In 2021, 184 countries reported income inequality data. The highest top 1% income concentration was in Peru at 35.79%. The global average top 1% income share was 16.28%.
Countries With the Highest Income Inequality in 2021
The following table ranks countries by their top 1% income share in 2021, showing where wealth concentration is most pronounced.
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Peru's income inequality |
35.79% | 62.41% | 7.36% |
| 2 |  Iraq's wealth gap |
35.33% | 64.06% | 9.15% |
| 3 |  Brazil |
28.04% | 59.94% | 8.23% |
| 4 |  Chile |
27.80% | 59.26% | 7.48% |
| 5 |  Mexico |
27.20% | 60.35% | 7.13% |
| 6 |  income distribution in Costa Rica |
26.15% | 57.66% | 6.76% |
| 7 |  income distribution in Angola |
25.98% | 58.01% | 9.04% |
| 8 |  Bahrain's wealth gap |
25.59% | 57.75% | 10.38% |
| 9 |  Yemen's wealth gap |
25.07% | 59.56% | 9.44% |
| 10 |  Qatar's wealth gap |
24.44% | 56.94% | 9.70% |
| 11 |  Mozambique |
23.46% | 59.71% | 9.71% |
| 12 |  Botswana |
23.28% | 60.61% | 7.62% |
| 13 |  Algeria's wealth gap |
23.25% | 50.10% | 15.78% |
| 14 |  income distribution in Saudi Arabia |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
| 15 |  Jamaica |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 16 |  Nicaragua's income inequality |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 17 |  Haiti |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 18 |  Paraguay's wealth gap |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 19 |  Panama's wealth gap |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 20 |  income distribution in Honduras |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
Countries With the Most Equal Income Distribution in 2021
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 |  Iceland |
8.05% | 28.85% | 25.23% |
| 2 |  Slovakia's income inequality |
7.52% | 26.78% | 24.48% |
| 3 |  Norway |
9.45% | 30.29% | 24.39% |
| 4 |  income distribution in Sweden |
10.12% | 30.19% | 23.98% |
| 5 |  Austria's income inequality |
8.98% | 31.29% | 23.32% |
| 6 |  Switzerland's income inequality |
10.26% | 31.04% | 23.24% |
| 7 |  income distribution in Slovenia |
8.00% | 29.57% | 23.07% |
| 8 |  Ukraine |
9.33% | 33.08% | 22.59% |
| 9 |  Belarus's income inequality |
9.61% | 32.77% | 22.58% |
| 10 |  Hungary's income inequality |
11.35% | 32.84% | 22.41% |
| 11 |  Netherlands's wealth gap |
7.06% | 29.65% | 22.40% |
| 12 |  Finland |
10.05% | 32.64% | 21.88% |
| 13 |  income distribution in Denmark |
12.57% | 33.30% | 21.56% |
| 14 |  income distribution in Italy |
9.06% | 32.30% | 21.45% |
| 15 |  Spain's income inequality |
12.27% | 34.27% | 21.22% |
| 16 |  Greece |
11.29% | 33.09% | 20.95% |
| 17 |  North Macedonia's income inequality |
8.15% | 30.51% | 20.77% |
| 18 |  Cyprus |
8.89% | 33.64% | 20.62% |
| 19 |  Portugal's income inequality |
10.36% | 35.44% | 20.40% |
| 20 |  Azerbaijan's income inequality |
13.99% | 38.22% | 20.33% |
Global Income Inequality Overview for 2021
- Countries with data: 184
- Average top 1% income share: 16.28%
- Average bottom 50% income share: 14.89%
- Highest top 1% share: Peru (35.79%)
- Lowest top 1% share: Netherlands (7.06%)
Complete Country Rankings for 2021
| # | Country | Top 1% | Top 10% | Bottom 50% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peru |
35.79% | 62.41% | 7.36% |
| 2 | Iraq's wealth gap |
35.33% | 64.06% | 9.15% |
| 3 | Brazil's income inequality |
28.04% | 59.94% | 8.23% |
| 4 | Chile's income inequality |
27.80% | 59.26% | 7.48% |
| 5 | income distribution in Mexico |
27.20% | 60.35% | 7.13% |
| 6 | Costa Rica's income inequality |
26.15% | 57.66% | 6.76% |
| 7 | Angola |
25.98% | 58.01% | 9.04% |
| 8 | Bahrain |
