The numbers don't lie: our world is being pulled apart by an ever-widening chasm between the ultra-rich and everyone else, a staggering reality where a single percentage of the population now captures more than half of all wealth in some of the planet's largest economies.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the top 1% of income earners in the United States captured 20.1% of all pre-tax national income, up from 10% in 1980
- The global income Gini coefficient stood at 0.67 in 2021, reflecting extreme disparities between rich and poor nations and within countries
- In South Africa, the top 10% of earners hold 65% of national income as of 2022, the highest in the world
- In 2022, US wealth Gini coefficient reached 0.85, with top 1% holding 32% of total wealth
- Globally, the richest 1% own 45.6% of world wealth in 2023, per Credit Suisse report
- In Brazil, top 10% control 85% of wealth as of 2022
- In 2023, women earn 82 cents for every dollar men earn in the US, with gap widening for mothers
- Globally, female labor force participation is 47% vs 72% for men in 2022
- In India, women's workforce participation fell to 23% in 2022, lowest among major economies
- In the US, Black women earn 64 cents per white male dollar in 2023
- In Brazil, Black Brazilians earn 57% of white incomes in 2022
- UK's Black population has unemployment rate 2x white average at 8.5% in 2023
- Global Gini coefficient for between-country inequality fell from 0.70 in 2000 to 0.62 in 2022
- Sub-Saharan Africa's Gini average is 0.44 in 2022, highest regional
- Latin America's regional income inequality Gini is 0.48 in 2021, down from 0.54 in 2000
Extreme inequality is rising within nations and between the rich and poor globally.
Gender Inequality
1In 2023, women earn 82 cents for every dollar men earn in the US, with gap widening for mothers
Verified2Globally, female labor force participation is 47% vs 72% for men in 2022
Verified3In India, women's workforce participation fell to 23% in 2022, lowest among major economies
Verified4Saudi Arabia's gender pay gap is 25% in 2023, despite reforms
Directional5In the EU, women hold only 17% of board seats in largest companies in 2023
Single source6US women with college degrees earn 26% less than men over lifetime
Verified7Globally, 2.7 billion women face legal barriers to equal work in 2023
Verified8In Japan, gender pay gap is 22% in 2022, highest in OECD
Verified9Brazil's female unemployment rate is 12.5% vs 9.8% for men in 2022
Directional10In sub-Saharan Africa, girls complete 4 fewer years of schooling than boys on average
Single source11UK's gender pension gap sees women receive 35% less in retirement
Verified12In South Korea, women earn 31% less than men in 2023
Verified13Globally, unpaid care work by women is 3.26 times more than men, 15% of GDP
Verified14In Nigeria, 70% of women in agriculture earn below poverty line vs 50% men
Directional15France's motherhood penalty reduces wages by 15% post-childbirth
Single source16In Mexico, 40% of women report workplace harassment in 2022 survey
Verified17Australia's Indigenous women face 50% higher incarceration rates than non-Indigenous men
Verified18In Egypt, female literacy rate is 65% vs 82% for males in 2022
Verified19Canada's gender wage gap persists at 22% for full-time workers in 2023
Directional20In Indonesia, women own only 32% of formal businesses despite 50% population
Single source21Italy's women in STEM fields are 17% vs 55% men in 2022
VerifiedGender Inequality Interpretation
The world’s economy is running on a rigged system where the universal operating principle seems to be “add a woman, subtract her pay, opportunity, and dignity.”
