Source: Dorothee Hillrichs, Gonzague Vannoorenberghe — Recovering Within-Country Inequality from Trade Data. Journal of the European Economic Association, 2026.
Method: We derive the Gini index from a country's import basket - disproportionate imports of high-inequality elastic varieties relative to a country's average income predict a higher Gini index. For details, see Hillrichs, Vannoorenberghe (2026).
Data versions:Version 1 is the dataset published with the paper; it covers income inequality only, for 1995–2018. Version 2 is an updated dataset covering more recent years (1995–2024) and additionally includes consumption inequality estimates. Use the version toggle above the map to switch; the site shows Version 2 by default.
How to use this site: Select Income or Consumption and a time period to colour the map by Gini coefficient. Hover over a country to see its estimate and 95 % confidence interval. Click a country to add it to the time series chart below. You can compare multiple countries and toggle between income and consumption within the same chart.
Reliability: Faded countries on the map have estimates below the reliability threshold (fewer products or trading partners) and should be interpreted with caution.
Citation: Please cite Hillrichs, Vannoorenberghe (2026) when using this data. Please report any inconsistencies for revision in future updates.