In 2017, 184 countries reported income inequality data. The highest top 1% income concentration was in Mexico at 31.76%. The global average top 1% income share was 16.32%.
Countries With the Highest Income Inequality in 2017
The following table ranks countries by their top 1% income share in 2017, showing where wealth concentration is most pronounced.
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mexico's wealth gap |
31.76% | 64.14% | 6.21% |
| 2 |  income distribution in Chile |
31.75% | 63.46% | 8.00% |
| 3 |  income distribution in Peru |
27.43% | 59.71% | 8.74% |
| 4 |  Mozambique's income inequality |
27.43% | 62.10% | 8.94% |
| 5 |  Malawi's income inequality |
26.03% | 55.17% | 12.13% |
| 6 |  Brazil's income inequality |
25.92% | 57.85% | 9.64% |
| 7 |  Bahrain's income inequality |
25.59% | 57.75% | 10.38% |
| 8 |  Yemen's income inequality |
25.07% | 59.56% | 9.44% |
| 9 |  Iraq's income inequality |
25.03% | 54.19% | 13.04% |
| 10 |  Angola |
24.91% | 57.14% | 9.36% |
| 11 |  Georgia |
24.73% | 48.86% | 13.71% |
| 12 |  Qatar's wealth gap |
24.44% | 56.94% | 9.70% |
| 13 |  Botswana's income inequality |
23.28% | 60.61% | 7.62% |
| 14 |  Algeria's income inequality |
23.25% | 50.10% | 15.78% |
| 15 |  Saudi Arabia |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
| 16 |  India |
22.65% | 59.87% | 12.39% |
| 17 |  Haiti |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 18 |  Guyana's wealth gap |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 19 |  income distribution in Paraguay |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 20 |  Trinidad and Tobago's wealth gap |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
Countries With the Most Equal Income Distribution in 2017
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 |  Slovakia |
8.47% | 27.47% | 24.95% |
| 2 |  Iceland's wealth gap |
8.96% | 29.21% | 24.91% |
| 3 |  Norway's income inequality |
10.18% | 30.96% | 24.25% |
| 4 |  income distribution in Sweden |
10.02% | 30.27% | 24.08% |
| 5 |  New Zealand's income inequality |
11.54% | 33.16% | 23.86% |
| 6 |  income distribution in Hungary |
11.37% | 32.99% | 23.17% |
| 7 |  income distribution in Austria |
9.06% | 31.58% | 23.02% |
| 8 |  income distribution in Slovenia |
7.95% | 29.47% | 22.85% |
| 9 |  income distribution in Switzerland |
10.93% | 32.15% | 22.59% |
| 10 |  Belarus's income inequality |
10.13% | 32.99% | 22.29% |
| 11 |  Ukraine's wealth gap |
9.96% | 33.05% | 22.27% |
| 12 |  Netherlands's income inequality |
7.05% | 29.88% | 22.12% |
| 13 |  Denmark |
12.75% | 33.51% | 21.66% |
| 14 |  Finland's wealth gap |
10.61% | 33.86% | 21.55% |
| 15 |  income distribution in Belgium |
8.50% | 31.83% | 21.15% |
| 16 |  Spain's wealth gap |
12.71% | 35.07% | 20.63% |
| 17 |  France |
10.79% | 33.64% | 20.59% |
| 18 |  income distribution in Italy |
9.22% | 32.89% | 20.51% |
| 19 |  United Kingdom |
13.44% | 36.12% | 20.34% |
| 20 |  income distribution in Azerbaijan |
13.99% | 38.22% | 20.33% |
Global Income Inequality Overview for 2017
- Countries with data: 184
- Average top 1% income share: 16.32%
- Average bottom 50% income share: 14.84%
- Highest top 1% share: Mexico (31.76%)
- Lowest top 1% share: Netherlands (7.05%)
Complete Country Rankings for 2017
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | income distribution in Mexico |
31.76% | 64.14% | 6.21% |
| 2 | income distribution in Chile |
31.75% | 63.46% | 8.00% |
| 3 | Peru's wealth gap |
27.43% | 59.71% | 8.74% |
| 4 | income distribution in Mozambique |
27.43% | 62.10% | 8.94% |
| 5 | income distribution in Malawi |
26.03% | 55.17% | 12.13% |
| 6 | Brazil |
25.92% | 57.85% | 9.64% |
| 7 | Bahrain's income inequality |
