• The Gini index is an indicator of the distribution of income among the population.
  • A higher Gini index indicates greater inequality, with high-income people receiving a much larger percentage of the population’s total income.
  • Global inequality, as measured by the Gini index, has risen steadily over the past few centuries and has risen sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Due to data and other limitations, the Gini index can overstate income inequality and hide important information about income distribution.