25.59% | 57.75% | 10.38% |
| 9 | Yemen's income inequality |
25.07% | 59.56% | 9.44% |
| 10 | Qatar's income inequality |
24.44% | 56.94% | 9.70% |
| 11 | Mozambique |
23.46% | 59.71% | 9.71% |
| 12 | Botswana's wealth gap |
23.28% | 60.61% | 7.62% |
| 13 | Algeria's wealth gap |
23.25% | 50.10% | 15.78% |
| 14 | Saudi Arabia |
23.16% | 52.05% | 10.65% |
| 15 | Jamaica's income inequality |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 16 | income distribution in Nicaragua |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 17 | income distribution in Haiti |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 18 | income distribution in Paraguay |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 19 | Panama |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 20 | Honduras's wealth gap |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 21 |  income distribution in Guatemala |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 22 |  Guyana |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 23 |  income distribution in Bolivia |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 24 |  Suriname |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 25 |  Belize's wealth gap |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 26 |  Bahamas's income inequality |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 27 |  Trinidad and Tobago's income inequality |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 28 |  Venezuela |
22.79% | 53.04% | 9.49% |
| 29 |  Tunisia's wealth gap |
22.41% | 52.71% | 12.38% |
| 30 |  India's income inequality |
22.13% | 58.19% | 13.64% |
| 31 |  income distribution in Namibia |
21.58% | 64.20% | 6.55% |
| 32 |  Uganda's wealth gap |
21.42% | 53.05% | 12.20% |
| 33 |  Barbados's income inequality |
21.18% | 48.52% | 14.13% |
| 34 |  Grenada's income inequality |
21.18% | 48.52% | 14.13% |
| 35 |  Antigua and Barbuda's income inequality |
21.18% | 48.52% | 14.13% |
| 36 |  Saint Lucia |
21.18% | 48.52% | 14.13% |
| 37 |  income distribution in Saint Kitts and Nevis |
21.18% | 48.52% | 14.13% |
| 38 |  income distribution in Dominica |
21.18% | 48.52% | 14.13% |
| 39 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines's income inequality |
21.18% | 48.52% | 14.13% |
| 40 |  Georgia's wealth gap |
21.11% | 49.03% | 13.90% |
| 41 |  income distribution in Zimbabwe |
21.07% | 58.95% | 9.23% |
| 42 |  Ecuador |
20.92% | 47.63% | 9.91% |
| 43 |  Colombia |
20.91% | 60.92% | 6.36% |
| 44 |  Congo's income inequality |
20.52% | 55.93% | 9.92% |
| 45 |  Sri Lanka |
20.47% | 48.98% | 14.13% |
| 46 |  Lebanon's income inequality |
20.41% | 51.61% | 11.08% |
| 47 |  income distribution in Oman |
19.93% | 56.27% | 9.06% |
| 48 |  Thailand's wealth gap |
19.83% | 52.35% | 10.65% |
| 49 |  Turkmenistan's income inequality |
19.50% | 48.89% | 12.06% |
| 50 |  Taiwan's income inequality |
19.33% | 48.12% | 11.79% |
| 51 |  South Africa |
19.31% | 65.41% | 5.81% |
| 52 |  Rwanda's income inequality |
19.21% | 52.70% | 12.97% |
| 53 |  Dominican Republic |
19.18% | 48.41% | 10.73% |
| 54 |  income distribution in Egypt |
19.12% | 49.29% | 15.57% |
| 55 |  Turkey's wealth gap |
18.99% | 52.01% | 14.21% |
| 56 |  Zambia |
18.64% | 56.89% | 8.61% |
| 57 |  income distribution in Uruguay |
18.29% | 45.90% | 14.47% |
| 58 |  Tanzania |
18.15% | 51.37% | 12.95% |
| 59 |  Cambodia's income inequality |
18.13% | 45.38% | 13.91% |
| 60 |  Kyrgyzstan |
18.09% | 43.27% | 16.87% |
| 61 |  Cuba's wealth gap |
17.86% | 45.40% | 12.53% |
| 62 |  Indonesia's wealth gap |
17.85% | 46.86% | 12.45% |
| 63 |  Hong Kong's wealth gap |
17.84% | 48.18% | 13.59% |
| 64 |  Jordan |
17.83% | 49.63% | 14.40% |