25.59% | 57.75% | 10.38% |
| 8 | Yemen's income inequality |
25.07% | 59.56% | 9.44% |
| 9 | Iraq |
25.03% | 54.19% | 13.04% |
| 10 | Angola's wealth gap |
24.91% | 57.14% | 9.36% |
| 11 | Georgia |
24.73% | 48.86% | 13.71% |
| 12 | income distribution in Qatar |
24.44% | 56.94% | 9.70% |
| 13 | income distribution in Botswana |
23.28% | 60.61% | 7.62% |
| 14 | Algeria's income inequality |
23.25% | 50.10% | 15.78% |
| 15 | Saudi Arabia's wealth gap |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
| 16 | India's wealth gap |
22.65% | 59.87% | 12.39% |
| 17 | Haiti |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 18 | Guyana's income inequality |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 19 | Paraguay's income inequality |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 20 | income distribution in Trinidad and Tobago |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 21 |  Honduras |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 22 |  Panama's wealth gap |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 23 |  Nicaragua's income inequality |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 24 |  Jamaica's income inequality |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 25 |  Guatemala's income inequality |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 26 |  Suriname |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 27 |  Belize |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 28 |  income distribution in Bolivia |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 29 |  Venezuela |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 30 |  Bahamas's wealth gap |
22.48% | 52.99% | 10.20% |
| 31 |  income distribution in Tunisia |
22.41% | 52.71% | 12.38% |
| 32 |  Dominican Republic's income inequality |
22.39% | 52.64% | 9.72% |
| 33 |  Colombia's income inequality |
22.38% | 58.97% | 8.41% |
| 34 |  Namibia |
21.58% | 64.20% | 6.55% |
| 35 |  Saint Lucia's wealth gap |
21.19% | 49.99% | 12.51% |
| 36 |  Dominica |
21.19% | 49.99% | 12.51% |
| 37 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis's wealth gap |
21.19% | 49.99% | 12.51% |
| 38 |  Barbados's income inequality |
21.19% | 49.99% | 12.51% |
| 39 |  income distribution in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
21.19% | 49.99% | 12.51% |
| 40 |  income distribution in Grenada |
21.19% | 49.99% | 12.51% |
| 41 |  Antigua and Barbuda's wealth gap |
21.19% | 49.99% | 12.51% |
| 42 |  Zambia |
21.04% | 59.51% | 7.79% |
| 43 |  income distribution in Lebanon |
21.02% | 54.04% | 10.75% |
| 44 |  Congo |
20.52% | 55.93% | 9.92% |
| 45 |  Sri Lanka's wealth gap |
20.47% | 48.98% | 14.13% |
| 46 |  Egypt's income inequality |
20.36% | 50.01% | 14.98% |
| 47 |  Central African Republic's wealth gap |
20.35% | 54.88% | 10.74% |
| 48 |  income distribution in Oman |
19.93% | 56.27% | 9.06% |
| 49 |  Turkey's wealth gap |
19.89% | 55.20% | 12.01% |
| 50 |  Rwanda's income inequality |
19.75% | 53.69% | 12.07% |
| 51 |  Bulgaria |
19.64% | 44.34% | 16.16% |
| 52 |  income distribution in Turkmenistan |
19.47% | 48.87% | 12.09% |
| 53 |  Thailand's wealth gap |
19.40% | 52.92% | 10.54% |
| 54 |  Taiwan |
19.33% | 48.12% | 11.79% |
| 55 |  South Africa's income inequality |
19.31% | 65.41% | 5.81% |
| 56 |  Costa Rica's wealth gap |
18.74% | 52.66% | 8.36% |
| 57 |  Armenia |
18.72% | 43.50% | 16.83% |
| 58 |  Uganda's wealth gap |
18.50% | 52.40% | 12.15% |
| 59 |  Uruguay's wealth gap |
18.19% | 45.51% | 15.26% |
| 60 |  Cambodia's wealth gap |
18.18% | 45.43% | 13.87% |
| 61 |  income distribution in Tanzania |
18.15% | 51.37% | 12.95% |
| 62 |  Palestine |
18.04% | 51.47% | 12.06% |
| 63 |  Hong Kong's income inequality |