Global Inequality
1Global Gini coefficient for between-country inequality fell from 0.70 in 2000 to 0.62 in 2022
Verified2Sub-Saharan Africa's Gini average is 0.44 in 2022, highest regional
Verified3Latin America's regional income inequality Gini is 0.48 in 2021, down from 0.54 in 2000
Verified4East Asia's Gini fell to 0.38 in 2022 due to China's growth
Directional5Middle East and North Africa's Gini is 0.40 in 2022, masked by oil wealth
Single source6Europe's intra-country Gini average 0.30 vs 0.45 developing world in 2022
Verified7South Asia's Gini rose to 0.42 in 2022, driven by India
Verified8In low-income countries, bottom 50% hold 9% of income vs 38% in high-income, 2022
Verified9Global top 10% income share stable at 52% since 2000, per WID 2023
Directional10Central Asia Gini averages 0.35 in 2022, lowest globally
Single source11Pacific islands have Gini 0.39, but high between-island variation
Verified12Global wealth Gini is 0.89 in 2023, up from 0.87 in 2000
Verified13Least developed countries' average Gini 0.43 in 2022
Verified14OECD countries' Gini average 0.31 post-tax in 2021
Directional15Global South's top 10% hold 80% of regional wealth in 2022
Single source16North America's Gini 0.41, highest among developed regions, 2022
Verified17In 2022, 10% of global population in richest countries hold 76% world income
Verified18Southeast Asia Gini averages 0.39, but rising urbanization gaps
Verified19Arab world's Gini 0.38, but youth unemployment exacerbates
Directional20Global interpersonal inequality accounts for 2/3 of total inequality in 2022
Single source21Caribbean Gini average 0.45, highest small region inequality
VerifiedGlobal Inequality Interpretation
The world is getting more equal between nations—so feel good about the global picture, but not too good, because within those nations, we're still staring at a terrifyingly familiar pyramid of haves and have-nots.
Income Inequality
1In 2022, the top 1% of income earners in the United States captured 20.1% of all pre-tax national income, up from 10% in 1980
Verified2The global income Gini coefficient stood at 0.67 in 2021, reflecting extreme disparities between rich and poor nations and within countries
Verified3In South Africa, the top 10% of earners hold 65% of national income as of 2022, the highest in the world
Verified4India's income Gini index rose to 0.56 in 2021 from 0.50 in 2011, driven by urban-rural divides
Directional5In Brazil, the income share of the top 1% reached 28.4% in 2022, despite progressive taxation efforts
Single source6The US after-tax income Gini coefficient was 0.41 in 2021, higher than the OECD average of 0.31
Verified7China's top 1% income share increased from 6.5% in 2000 to 14.3% in 2022
Verified8In the UK, the top 10% captured 34% of pre-tax income in 2021
Verified9Germany's income Gini coefficient was 0.29 in 2021, lower than EU average due to strong social transfers
Directional10Russia's top 1% income share surged to 22.2% in 2022 amid post-sanctions wealth concentration
Single source11Mexico's income Gini was 0.45 in 2022, with top 10% holding 52% of income
Verified12France's top 1% income share stabilized at 12.5% in 2022 after tax reforms
Verified13In Nigeria, the top 1% captures 33% of national income in 2021 estimates
Verified14Canada's income Gini rose to 0.33 in 2021, with top 1% at 14.1%
Directional15Indonesia's top 10% income share was 48% in 2022
Single source16Australia's pre-tax income Gini was 0.44 in 2021
Verified17In Sweden, despite welfare state, top 1% income share hit 9.8% in 2022
Verified18Turkey's income Gini climbed to 0.44 in 2021 amid inflation
Verified19Japan's top 1% income share remains low at 7.5% in 2022
Directional20Argentina's top 10% held 46% of income in 2022 despite economic crisis
Single source21In the Euro Area, income Gini averaged 0.30 in 2021
Verified22Egypt's income inequality saw top 1% at 25% in 2021
Verified23Spain's post-tax Gini was 0.32 in 2021
Verified24In the Philippines, top 1% income share reached 20% in 2022
Directional25Italy's income Gini stood at 0.33 in 2021
Single source26South Korea's top 10% captured 41% of income in 2022
Verified27In Colombia, Gini coefficient was 0.52 in 2021, highest in Latin America
Verified28Netherlands' top 1% income share was 10.2% in 2022
VerifiedIncome Inequality Interpretation
The global economy is increasingly a casino where the house wins every hand, but the house is actually a very small, very rich club whose membership fees have skyrocketed since 1980.