| 65 |  income distribution in Kuwait |
17.73% | 45.40% | 16.32% |
| 66 |  Bulgaria's income inequality |
17.59% | 43.79% | 16.17% |
| 67 |  income distribution in Estonia |
17.09% | 41.48% | 16.24% |
| 68 |  Israel |
16.91% | 49.21% | 13.28% |
| 69 |  Palestine's income inequality |
16.89% | 51.50% | 10.88% |
| 70 |  New Zealand |
16.77% | 38.15% | 18.54% |
| 71 |  income distribution in Libya |
16.77% | 47.16% | 15.22% |
| 72 |  Myanmar's wealth gap |
16.66% | 42.93% | 15.98% |
| 73 |  Uzbekistan's wealth gap |
16.65% | 45.53% | 14.62% |
| 74 |  Pakistan's wealth gap |
16.65% | 42.81% | 17.30% |
| 75 |  Philippines |
16.62% | 45.40% | 14.35% |
| 76 |  income distribution in Papua New Guinea |
16.37% | 46.28% | 12.91% |
| 77 |  United Arab Emirates |
16.19% | 49.21% | 12.91% |
| 78 |  Bangladesh's wealth gap |
16.16% | 42.40% | 17.08% |
| 79 |  income distribution in Kenya |
16.11% | 49.70% | 13.82% |
| 80 |  Fiji's wealth gap |
16.09% | 48.59% | 15.82% |
| 81 |  income distribution in Vanuatu |
16.09% | 48.59% | 15.82% |
| 82 |  Samoa's wealth gap |
16.09% | 48.59% | 15.82% |
| 83 |  Palau |
16.09% | 48.59% | 15.82% |
| 84 |  Marshall Islands's income inequality |
16.09% | 48.59% | 15.82% |
| 85 |  Solomon Islands |
16.09% | 48.59% | 15.82% |
| 86 |  Tonga's wealth gap |
16.09% | 48.59% | 15.82% |
| 87 |  Nauru's wealth gap |
16.09% | 48.59% | 15.82% |
| 88 |  Tuvalu's income inequality |
16.09% | 48.59% | 15.82% |
| 89 |  Kiribati's wealth gap |
16.09% | 48.59% | 15.82% |
| 90 |  Mongolia |
16.05% | 42.90% | 14.95% |
| 91 |  Gambia |
16.02% | 48.00% | 13.89% |
| 92 |  income distribution in Sao Tome and Principe |
15.98% | 50.61% | 13.04% |
| 93 |  Somalia's income inequality |
15.90% | 48.64% | 13.96% |
| 94 |  Mauritius |
15.89% | 47.40% | 14.80% |
| 95 |  income distribution in Djibouti |
15.86% | 49.55% | 13.09% |
| 96 |  China |
15.72% | 43.35% | 13.74% |
| 97 |  income distribution in Central African Republic |
15.59% | 50.39% | 12.13% |
| 98 |  South Sudan's wealth gap |
15.52% | 50.01% | 11.91% |
| 99 |  income distribution in Serbia |
15.44% | 37.98% | 17.58% |
| 100 |  El Salvador |
15.40% | 42.89% | 10.03% |
| 101 |  Sudan's income inequality |
15.36% | 45.04% | 15.77% |
| 102 |  Iran |
15.24% | 45.83% | 16.68% |
| 103 |  Malawi |
15.23% | 48.46% | 13.91% |
| 104 |  Ghana's wealth gap |
15.23% | 48.91% | 12.21% |
| 105 |  Afghanistan |
15.08% | 41.01% | 17.79% |
| 106 |  income distribution in Sierra Leone |
15.02% | 47.00% | 14.99% |
| 107 |  income distribution in Armenia |
15.00% | 39.60% | 18.59% |
| 108 |  income distribution in Poland |
15.00% | 37.74% | 19.45% |
| 109 |  income distribution in Kazakhstan |
14.88% | 41.20% | 16.44% |
| 110 |  North Korea |
14.76% | 42.67% | 15.12% |
| 111 |  Burkina Faso's income inequality |
14.73% | 47.55% | 14.38% |
| 112 |  Tajikistan |
14.53% | 42.23% | 15.48% |
| 113 |  Burundi's wealth gap |
14.49% | 47.10% | 14.40% |
| 114 |  Romania |
14.47% | 41.16% | 15.42% |
| 115 |  income distribution in Lesotho |
14.45% | 49.51% | 11.28% |
| 116 |  income distribution in Argentina |
14.38% | 42.67% | 13.22% |
| 117 |  income distribution in Singapore |
14.21% | 46.28% | 16.65% |
| 118 |  income distribution in Comoros |
14.15% | 50.26% | 11.39% |
| 119 |  Niger's income inequality |
14.13% | 45.23% | 16.23% |
| 120 |  income distribution in Togo |
14.08% | 46.55% | 14.28% |
| 121 |  Bhutan's income inequality |
14.00% | 42.14% | 15.04% |
| 122 |  Macao's income inequality |
14.00% | 41.66% | 14.36% |
| 123 | Azerbaijan's wealth gap |
13.99% | 38.22% | 20.33% |
| 124 |  Madagascar |
13.98% | 46.82% | 14.79% |
| 125 |  income distribution in Nepal |
13.72% | 41.47% | 16.70% |
| 126 |  Morocco |