17.84% | 48.18% | 13.59% |
| 64 |  income distribution in Jordan |
17.83% | 49.63% | 14.40% |
| 65 |  Kuwait |
17.73% | 45.40% | 16.32% |
| 66 |  Zimbabwe's income inequality |
17.49% | 52.57% | 11.25% |
| 67 |  income distribution in Israel |
16.91% | 49.21% | 13.28% |
| 68 |  Philippines |
16.86% | 45.94% | 13.95% |
| 69 |  Ecuador's income inequality |
16.86% | 42.24% | 13.12% |
| 70 |  income distribution in Pakistan |
16.84% | 43.21% | 17.15% |
| 71 |  Somalia's wealth gap |
16.79% | 49.75% | 13.45% |
| 72 |  Myanmar's wealth gap |
16.71% | 43.00% | 15.92% |
| 73 |  Uzbekistan's income inequality |
16.65% | 45.53% | 14.62% |
| 74 |  United Arab Emirates |
16.44% | 49.41% | 12.44% |
| 75 |  Mongolia's wealth gap |
16.43% | 43.22% | 14.81% |
| 76 |  Papua New Guinea |
16.41% | 46.31% | 12.88% |
| 77 |  Burkina Faso's wealth gap |
16.18% | 51.86% | 12.77% |
| 78 |  El Salvador's income inequality |
16.17% | 43.57% | 9.47% |
| 79 |  Bangladesh |
16.16% | 42.40% | 17.08% |
| 80 |  Marshall Islands's wealth gap |
16.13% | 48.18% | 16.03% |
| 81 |  income distribution in Fiji |
16.13% | 48.18% | 16.03% |
| 82 |  Solomon Islands |
16.13% | 48.18% | 16.03% |
| 83 |  Samoa's income inequality |
16.13% | 48.18% | 16.03% |
| 84 |  Tonga's income inequality |
16.13% | 48.18% | 16.03% |
| 85 |  Kiribati's wealth gap |
16.13% | 48.18% | 16.03% |
| 86 |  Nauru's wealth gap |
16.13% | 48.18% | 16.03% |
| 87 |  Vanuatu |
16.13% | 48.18% | 16.03% |
| 88 |  income distribution in Palau |
16.13% | 48.18% | 16.03% |
| 89 |  Tuvalu's wealth gap |
16.13% | 48.18% | 16.03% |
| 90 |  Sao Tome and Principe |
15.98% | 50.61% | 13.04% |
| 91 |  Mauritius |
15.89% | 47.40% | 14.80% |
| 92 |  Libya's income inequality |
15.89% | 46.67% | 15.31% |
| 93 |  Djibouti's income inequality |
15.86% | 49.55% | 13.09% |
| 94 |  Cuba's wealth gap |
15.65% | 43.18% | 13.95% |
| 95 |  Indonesia's income inequality |
15.53% | 41.73% | 15.35% |
| 96 |  South Sudan |
15.52% | 50.01% | 11.91% |
| 97 |  Benin's wealth gap |
15.47% | 49.76% | 13.22% |
| 98 |  income distribution in Sudan |
15.36% | 45.04% | 15.77% |
| 99 |  income distribution in Ghana |
15.23% | 48.91% | 12.21% |
| 100 |  China's wealth gap |
15.16% | 42.83% | 13.86% |
| 101 |  Iran's wealth gap |
15.12% | 47.19% | 14.71% |
| 102 |  Afghanistan's income inequality |
15.08% | 41.01% | 17.79% |
| 103 |  Niger's wealth gap |
15.07% | 47.73% | 14.71% |
| 104 |  Togo's income inequality |
14.95% | 49.52% | 12.29% |
| 105 |  Senegal's wealth gap |
14.81% | 48.14% | 13.81% |
| 106 |  Kazakhstan's wealth gap |
14.80% | 40.77% | 16.56% |
| 107 |  North Korea's wealth gap |
14.76% | 42.67% | 15.12% |
| 108 |  Cameroon |
14.74% | 50.14% | 11.38% |
| 109 |  income distribution in Burundi |
14.60% | 47.65% | 14.24% |
| 110 |  income distribution in Gambia |
14.57% | 46.72% | 14.57% |
| 111 |  income distribution in Poland |
14.51% | 37.10% | 20.03% |
| 112 |  income distribution in Madagascar |
14.51% | 48.58% | 13.76% |
| 113 |  Tajikistan |
14.48% | 42.17% | 15.53% |
| 114 |  Lesotho |
14.45% | 49.51% | 11.28% |
| 115 |  Sierra Leone's income inequality |
14.40% | 46.42% | 15.13% |
| 116 |  Singapore's wealth gap |
14.21% | 46.28% | 16.65% |
| 117 |  Comoros |
14.15% | 50.26% | 11.39% |
| 118 |  Kyrgyzstan's wealth gap |
14.05% | 39.30% | 18.32% |
| 119 |  Macao's income inequality |
14.00% | 41.66% | 14.36% |
| 120 |  Bhutan's wealth gap |
14.00% | 42.14% | 15.04% |
| 121 | Azerbaijan's wealth gap |
13.99% | 38.22% | 20.33% |
| 122 |  income distribution in Kenya |
13.95% | 47.25% | 13.79% |
| 123 |  Luxembourg |
13.75% | 37.12% | 18.70% |
| 124 |  income distribution in Chad |
13.72% | 47.06% | 14.05% |
| 125 |  income distribution in Seychelles |
