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Gini % - World Bank

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Income Inequality by Country 2023

The income gap between the nation's richest and the poorest citizens is typically referred to as income inequality—and in many countries, it has never been wider. Just as the overall incomes of the world's richest and poorest countries can offer broad hints about the level of development in those countries, the level of income inequality in a given country can help indicate the quality of life for its average citizen. Income inequality impacts a nation both economically and politically, with effects that include political polarization, negative attitudes towards the wealthy, slower GDP growth, reduced income mobility, higher poverty rates, and greater household debt. On the other hand, extremely income inequality that is extremely low can sometimes indicate a lack of economic growth.

The Gini Coefficient

The Gini coefficient, or Gini index, is a statistical measure of income inequality developed by Italian statistician Corrado Gini in 1912. The Gini coefficient ranges from 0 (0%) to 1 (100%), with 0 representing perfect equality and 1 representing perfect inequality. For example, in a country where everyone has the same income, the Gini coefficient would be 0. However, if a single resident earned all of the income while everyone else earned nothing, the coefficient would be 1.

Top 10 Countries with the Lowest Income Inequality (Gini %):

  1. Slovakia — 23.2
  2. Slovenia — 24.4
  3. Belarus — 24.4
  4. Armenia — 25.2
  5. Czech Republic — 25.3
  6. Ukraine — 25.6
  7. United Arab Emirates — 26.0
  8. Moldova — 26.0
  9. Iceland — 26.1
  10. Azerbaijan — 26.6

10 Countries with the Highest Income Inequality (Gini %):

  1. South Africa — 63.0
  2. Namibia — 59.1
  3. Suriname — 57.9
  4. Zambia — 57.1
  5. Sao Tome and Principe — 56.3
  6. Central African Republic — 56.2
  7. Eswatini — 54.6
  8. Colombia — 54.2
  9. Mozambique — 54.0
  10. Botswana — 53.3

Mathematically, the Gini coefficient is defined based on the Lorenz curve. The Lorenz curve plots the percentiles of the population on the graph's horizontal axis according to income or wealth, whichever is being measured. The cumulative income or wealth of the population is plotted on the vertical axis. Countries with high or low Gini scores often have economies that are either top-heavy, with too much money controlled by a wealthy elite; or stunted, with too little economic growth and development.

Limitations of the Gini coefficient

While the Gini coefficient is a useful tool for analyzing the distribution of wealth or income within a country, it is not a measurement of that country's overall wealth or economic well-being. For example, the Gini coefficient in highly developed, high-income countries is often higher—indicating less income equality—than the Gini coefficient in least-developed or low-income countries. Finally, the Gini coefficient can be compromised by imprecise or inadequate information. If reliable and up-to-date GDP and income data are lacking, the Gini coefficient may be inaccurate and overstate income inequality.

Income inequality in the United States

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the United States’ Gini coefficient was 48.9% in 2020. This ranks as the country's highest Gini in at least the past 50 years—although the 2021 data, when available, will likely eclipse it. Note that this value is higher than the World Bank estimate shown further down this page, which is computed using a slightly different algorithim.

The U.S. also has the highest Gini coefficient among the G7 nations. The top 1% of earners in the United States earn about 40 times more than the bottom 90% of earners, and roughly 33 million U.S. workers earn less than $10 per hour, placing a family of four below the poverty line.

