On this page you can find the previous versions of WIID, including information about data updates. In addition to Excel and Stata files (Stata not available for WIID2.0) you can access the user guides and revision notes.
Please contact the database manager for any questions on the database.
With this version, the number of observations reach the year 2021 and cover 201 countries (including historical entities) with over 22,000 data points in total. There are more than 3,800 unique country-year observations in the database. Read more about the observation composition here.
*These database files were updated on 21 October 2022 to correct a minor error affecting the GDP data. The first uncorrected release is still available below.
| Excel | Stata | User guide | Revision note |
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| WIID_30JUN2022_0.xlsx | WIID_30JUN2022_0.zip | WIID User Guide | WIID Version Note |
Please cite this database version as UNU-WIDER, World Income Inequality Database (WIID). Version 30 June 2022. https://doi.org/10.35188/UNU-WIDER/WIID-300622
| Excel | Stata | User guide | Version note |
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Please cite the WIID Companion database as UNU-WIDER, World Income Inequality Database (WIID) Companion dataset (wiidcountry and/or wiidglobal). Version 30 June 2022. https://doi.org/10.35188/UNU-WIDER/WIIDcomp-300622
This first release of the 30 June 2022 version of the WIID contained an error in the GDP data that inflated values for several countries.
The first release of the 30 June 2022 version of the WIID contained an error in the GDP data that inflated values for several countries.
With this current WIID version, the observations now reach the year 2021 and covers 201 countries (including historical entities) with over 22,000 data points in total. There are now more than 3,800 unique country-year observations in the database. Read more about the observation composition here.
| Excel | Stata | User guide | Revision note |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  | |
Please cite this database version as UNU-WIDER, World Income Inequality Database (WIID). Version 30 June 2022. https://doi.org/10.35188/UNU-WIDER/WIID-300622
With this current WIID version, the observations now reach the year 2019 and covers 200 countries (including historical entities) with over 20,000 data points in total. There are now more than 3,700 unique country-year observations in the database. Read more about the observation composition here.
Please cite this database version as UNU-WIDER, World Income Inequality Database (WIID). Version 31 May 2021. https://doi.org/10.35188/UNU-WIDER/WIID-310521
Excel | Stata(zip) | User Guide | Version Note
WIIDcountry | Stata(zip) | User Guide | Version Note
WIIDglobal | Stata(zip)
Please cite the WIID Companion database as UNU-WIDER, World Income Inequality Database (WIID) Companion dataset (wiidcountry and/or wiidglobal). Version 31 May 2021. https://doi.org/10.35188/UNU-WIDER/WIIDcomp-310521
WIID version 31 March 2021 is the first version to include the WIID Companion datasets with standardized data on global income inequality. It also includes more observations and more inequality concepts or measures than any of the previous versions.
With this WIID version, observations now reach the year 2020 and cover 200 countries (including historical entities) with over 20,000 data points in total. There are now more than 3,700 unique country-year observations in the database.
Please cite this database version as, 'UNU-WIDER, World Income Inequality Database (WIID). Version 31 March 2021.
Excel | Stata(zip) | User Guide | Version Note
WIIDcountry | Stata(zip) | User Guide
WIIDglobal | Stata(zip)
WIID version 6 May 2020 is a major update of the previous version of the database. It includes greater harmonization and more inequality concepts to the dataset, such as income share ratios, for many countries and years.
With this current WIID version, the observations now reach the year 2018 and coverage is extended to 200 countries (including historical entities), with over 11,000 data points in total. There are now more than 3,600 unique country-year observations in the database. Read more about the observation composition here.
Please cite this database version as: ‘UNU-WIDER, World Income Inequality Database (WIID), 6 May 2020’.
WIID version 17 December 2019 is a major update of the previous version of the database, WIID4.0.
This version retains most concepts from the previous versions, with new variables for shares and ratios, such as the share of national income held by the bottom 40% or the Palma ratio. It also corrects for inconsistencies and other issues found in earlier editions.
The observations reach the year 2018 and coverage is extended to 201 countries (including historical entities), with over 11,000 data points in total.
Please cite this database version as: ‘UNU-WIDER, World Income Inequality Database (WIID), 17 December 2019’.
WIID4 is a major update of the previous version of the database, WIID3.4.
WIID4 is a major database update. This version includes many key changes to the structure of the database, and corrects for inconsistencies found in the previous edition. The data covers 189 countries (including historical entities), with over 11,000 data points in total. The latest observations reach the year 2017.
Please cite this database version as: ‘UNU-WIDER, World Income Inequality Database (WIID), 19 December 2018’.
WIID3.4 is an update of the third major revision of the database, WIID3.
WIID3.4 is an update to WIID3. This version includes observations for six additional countries. The data cover 182 countries with 8,817 observations and now reach the year 2015.
More information about the observation composition cen be found here.
Please cite this database version as UNU-WIDER, ‘World Income Inequality Database (WIID3.4), /project/wiid-world-income-inequality-database’.
WIID3.3 is an update of the third major revision of the database, WIID3.
WIID3.3 is an update to WIID3. This update includes observations for eight more years, with latest observations now reaching the year 2013.
Please cite this database version as UNU-WIDER, ‘World Income Inequality Database (WIID3c)’, September 2015, /project/wiid-world-income-inequality-database'.
WIID3.0 is a checked and corrected version of WIID2.0.
WIID3.0 is a checked and corrected version of WIID2.0. This version includes new estimates from National Survey statistics obtained from the respective country official websites, the Socio-Economic Database for Latin America and the Caribbean, Transmonee, Luxembourg Income Study database, OECD and Eurostat.
The updated data covers new countries, with nearly 2000 additional observations. The latest observations now reach the year 2012.
Please cite this database version as ‘UNU-WIDER, ‘World Income Inequality Database (WIID3.0A)’, June 2014, /project/wiid-world-income-inequality-database’.
WIID3.0B | Excel | Stata (zip) | User guide | Revision note
WIID3.0A | Excel | Stata (zip) | User guide | Revision note
WIID2.0 is a checked and corrected version of WIID1.
WIID2 is a checked and corrected version of WIID1. It includes a new update of the Deininger & Squire database from the World Bank, new estimates from the Luxembourg Income Study and Transmonee, and other new sources as they have became available. WIID2a contains fewer points of data than WIID1 as some overlaps between the old Deininger & Squire data and estimates included by WIDER have been eliminated along with some low quality estimates adding no information. In addition to the Gini coefficient and quintile and decile shares, survey means and medians along with the income shares of the richest 5% and the poorest 5% have been included in the update. In addition to the Gini coefficient reported by the source, a Gini coefficient calculated using a new method developed by Tony Shorrocks and Guang Hua Wan is reported. The method estimates the Gini coefficient from decile data almost as accurately as if unit record data were used.
Please cite this database version as 'UNU-WIDER World Income Inequality Database, Version 2.0c, May 2008, /project/wiid-world-income-inequality-database'.
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