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Economy & jobs Statistics · Country

Income inequality (Gini) in China

1981 – 2022 · 23 data points 11 of 27 · Countries Updated Oct 21, 2026

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1981 – 2022

Income inequality (Gini), 1981 – 2022 index
−14% since 2012

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1981 – 2022

The series at a glance China · 1981 – 2022
Latest value 36.0 · 2022
First value 28.2 · 1981
Highest 43.7 · 2010
Lowest 27.1 · 1984
Average change +0.6% a year on average
Data points 23

By year

All years · 1981 – 2022

YearChinaChange
2022 36.0 +0.6%
2021 35.8 −3.5%
2020 37.1 −2.9%
2019 38.2 −0.8%
2018 38.5 −1.3%
2017 39.0 +1.3%
2016 38.5 −0.3%
2015 38.6 −1.5%
2014 39.2 −1.3%
2013 39.7 −5.7%
2012 42.1 −0.5%
2011 42.3 −3.2%
2010 43.7 +1.9%
2008 42.9 +4.9%
2005 40.9 −2.6%
2002 42.0 +8.5%
1999 38.7 +9.9%
1996 35.2 +4.1%
1993 33.8 +5.0%
1990 32.2 +9.9%
1987 29.3 +8.1%
1984 27.1 −3.9%
1981 28.2

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1981 – 2022

Ranking · Countries

2021 · Place 1 is the highest value.

#TerritoryIncome inequality (Gini)
5 Argentina 42.4
2 Brazil 52.9
8 Bulgaria 39.0
21 Canada 31.1
10 China 35.8
1 Colombia 55.1
26 Czechia 26.2
3 Ecuador 45.8
23 Egypt 28.5
25 Finland 27.7
20 France 31.5
16 Germany 33.6
17 Greece 32.9
11 Indonesia 35.5
13 Italy 34.8
9 Lithuania 36.7
27 Netherlands 25.7
22 Norway 29.1
6 Philippines 40.7
24 Poland 28.5
15 Romania 33.9
12 Russia 35.1
18 South Korea 32.9
14 Spain 33.9
4 Türkiye 44.4
19 United Kingdom 32.4
7 United States 39.7

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2021

What it means

How unequally income is shared: 0 means everyone has the same, 100 means one person has everything.

How it is calculated

Gini index of income or consumption from household surveys.