Download Table Data

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Country
Gini % - World Bank
Data Year (WB)
Gini % - CIA World Factbook
Data Year (CIA)
South Africa632014632014
Namibia59.1201559.12015
Suriname57.91999
Zambia57.1201557.12015
Central African Republic56.2200843.62003
Eswatini54.6201654.62016
Colombia54.2202050.42018
Mozambique542014542014
Botswana53.3201553.32015
Belize53.31999
Angola51.3201851.32018
Saint Lucia51.2201651.22016
Zimbabwe50.3201944.32017
Panama49.8201949.22018
Brazil48.9202053.92018
Republic of the Congo48.9201148.92011
Guatemala48.3201448.32014
Honduras48.2201952.12018
Costa Rica48.22019482018
Burkina Faso47.3201835.32014
Ecuador47.3202045.42018
Cameroon46.6201446.52014
Nicaragua46.2201446.22014
Jamaica45.52004352016
Mexico45.4202036.82018
Comoros45.3201445.32014
Guyana45.1199844.62007
Chile44.9202044.42017
Lesotho44.9201744.92017
Venezuela44.82006392011
South Sudan44.12016462010
Peru43.8202042.82018
Rwanda43.7201643.72016
Bolivia43.6202042.22018
Ghana43.5201643.52016
Paraguay43.5202046.22018
Uganda42.7201942.82016
Madagascar42.6201242.62012
Togo42.4201843.12015
Cape Verde42.42015
Philippines42.3201844.42015
Argentina42.3202041.42018
DR Congo42.1201242.12012
Turkey41.9201941.92019
Papua New Guinea41.9200950.91996
Djibouti41.6201741.62017
United States41.5201941.12016
Malaysia41.12015412015
Haiti41.1201241.12012
Iran40.9201940.82017
Kenya40.8201540.82015
Turkmenistan40.8199840.81998
Tanzania40.5201840.52017
Bulgaria40.3201940.42017
Uruguay40.2202039.72018
Micronesia40.1201340.12013
Dominican Republic39.6202043.72018
Morocco39.5201339.52013
Sri Lanka39.3201639.82016
Tuvalu39.1201039.12010
Laos38.8201836.42012
El Salvador38.8201938.62018
Samoa38.7201338.72013
Burundi38.6201338.62013
Israel38.62018372018
Malawi38.5201944.72016
China38.2201938.52016
Senegal38.1201840.32011
Gabon382017382017
Benin37.8201847.82015
Tonga37.6201537.62015
Russia37.5201837.52018
Syria37.52003
Chad37.5201843.32011
Bhutan37.4201737.42017
Indonesia37.3202137.82018
Niger37.3201834.32014
Ivory Coast37.22018
Solomon Islands37.1201237.12013
Somalia36.82017
Mauritius36.8201736.82017
Montenegro36.82018392015
Yemen36.7201436.72014
Mali36.1201840.12001
Gambia35.9201535.92015
India35.7201135.72011
Vietnam35.7201835.72018
Sierra Leone35.7201835.72018
Uzbekistan35.3200336.82003
Liberia35.3201635.32016
Lithuania35.3201937.32017
Italy35.2201835.92017
Nigeria35.1201835.12018
United Kingdom35.1201734.82016
Ethiopia352015352015
Thailand35202036.42018
Romania34.82019362017
Nauru34.82012
Serbia34.5201936.22017
Georgia34.5202036.42018
Latvia34.5201935.62017
Spain34.3201934.72017
Australia34.3201834.42014
Sudan34.2201434.22014
Luxembourg34.2201934.92017
Tajikistan342015342015
Jordan33.7201033.72010
Palestine33.7201633.72016
Portugal33.5201833.82017
Canada33.3201733.32017
Greece33.1201934.42017
Switzerland33.1201832.72017
North Macedonia332018
Japan32.9201332.92013
Nepal32.8201032.82010
Tunisia32.8201532.82015
Mongolia32.7201832.72018
Mauritania32.6201432.62014
Bangladesh32.4201632.42016
France32.4201831.62017
Vanuatu32.3201937.62010
Seychelles32.1201846.82013
Lebanon31.8201131.82011
Germany31.7201831.92016
Egypt31.5201731.52017
South Korea31.4201635.42015
Cyprus31.2201931.42017
Malta31201929.22017
Albania30.8201933.22017
Estonia30.8201930.42017
Myanmar30.7201730.72017
Ireland30.6201832.82016
Poland30.2201829.72017
Austria30.2201929.72017
Fiji30.1201936.72013
Hungary30201930.62017
Pakistan29.6201833.52015
Guinea29.6201833.72012
Iraq29.5201229.52012
Sweden29.3201928.82017
Maldives29.3201931.32016
Netherlands29.2201928.52017
Kyrgyzstan29202027.72018
Croatia28.9201930.42017
Timor Leste28.7201428.72014
Kazakhstan27.8201827.52017
Kiribati27.82019
Denmark27.7201928.72017
Finland27.7201927.42017
Norway27.72019272017
Algeria27.6201127.62011
Belgium27.2201927.42017
Azerbaijan26.6200533.72008
Iceland26.1201726.82015
United Arab Emirates26201832.52014
Moldova26201925.72018
Ukraine25.6202026.12018
Czech Republic25.3201924.92017
Armenia25.2202034.42018
Belarus24.4202025.22018
Slovenia24.4201924.22017
Slovakia23.2201925.22016
Afghanistan29.42008
Saudi Arabia45.92013
Taiwan33.62014
Cambodia37.92008
Hong Kong53.92016
Singapore45.92017
New Zealand36.21997
Qatar41.12007
Macau352013
Greenland33.92015
Faroe Islands22.72013
Falkland Islands362015
showing: 174 rows

Which country has the lowest income inequality in the world?

Slovakia has the world's lowest Gini coefficient, 23.2, which ranks it as having the lowest income inequality.

Frequently Asked Questions

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