13.43% | 48.20% | 14.39% |
| 127 |  Cameroon's income inequality |
13.27% | 47.60% | 12.37% |
| 128 |  Germany's wealth gap |
13.09% | 37.42% | 18.82% |
| 129 |  Maldives |
13.08% | 39.51% | 18.08% |
| 130 |  Senegal |
13.07% | 45.72% | 15.01% |
| 131 |  income distribution in Chad |
12.95% | 46.44% | 14.53% |
| 132 |  income distribution in Ireland |
12.93% | 36.91% | 19.57% |
| 133 |  United Kingdom's income inequality |
12.91% | 36.00% | 20.17% |
| 134 |  Benin's wealth gap |
12.84% | 43.67% | 15.76% |
| 135 |  Malaysia's income inequality |
12.82% | 36.36% | 19.24% |
| 136 |  France's income inequality |
12.72% | 34.90% | 20.26% |
| 137 |  Japan's income inequality |
12.65% | 43.50% | 18.21% |
| 138 | income distribution in Denmark |
12.57% | 33.30% | 21.56% |
| 139 | Spain |
12.27% | 34.27% | 21.22% |
| 140 |  Liberia |
12.20% | 43.24% | 15.43% |
| 141 |  income distribution in Nigeria |
12.12% | 42.47% | 15.93% |
| 142 |  Mali's wealth gap |
12.12% | 44.94% | 15.07% |
| 143 |  Equatorial Guinea's wealth gap |
12.01% | 45.33% | 13.94% |
| 144 |  income distribution in Moldova |
11.79% | 35.94% | 17.68% |
| 145 |  Canada |
11.62% | 36.22% | 17.43% |
| 146 |  Liechtenstein |
11.41% | 35.57% | 18.34% |
| 147 |  income distribution in Andorra |
11.41% | 35.57% | 18.34% |
| 148 |  income distribution in Monaco |
11.41% | 35.57% | 18.34% |
| 149 |  income distribution in San Marino |
11.41% | 35.57% | 18.34% |
| 150 | income distribution in Hungary |
11.35% | 32.84% | 22.41% |
| 151 | income distribution in Greece |
11.29% | 33.09% | 20.95% |
| 152 |  Malta's income inequality |
11.13% | 35.50% | 19.57% |
| 153 |  Guinea-Bissau's wealth gap |
11.03% | 42.10% | 16.05% |
| 154 |  Gabon's income inequality |
11.02% | 43.32% | 14.42% |
| 155 |  Australia's income inequality |
10.98% | 35.41% | 17.38% |
| 156 |  Eritrea's wealth gap |
10.46% | 40.47% | 17.34% |
| 157 |  Ethiopia's income inequality |
10.46% | 40.47% | 17.34% |
| 158 |  Luxembourg's wealth gap |
10.39% | 33.15% | 20.25% |
| 159 | Portugal |
10.36% | 35.44% | 20.40% |
| 160 | Switzerland |
10.26% | 31.04% | 23.24% |
| 161 | income distribution in Sweden |
10.12% | 30.19% | 23.98% |
| 162 | Finland's income inequality |
10.05% | 32.64% | 21.88% |
| 163 |  income distribution in Lithuania |
10.03% | 35.91% | 16.78% |
| 164 |  Mauritania |
9.97% | 39.94% | 17.04% |
| 165 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina's income inequality |
9.82% | 34.50% | 18.31% |
| 166 |  Croatia's income inequality |
9.73% | 34.86% | 18.97% |
| 167 |  Latvia |
9.63% | 35.68% | 17.37% |
| 168 | Belarus's income inequality |
9.61% | 32.77% | 22.58% |
| 169 |  income distribution in Kosovo |
9.55% | 33.29% | 18.12% |
| 170 | income distribution in Norway |
9.45% | 30.29% | 24.39% |
| 171 |  Albania |
9.34% | 34.35% | 17.94% |
| 172 | Ukraine's income inequality |
9.33% | 33.08% | 22.59% |
| 173 | income distribution in Italy |
9.06% | 32.30% | 21.45% |
| 174 |  Montenegro |
9.01% | 34.99% | 15.98% |
| 175 | income distribution in Austria |
8.98% | 31.29% | 23.32% |
| 176 | Cyprus's wealth gap |
8.89% | 33.64% | 20.62% |
| 177 |  Seychelles |
8.78% | 38.65% | 17.38% |
| 178 |  income distribution in Guinea |
8.71% | 37.91% | 18.20% |
| 179 |  income distribution in Belgium |
8.70% | 32.94% | 20.33% |
| 180 | North Macedonia's wealth gap |
8.15% | 30.51% | 20.77% |
| 181 | Iceland's wealth gap |
8.05% | 28.85% | 25.23% |
| 182 | Slovenia |
8.00% | 29.57% | 23.07% |
| 183 | Slovakia |
7.52% | 26.78% | 24.48% |
| 184 | Netherlands |
7.06% | 29.65% | 22.40% |
Last updated: April 8, 2026
Data source: World Inequality Database (WID). This dataset covers income distribution metrics for 199 countries from 1980 to 2024.