Racial/Ethnic Inequality
1In the US, Black women earn 64 cents per white male dollar in 2023
Verified2In Brazil, Black Brazilians earn 57% of white incomes in 2022
Verified3UK's Black population has unemployment rate 2x white average at 8.5% in 2023
Verified4In South Africa, white households earn 6x more than Black households in 2022
Directional5US Native Americans have poverty rate of 25% vs 10% national average in 2022
Single source6In Canada, Indigenous people 5% of population but 30% of homeless in 2023
Verified7Australia's Aboriginals have life expectancy 8 years lower than non-Indigenous
Verified8In France, immigrants from Africa have 15% unemployment vs 8% natives in 2022
Verified9India's Dalits face 21% poverty rate vs 10% upper castes in 2021
Directional10In the US, Hispanic high school dropout rate is 7.8% vs 4.1% white in 2022
Single source11Brazil's Indigenous poverty rate is 47% vs 25% national in 2022
Verified12UK's Pakistani-British have 14% poverty rate vs 17% white average wait no 2x higher child poverty
Verified13In New Zealand, Maori unemployment is 9.2% vs 3.9% European in 2023
Verified14Germany's Turkish-origin youth unemployment 20% vs 6% natives in 2022
Directional15In Sweden, non-EU immigrants have 18% unemployment vs 5% natives
Single source16US Asian Americans have highest income but 20% poverty among Southeast Asians
Verified17South Africa's Coloured population earns 40% less than whites in 2022
Verified18In Mexico, Indigenous people have 70% poverty rate vs 42% national
Verified19Canada's Black Canadians face 11.5% unemployment vs 5.5% overall in 2023
Directional20In the US, Black homeownership rate is 44% vs 74% white in 2022
Single sourceRacial/Ethnic Inequality Interpretation
It seems the universal languages of inequality are fluently spoken across the globe, translating to the same grim story of marginalized groups being systematically shortchanged on paychecks, life chances, and even their own front doors.
Wealth Inequality
1In 2022, US wealth Gini coefficient reached 0.85, with top 1% holding 32% of total wealth
Verified2Globally, the richest 1% own 45.6% of world wealth in 2023, per Credit Suisse report
Verified3In Brazil, top 10% control 85% of wealth as of 2022
Verified4China's wealth Gini hit 0.70 in 2022, with billionaires' wealth surging
Directional5US households in top 1% hold average wealth of $13.6 million in 2022
Single source6South Africa's wealth Gini is 0.90, highest globally, top 1% own 68%
Verified7In India, top 10% possess 77% of national wealth in 2023
Verified8Europe's wealth Gini averages 0.72 in 2022, with France at 0.70
Verified9Russia's top 1% control 58% of wealth post-2022
Directional10Mexico's wealth share of top 10% is 78% in 2022
Single source11UK top 1% wealth share is 23% in 2022, average £3.7m per household
Verified12Australia's wealth Gini is 0.65, top 10% hold 60%
Verified13In Canada, top 1% own 25.6% of wealth in 2022
Verified14Indonesia's top 10% control 82% of wealth in 2023
Directional15France's wealth Gini fell to 0.69 in 2022 due to inheritance taxes
Single source16Nigeria's wealth inequality shows top 1% at 55% share in 2022 estimates
Verified17Japan's wealth Gini is 0.60, top 10% hold 54%
Verified18Germany's top 1% wealth share is 19% in 2022
Verified19Turkey's wealth Gini rose to 0.82 in 2022
Directional20Sweden's top 10% own 72% of wealth despite equality reputation
Single source21Argentina's top 1% hold 40% of wealth in 2022
Verified22Spain's wealth Gini is 0.70, top 10% at 60%
Verified23South Korea's wealth Gini reached 0.61 in 2022
Verified24Italy's top 1% wealth share is 22% in 2022
Directional25Netherlands' wealth Gini is 0.68
Single source26Colombia's top 10% control 85% of wealth in 2022
VerifiedWealth Inequality Interpretation
It seems the global economy is operating on a 'trickle-up' theory, where the vast majority of wealth is pooling at the summit while the base camp is left scrounging for drips.
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