* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Gini income inequality index, 2021:

The average for 2021 based on 12 countries was 44.83 index points. The highest value was in Colombia: 55.1 index points and the lowest value was in Dominican Republic: 38.5 index points. The indicator is available from 1963 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Measure: index points; Source: The World Bank
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series


Countries Gini inequality index, 2021 Global rank Available data
Colombia 55.1 1 1980 - 2022
Brazil 52.9 2 1981 - 2022
Panama 50.9 3 1979 - 2023
Costa Rica 48.7 4 1981 - 2023
Ecuador 45.8 5 1987 - 2023
Paraguay 42.9 6 1990 - 2022
Argentina 42.4 7 1980 - 2022
Bolivia 40.9 8 1990 - 2021
Uruguay 40.8 9 1981 - 2022
Peru 40.1 10 1997 - 2022
El Salvador 39 11 1989 - 2022
Domin. Rep. 38.5 12 1986 - 2022


New - World map: Gini inequality index




Definition: Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.

Selected articles from our guide:

Are trade deficits bad for the economy?

Sources of economic growth

Currency values and investment returns

How to write an economics research paper

All articles

This site uses cookies.
Learn more here


OK