |  Namibia's income inequality |
23.94% | 66.71% | 6.31% |
| 15 |  Haiti's wealth gap |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 16 |  Paraguay's wealth gap |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 17 |  income distribution in Venezuela |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 18 |  Suriname's income inequality |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 19 |  Jamaica |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 20 |  Bahamas's income inequality |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
Countries With the Most Equal Income Distribution in 2012
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 |  Ukraine |
6.37% | 28.49% | 25.47% |
| 2 |  Sweden's wealth gap |
9.99% | 29.99% | 24.55% |
| 3 |  income distribution in Iceland |
6.41% | 27.79% | 24.51% |
| 4 |  Slovakia's wealth gap |
9.46% | 29.79% | 23.88% |
| 5 |  income distribution in Hungary |
10.37% | 31.96% | 23.65% |
| 6 |  Norway |
12.64% | 33.13% | 23.63% |
| 7 |  New Zealand's wealth gap |
13.64% | 34.50% | 22.92% |
| 8 |  Netherlands |
6.58% | 29.25% | 22.90% |
| 9 |  income distribution in Austria |
9.27% | 31.79% | 22.80% |
| 10 |  Denmark's income inequality |
11.96% | 31.90% | 22.71% |
| 11 |  income distribution in Switzerland |
11.44% | 32.99% | 22.50% |
| 12 |  Slovenia's wealth gap |
6.93% | 29.47% | 22.36% |
| 13 |  Finland's income inequality |
8.76% | 31.77% | 21.52% |
| 14 |  income distribution in Italy |
8.09% | 31.16% | 21.24% |
| 15 |  Belgium |
8.17% | 31.38% | 21.16% |
| 16 |  income distribution in Spain |
12.13% | 34.64% | 20.87% |
| 17 |  France's wealth gap |
10.24% | 32.92% | 20.82% |
| 18 |  Ireland's wealth gap |
9.19% | 30.79% | 20.78% |
| 19 |  Belarus's wealth gap |
11.69% | 35.06% | 20.69% |
| 20 |  income distribution in Malta |
10.32% | 33.21% | 20.66% |
Global Income Inequality Overview for 2012
- Countries with data: 184
- Average top 1% income share: 16.69%
- Average bottom 50% income share: 14.60%
- Highest top 1% share: Yemen (40.27%)
- Lowest top 1% share: Ukraine (6.37%)
Complete Country Rankings for 2012
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yemen's wealth gap |
40.27% | 64.80% | 9.82% |
| 2 | Mexico |
33.47% | 63.79% | 5.45% |
| 3 | income distribution in Chile |
33.21% | 67.18% | 6.82% |
| 4 | Brazil's income inequality |
32.73% | 58.56% | 10.59% |
| 5 | Seychelles's wealth gap |
31.54% | 59.04% | 11.07% |
| 6 | Peru's wealth gap |
29.11% | 55.67% | 9.87% |
| 7 | income distribution in Mozambique |
28.57% | 61.65% | 9.27% |
| 8 | income distribution in Myanmar |
26.49% | 51.12% | 12.71% |
| 9 | Central African Republic's income inequality |
26.28% | 60.46% | 9.01% |
| 10 | Botswana |
25.37% | 62.62% | 7.43% |
| 11 | income distribution in Malawi |
25.10% | 56.55% | 11.14% |
| 12 | Qatar's income inequality |
24.44% | 56.94% | 9.70% |
| 13 | Colombia's income inequality |
24.10% | 58.25% | 8.60% |
| 14 | Namibia |
23.94% | 66.71% | 6.31% |