13.72% | 42.98% | 16.08% |
| 126 |  Nepal |
13.72% | 41.47% | 16.70% |
| 127 |  Romania |
13.63% | 39.36% | 16.63% |
| 128 | United Kingdom's wealth gap |
13.44% | 36.12% | 20.34% |
| 129 |  income distribution in Morocco |
13.43% | 48.20% | 14.39% |
| 130 |  Guinea-Bissau |
13.29% | 46.23% | 14.67% |
| 131 |  Germany's income inequality |
13.19% | 37.81% | 18.58% |
| 132 |  Maldives's wealth gap |
13.08% | 39.51% | 18.08% |
| 133 |  Serbia's wealth gap |
12.85% | 37.34% | 15.60% |
| 134 | income distribution in Denmark |
12.75% | 33.51% | 21.66% |
| 135 | Spain |
12.71% | 35.07% | 20.63% |
| 136 |  Ethiopia's wealth gap |
12.70% | 43.81% | 16.34% |
| 137 |  income distribution in Eritrea |
12.70% | 43.81% | 16.34% |
| 138 |  income distribution in Japan |
12.65% | 43.50% | 18.21% |
| 139 |  Estonia's income inequality |
12.53% | 35.39% | 18.00% |
| 140 |  Lithuania's income inequality |
12.45% | 38.80% | 16.96% |
| 141 |  income distribution in Liberia |
12.20% | 43.24% | 15.43% |
| 142 |  income distribution in Equatorial Guinea |
12.01% | 45.33% | 13.94% |
| 143 |  Malaysia's wealth gap |
12.00% | 35.76% | 19.21% |
| 144 |  Argentina |
11.92% | 41.79% | 13.46% |
| 145 |  Mali's income inequality |
11.69% | 44.18% | 15.00% |
| 146 |  income distribution in Portugal |
11.65% | 37.64% | 18.94% |
| 147 |  Ireland |
11.56% | 34.76% | 19.67% |
| 148 | New Zealand's wealth gap |
11.54% | 33.16% | 23.86% |
| 149 | income distribution in Hungary |
11.37% | 32.99% | 23.17% |
| 150 |  income distribution in Nigeria |
11.16% | 42.64% | 15.36% |
| 151 |  income distribution in Moldova |
11.02% | 34.59% | 18.06% |
| 152 |  Gabon's wealth gap |
11.02% | 43.32% | 14.42% |
| 153 |  Greece |
11.00% | 33.92% | 20.05% |
| 154 | Switzerland's wealth gap |
10.93% | 32.15% | 22.59% |
| 155 |  income distribution in Malta |
10.83% | 34.65% | 20.01% |
| 156 |  income distribution in Liechtenstein |
10.79% | 35.30% | 18.26% |
| 157 |  Monaco |
10.79% | 35.30% | 18.26% |
| 158 | income distribution in France |
10.79% | 33.64% | 20.59% |
| 159 |  San Marino's wealth gap |
10.79% | 35.30% | 18.26% |
| 160 |  Andorra's wealth gap |
10.79% | 35.30% | 18.26% |
| 161 | Finland |
10.61% | 33.86% | 21.55% |
| 162 |  Canada |
10.53% | 34.81% | 17.62% |
| 163 |  Mauritania's wealth gap |
10.28% | 40.15% | 16.94% |
| 164 |  Cyprus's wealth gap |
10.26% | 35.38% | 19.39% |
| 165 | Norway's wealth gap |
10.18% | 30.96% | 24.25% |
| 166 | Belarus's income inequality |
10.13% | 32.99% | 22.29% |
| 167 |  Croatia |
10.11% | 33.22% | 19.16% |
| 168 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina's wealth gap |
10.06% | 34.88% | 18.18% |
| 169 | income distribution in Sweden |
10.02% | 30.27% | 24.08% |
| 170 |  Australia |
10.02% | 34.36% | 17.30% |
| 171 | Ukraine's wealth gap |
9.96% | 33.05% | 22.27% |
| 172 |  Latvia's income inequality |
9.94% | 36.27% | 17.24% |
| 173 |  Kosovo's wealth gap |
9.75% | 33.93% | 17.93% |
| 174 |  income distribution in Albania |
9.48% | 35.45% | 17.06% |
| 175 |  North Macedonia |
9.41% | 32.29% | 20.04% |
| 176 |  income distribution in Guinea |
9.35% | 38.71% | 17.87% |
| 177 | Italy |
9.22% | 32.89% | 20.51% |
| 178 |  Montenegro's wealth gap |
9.07% | 34.97% | 16.75% |
| 179 | Austria's income inequality |
9.06% | 31.58% | 23.02% |
| 180 | income distribution in Iceland |
8.96% | 29.21% | 24.91% |
| 181 | Belgium's wealth gap |
8.50% | 31.83% | 21.15% |
| 182 | Slovakia's wealth gap |
8.47% | 27.47% | 24.95% |
| 183 | Slovenia |
7.95% | 29.47% | 22.85% |
| 184 | Netherlands |
7.05% | 29.88% | 22.12% |
Last updated: April 8, 2026
Data source: World Inequality Database (WID). This dataset covers income distribution metrics for 199 countries from 1980 to 2024.