- Economic inequality has gained significant public attention over the last two decades, with improved data covering more countries and longer time periods.
- Inequality varies widely across countries and is not inevitable; national policies and institutions can influence its level.
- Global income inequality has decreased recently due to rapid growth in Asia, but within many countries, inequality has risen or remained stable.
- Three key international databases—World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform, Luxembourg Income Study, and World Inequality Database—offer different strengths, such as global coverage, comparability, and tracking top incomes.
- Household survey data, used by most databases, often misses the richest individuals, leading to potential underestimation of inequality.
- The World Inequality Database uses tax records and national accounts to better capture top incomes but measures a broader income concept than surveys.