| 15 | Haiti's income inequality |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 16 | Paraguay |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 17 | Venezuela |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 18 | income distribution in Suriname |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 19 | income distribution in Jamaica |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 20 | income distribution in Bahamas |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 21 |  Trinidad and Tobago's income inequality |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 22 |  income distribution in Bolivia |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 23 |  Guyana's income inequality |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 24 |  Guatemala's wealth gap |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 25 |  Honduras's income inequality |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 26 |  Belize's income inequality |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 27 |  income distribution in Panama |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 28 |  Nicaragua |
23.62% | 53.25% | 10.03% |
| 29 |  Saudi Arabia's wealth gap |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
| 30 |  Rwanda's wealth gap |
23.05% | 57.64% | 11.05% |
| 31 |  Dominican Republic |
22.79% | 54.43% | 8.36% |
| 32 |  Palestine's wealth gap |
22.34% | 54.16% | 12.24% |
| 33 |  Lebanon's income inequality |
21.85% | 56.30% | 10.16% |
| 34 |  income distribution in India |
21.70% | 56.03% | 13.46% |
| 35 |  Thailand's income inequality |
21.63% | 54.59% | 11.64% |
| 36 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines's wealth gap |
21.20% | 52.52% | 9.74% |
| 37 |  Grenada |
21.20% | 52.52% | 9.74% |
| 38 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis's wealth gap |
21.20% | 52.52% | 9.74% |
| 39 |  Saint Lucia |
21.20% | 52.52% | 9.74% |
| 40 |  income distribution in Barbados |
21.20% | 52.52% | 9.74% |
| 41 |  Antigua and Barbuda's wealth gap |
21.20% | 52.52% | 9.74% |
| 42 |  Dominica |
21.20% | 52.52% | 9.74% |
| 43 |  income distribution in Iraq |
21.13% | 52.30% | 12.97% |
| 44 |  income distribution in Bahrain |
20.73% | 53.77% | 11.86% |
| 45 |  Sri Lanka's income inequality |
20.57% | 48.66% | 13.96% |
| 46 |  income distribution in Congo |
20.52% | 55.93% | 9.92% |
| 47 |  Zambia's wealth gap |
20.27% | 59.45% | 8.22% |
| 48 |  Oman's wealth gap |
19.93% | 56.27% | 9.06% |
| 49 |  income distribution in Kuwait |
19.90% | 54.06% | 11.77% |
| 50 |  Tunisia's income inequality |
19.82% | 53.29% | 12.32% |
| 51 |  Ecuador's wealth gap |
19.75% | 46.91% | 10.81% |
| 52 |  income distribution in Hong Kong |
19.65% | 49.19% | 12.89% |
| 53 |  Georgia's income inequality |
19.65% | 46.11% | 14.32% |
| 54 |  income distribution in Angola |
19.59% | 52.80% | 10.95% |
| 55 |  income distribution in Israel |
19.56% | 51.73% | 11.95% |
| 56 |  Algeria's income inequality |
19.55% | 46.65% | 17.18% |
| 57 |  Turkey's income inequality |
19.55% | 51.54% | 14.56% |
| 58 |  South Africa's wealth gap |
19.32% | 65.44% | 5.90% |
| 59 |  Turkmenistan |
19.21% | 48.66% | 12.33% |
| 60 |  Egypt's wealth gap |
19.15% | 49.28% | 14.93% |
| 61 |  Jordan |
18.99% | 50.22% | 14.23% |
| 62 |  Taiwan |
18.66% | 46.97% | 11.12% |
| 63 |  income distribution in Iran |
18.41% | 50.00% | 13.91% |
| 64 |  Cambodia's income inequality |
18.40% | 45.52% | 13.68% |
| 65 |  Costa Rica |
18.33% | 51.32% | 9.35% |
| 66 |  Gambia's wealth gap |
18.27% | 50.45% | 13.14% |
| 67 |  Philippines's income inequality |
17.56% | 48.27% | 12.60% |
| 68 |  Bhutan's income inequality |
17.51% | 46.41% | 14.14% |
| 69 |  Indonesia |
17.48% | 44.29% | 14.79% |
| 70 |  Somalia's income inequality |
17.40% | 50.42% | 13.31% |
| 71 |  Djibouti's wealth gap |
17.18% | 51.67% | 11.95% |
| 72 |  Mongolia |
17.16% | 44.73% | 13.37% |
