Size Distribution of Income: A Compilation of Data.

A compilation of the available data on size distribution of income in 79 developed and developing countries is presented, including over 350 estimates of size distributions on a comparable basis of income shares accruing to 20 subgroups of the population ranging from the poorest 5 percent to the richest 5 percent. Familiar inequality indices, such as the Gini Coefficient, the Kuznet's Index, and the Entropy Measure are also provided for each estimate. Important characteristics of the data are defined, such as: 1) the income concept; 2) type of population (households, economically active population, income recipient, workers, and households and individuals by per capital household income); 3) sectoral breakdown of coverage; 4) estimation of income shares; and 5) measures of income inequality.