Gini index in Iran
Iran: Gini index was 35.9 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Gini index in Iran, 1986–2023
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
Analysis
Iran recorded 35.9 for gini index in 2023.
The figure is up 3.2% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gini index in Iran peaked at 47.4 in 1986 and was at its lowest, 34, in 2013.
That places Iran 53rd out of 123 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
Gini index in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 47.4 | — |
| 1990 | 43.6 | -8.0% |
| 1994 | 43 | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 44.1 | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 43.6 | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 44.8 | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 42.1 | -6.0% |
| 2011 | 34.7 | -17.6% |
| 2012 | 34.4 | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 34 | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 34.8 | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 35.3 | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 35.9 | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 36.7 | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 37.4 | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 36.5 | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 35.8 | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 35.5 | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 34.8 | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 35.9 | +3.2% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 35.9 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 36.9, 97% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Iran's 35.9 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 33.7, 1.1× the median. (10 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 47.4 | 47.4 | 47.4 | 1 |
| 1990s | 43.57 | 43 | 44.1 | 3 |
| 2000s | 43.5 | 42.1 | 44.8 | 3 |
| 2010s | 35.52 | 34 | 37.4 | 9 |
| 2020s | 35.5 | 34.8 | 35.9 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More poverty & inequality data for Iran
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 8 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.7 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 2,420 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 4.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via -11.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gender Inequality Index 0.482 (2023)
- Share of government consumption in GDP vs. share of population living in extreme poverty 29.4% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gini index in Iran?
- Gini index in Iran was 35.9 in 2023, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest gini index recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 47.4 in 1986.
- What is the lowest gini index recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 34 in 2013.
- How does Iran rank for gini index?
- Iran ranks 53rd out of 123 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gini index rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Gini index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
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.