| 73 |  Comoros |
17.15% | 53.60% | 10.66% |
| 74 |  Kenya's income inequality |
17.08% | 50.64% | 12.37% |
| 75 |  United Arab Emirates's income inequality |
17.05% | 51.57% | 10.67% |
| 76 |  Mauritius's wealth gap |
17.01% | 49.65% | 14.02% |
| 77 |  Tanzania's wealth gap |
16.70% | 49.24% | 13.94% |
| 78 |  Pakistan |
16.65% | 42.72% | 17.19% |
| 79 |  income distribution in Uzbekistan |
16.58% | 45.47% | 14.67% |
| 80 |  Malaysia's income inequality |
16.46% | 42.41% | 15.61% |
| 81 |  income distribution in Papua New Guinea |
16.40% | 46.31% | 12.88% |
| 82 |  Maldives's income inequality |
16.34% | 43.49% | 15.69% |
| 83 |  income distribution in Bangladesh |
16.31% | 43.16% | 16.44% |
| 84 |  El Salvador |
16.29% | 45.98% | 9.63% |
| 85 |  Marshall Islands's income inequality |
16.22% | 47.37% | 16.45% |
| 86 |  Solomon Islands's income inequality |
16.22% | 47.37% | 16.45% |
| 87 |  income distribution in Tuvalu |
16.22% | 47.37% | 16.45% |
| 88 |  Palau |
16.22% | 47.37% | 16.45% |
| 89 |  income distribution in Samoa |
16.22% | 47.37% | 16.45% |
| 90 |  Tonga's wealth gap |
16.22% | 47.37% | 16.45% |
| 91 |  Kiribati |
16.22% | 47.37% | 16.45% |
| 92 |  income distribution in Fiji |
16.22% | 47.37% | 16.45% |
| 93 |  Nauru's income inequality |
16.22% | 47.37% | 16.45% |
| 94 |  Vanuatu |
16.22% | 47.37% | 16.45% |
| 95 |  Zimbabwe's wealth gap |
16.19% | 51.57% | 11.77% |
| 96 |  income distribution in Romania |
16.16% | 42.14% | 16.00% |
| 97 |  Guinea-Bissau's wealth gap |
16.02% | 56.18% | 11.03% |
| 98 |  Benin's income inequality |
15.89% | 52.62% | 11.78% |
| 99 |  income distribution in Luxembourg |
15.87% | 38.74% | 18.65% |
| 100 |  Lesotho |
15.81% | 51.41% | 10.55% |
| 101 |  Cameroon |
15.80% | 51.56% | 11.00% |
| 102 |  Uruguay's wealth gap |
15.62% | 42.93% | 16.09% |
| 103 |  Burkina Faso's income inequality |
15.61% | 48.36% | 14.37% |
| 104 |  Uganda's wealth gap |
15.53% | 50.43% | 13.00% |
| 105 |  Chad |
15.38% | 48.93% | 12.59% |
| 106 |  Madagascar's wealth gap |
15.17% | 50.76% | 12.48% |
| 107 |  Togo's income inequality |
15.08% | 50.58% | 11.19% |
| 108 |  Cuba's wealth gap |
14.84% | 42.88% | 13.65% |
| 109 |  income distribution in Libya |
14.77% | 45.44% | 15.81% |
| 110 |  South Sudan's income inequality |
14.77% | 49.65% | 11.37% |
| 111 |  North Korea's wealth gap |
14.67% | 42.90% | 15.11% |
| 112 |  Azerbaijan |
14.65% | 39.08% | 19.56% |
| 113 |  Burundi's income inequality |
14.48% | 47.93% | 14.26% |
| 114 |  income distribution in Eritrea |
14.48% | 44.99% | 16.23% |
| 115 |  Ethiopia |
14.48% | 44.99% | 16.23% |
| 116 |  Ghana's wealth gap |
14.39% | 48.39% | 12.50% |
| 117 |  Serbia's income inequality |
14.33% | 40.22% | 14.06% |
| 118 |  income distribution in Nepal |
14.27% | 42.03% | 16.22% |
| 119 |  income distribution in Estonia |
14.20% | 39.23% | 16.82% |
| 120 |  Tajikistan |
14.14% | 41.10% | 16.23% |
| 121 |  Kazakhstan's income inequality |
13.97% | 39.72% | 16.98% |
| 122 |  Bulgaria |
13.96% | 37.53% | 18.39% |
| 123 |  China's wealth gap |
13.87% | 41.81% | 14.29% |
| 124 |  income distribution in Poland |
13.87% | 36.74% | 20.18% |
| 125 |  Macao's wealth gap |
13.83% | 41.69% | 14.54% |
| 126 |  Afghanistan |
13.82% | 38.76% | 19.00% |
| 127 |  income distribution in Singapore |
13.76% | 44.97% | 17.15% |
| 128 |  Sudan |
13.73% | 44.03% | 15.68% |
| 129 | income distribution in New Zealand |
13.64% | 34.50% | 22.92% |
