Income share of the richest 1% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Income share of the richest 1% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax) was 23.2% in 2011. ▲ Rising
Income share of the richest 1% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax) in Saudi Arabia, 1820–2011
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 23.2% for income share of the richest 1% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) in 2011.
Over the whole period, income share of the richest 1% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) in Saudi Arabia peaked at 30.2% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 22.0%, in 1820.
That places Saudi Arabia 8th out of 113 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Income share of the richest 1% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 22.0% | — |
| 1850 | 22.5% | +2.1% |
| 1880 | 22.9% | +1.6% |
| 1900 | 23.5% | +2.8% |
| 1910 | 25.2% | +7.0% |
| 1920 | 25.8% | +2.4% |
| 1930 | 25.8% | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 25.6% | -0.7% |
| 1950 | 23.0% | -10.1% |
| 1960 | 26.6% | +15.6% |
| 1970 | 30.2% | +13.6% |
| 2011 | 23.2% | -23.4% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 23.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.8%, 2.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 23.2% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 17.8%, 1.3× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 22.0% | 22.0% | 22.0% | 1 |
| 1850s | 22.5% | 22.5% | 22.5% | 1 |
| 1880s | 22.9% | 22.9% | 22.9% | 1 |
| 1900s | 23.5% | 23.5% | 23.5% | 1 |
| 1910s | 25.2% | 25.2% | 25.2% | 1 |
| 1920s | 25.8% | 25.8% | 25.8% | 1 |
| 1930s | 25.8% | 25.8% | 25.8% | 1 |
| 1940s | 25.6% | 25.6% | 25.6% | 1 |
| 1950s | 23.0% | 23.0% | 23.0% | 1 |
| 1960s | 26.6% | 26.6% | 26.6% | 1 |
| 1970s | 30.2% | 30.2% | 30.2% | 1 |
| 2010s | 23.2% | 23.2% | 23.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More poverty & inequality data for Saudi Arabia
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 2.28 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 5,122 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 2.39 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 7.99 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 8.0% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, annual growth rate 10.76 % change on previous year (2023)
- Gender Inequality Index 0.228 (2023)
- Share of government consumption in GDP vs. share of population living in extreme poverty 24.0% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share of the richest 1% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) in Saudi Arabia?
- Income share of the richest 1% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) in Saudi Arabia was 23.2% in 2011, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest income share of the richest 1% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 30.2% in 1970.
- What is the lowest income share of the richest 1% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.0% in 1820.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for income share of the richest 1% vs. gini coefficient (before tax)?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 8th out of 113 countries with data for 2011.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income share of the richest 1% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of income received by the richest 1% of the population. Income here is measured before taxes and benefits.