Iceland vs Sweden: Palma ratio (before tax)
Iceland
1.81
in 2016
Sweden
1.85
in 2022
Iceland rank
111th
Sweden rank
110th
Palma ratio (before tax) over time
- Iceland
- Sweden
How they compare
Sweden currently reports 1.85 against 1.81 in Iceland, a difference of 0.04.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 26 shared years of data; in 1991 it was Iceland ahead.
Iceland ranks 111th and Sweden ranks 110th of 113 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Iceland averaged higher in 2 and Sweden in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iceland | Sweden | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.05 | 1.77 | 0.2819 | Iceland |
| 2000s | 2.15 | 1.91 | 0.24 | Iceland |
| 2010s | 1.76 | 1.92 | 0.1612 | Sweden |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher palma ratio (before tax), Iceland or Sweden?
- Sweden, at 1.85 against 1.81 in Iceland as of 2022.
- What is the difference in palma ratio (before tax) between Iceland and Sweden?
- 0.04, with Sweden ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and Sweden?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2016.
- How do Iceland and Sweden rank globally for palma ratio (before tax)?
- Iceland ranks 111th and Sweden ranks 110th of 113 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Palma ratio (before tax). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
The Palma ratio is a measure of inequality that divides the share received by the richest 10% by the share of the poorest 40%. Higher values indicate higher inequality. Inequality is measured here in terms of income before taxes and benefits.