| 130 |  Armenia's wealth gap |
13.58% | 37.70% | 19.63% |
| 131 |  income distribution in Gabon |
13.57% | 46.43% | 13.62% |
| 132 |  income distribution in Senegal |
13.46% | 47.78% | 13.45% |
| 133 |  Morocco's income inequality |
13.43% | 48.20% | 14.39% |
| 134 |  income distribution in United Kingdom |
12.76% | 36.69% | 18.78% |
| 135 |  Kyrgyzstan |
12.65% | 38.09% | 19.19% |
| 136 | Norway |
12.64% | 33.13% | 23.63% |
| 137 |  income distribution in Germany |
12.58% | 36.32% | 18.97% |
| 138 |  Guinea's income inequality |
12.54% | 42.69% | 16.19% |
| 139 |  Japan |
12.50% | 43.38% | 18.35% |
| 140 |  Cyprus's income inequality |
12.20% | 37.80% | 17.92% |
| 141 | Spain |
12.13% | 34.64% | 20.87% |
| 142 |  income distribution in Niger |
12.02% | 43.25% | 16.50% |
| 143 |  Equatorial Guinea's wealth gap |
12.01% | 45.33% | 13.94% |
| 144 | Denmark's income inequality |
11.96% | 31.90% | 22.71% |
| 145 |  income distribution in Lithuania |
11.74% | 37.73% | 18.51% |
| 146 | Belarus's income inequality |
11.69% | 35.06% | 20.69% |
| 147 |  Canada's income inequality |
11.62% | 35.82% | 17.21% |
| 148 |  income distribution in Latvia |
11.44% | 37.91% | 17.90% |
| 149 | Switzerland's wealth gap |
11.44% | 32.99% | 22.50% |
| 150 |  income distribution in Liberia |
11.40% | 42.74% | 16.14% |
| 151 |  Sierra Leone |
11.31% | 43.53% | 15.78% |
| 152 |  Moldova's wealth gap |
11.12% | 35.48% | 17.22% |
| 153 |  income distribution in Sao Tome and Principe |
10.97% | 42.60% | 16.22% |
| 154 |  Australia |
10.64% | 35.08% | 17.65% |
| 155 |  Mauritania |
10.59% | 40.83% | 16.27% |
| 156 |  Mali's wealth gap |
10.44% | 42.36% | 15.83% |
| 157 |  Montenegro's income inequality |
10.43% | 36.31% | 15.76% |
| 158 | Hungary |
10.37% | 31.96% | 23.65% |
| 159 | Malta |
10.32% | 33.21% | 20.66% |
| 160 |  Andorra's wealth gap |
10.25% | 34.39% | 18.46% |
| 161 |  San Marino's wealth gap |
10.25% | 34.39% | 18.46% |
| 162 |  Liechtenstein's income inequality |
10.25% | 34.39% | 18.46% |
| 163 |  Monaco's income inequality |
10.25% | 34.39% | 18.46% |
| 164 | income distribution in France |
10.24% | 32.92% | 20.82% |
| 165 |  Nigeria |
10.19% | 42.21% | 15.26% |
| 166 |  Portugal's wealth gap |
10.14% | 36.67% | 19.09% |
| 167 | Sweden's income inequality |
9.99% | 29.99% | 24.55% |
| 168 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
9.63% | 34.64% | 17.85% |
| 169 |  income distribution in Croatia |
9.47% | 33.65% | 18.84% |
| 170 | Slovakia |
9.46% | 29.79% | 23.88% |
| 171 | Austria's income inequality |
9.27% | 31.79% | 22.80% |
| 172 | Ireland |
9.19% | 30.79% | 20.78% |
| 173 |  income distribution in Argentina |
9.16% | 38.81% | 14.04% |
| 174 |  Kosovo's income inequality |
9.12% | 33.34% | 17.82% |
| 175 | Finland's wealth gap |
8.76% | 31.77% | 21.52% |
| 176 |  Albania |
8.54% | 32.97% | 19.11% |
| 177 | Belgium's wealth gap |
8.17% | 31.38% | 21.16% |
| 178 | Italy |
8.09% | 31.16% | 21.24% |
| 179 |  North Macedonia |
8.05% | 33.73% | 17.88% |
| 180 |  Greece's wealth gap |
7.85% | 31.77% | 19.58% |
| 181 | income distribution in Slovenia |
6.93% | 29.47% | 22.36% |
| 182 | Netherlands |
6.58% | 29.25% | 22.90% |
| 183 | Iceland's income inequality |
6.41% | 27.79% | 24.51% |
| 184 | Ukraine's income inequality |
6.37% | 28.49% | 25.47% |
Last updated: April 8, 2026
Data source: World Inequality Database (WID). This dataset covers income distribution metrics for 199 countries from 1980 to 2024.