Palma ratio (before tax) in Belgium

Belgium: Palma ratio (before tax) was 2.44 in 2022. ▬ Flat

Latest (2022)
2.44
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
97th
of 113 countries
All-time high
2.53
in 2007
All-time low
2.14
in 1985
Years of data
33
1985–2022

Palma ratio (before tax) in Belgium, 1985–2022

01231985200320221985: 2.11988: 2.41991: 2.31992: 2.31993: 2.31994: 2.41995: 2.31996: 2.41997: 2.41998: 2.41999: 2.52000: 2.52001: 2.42002: 2.32003: 2.42004: 2.42005: 2.42006: 2.42007: 2.52008: 2.32009: 2.22010: 2.32011: 2.22012: 2.22014: 2.32015: 2.32016: 2.32017: 2.32018: 2.42019: 2.42020: 2.42021: 2.42022: 2.4

Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Belgium recorded 2.44 for palma ratio (before tax) in 2022.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, palma ratio (before tax) in Belgium peaked at 2.53 in 2007 and was at its lowest, 2.14, in 1985.

Belgium ranks 97th of 113 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 2.28 2.14 2.41 2
1990s 2.36 2.26 2.49 9
2000s 2.39 2.22 2.53 10
2010s 2.31 2.23 2.43 9
2020s 2.44 2.43 2.44 3

Countries ranked near Belgium

  1. 94 France 2.64 compare
  2. 95 Portugal 2.62 compare
  3. 96 Greece 2.52 compare
  4. 98 Spain 2.43 compare
  5. 99 Cyprus 2.39 compare
  6. 100 North Macedonia 2.35 compare

See the full ranking of 113 places →

More reference data data for Belgium

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is palma ratio (before tax) in Belgium?
Palma ratio (before tax) in Belgium was 2.44 in 2022, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest palma ratio (before tax) recorded in Belgium?
The highest recorded value was 2.53 in 2007.
What is the lowest palma ratio (before tax) recorded in Belgium?
The lowest recorded value was 2.14 in 1985.
How does Belgium rank for palma ratio (before tax)?
Belgium ranks 97th out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
Is palma ratio (before tax) rising or falling in Belgium?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Belgium data come from?
The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Palma ratio (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Palma ratio (before tax)
Source
World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
113 places, 3,075 data points, 1820–2024
Last refreshed

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.