Countries With the Highest Labor Share of Income
Every country with a figure for labor share of income, ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Barbados (75.1%), Rwanda (74.1%) and Sao Tome and Principe (73.8%). The middle country of the 140 has 52%.
What this measures
Labor share of GDP (Penn World Table), in % of GDP. Source: Groningen Growth and Development Centre, University of Groningen. For this measure, no agreed better direction.
The share of a country's income (GDP) that is paid to people for their work: wages, salaries and benefits, plus an estimate of what the self-employed, such as farmers and shopkeepers, earn for their work. The rest goes to the owners of land, buildings and machines as profit, rent and interest. Where there is little data on the self-employed, the Penn World Table fills in a value by a fixed rule, so figures for poorer countries are rougher, and a few countries show the same value every year. No "better" direction is set.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2023–2023. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Labor share of income | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbados | 75.1% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 2 | Rwanda | 74.1% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 3 | Sao Tome and Principe | 73.8% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 4 | Albania | 70.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 5 | Curacao | 67.9% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 6 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 67.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 7 | Lesotho | 66.1% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 8 | Canada | 65.9% | 2023 | North America |
| 9 | Switzerland | 65.3% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 10 | Taiwan | 65.1% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 11 | Aruba | 64.5% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 12 | Cameroon | 64.4% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 13 | Germany | 63.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 14 | Serbia | 63.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 15 | Sudan | 63.5% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 16 | Djibouti | 63.4% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 17 | Slovenia | 63.3% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 18 | France | 63.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 19 | Cabo Verde | 62.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 20 | Latvia | 62.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 21 | Iceland | 61.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 22 | Portugal | 61.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 23 | Benin | 61.7% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 24 | Croatia | 61.3% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 25 | Eswatini | 61.2% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 26 | Sweden | 61% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 27 | Jamaica | 60.9% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 28 | Austria | 60.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 29 | Estonia | 60.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 30 | Burundi | 60.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 31 | Denmark | 60.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 32 | Sierra Leone | 59.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 33 | United Kingdom | 59.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 34 | Spain | 59.4% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 35 | Japan | 58.7% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 36 | Bermuda | 58.6% | 2023 | North America |
| 37 | Belgium | 58.6% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 38 | Finland | 58.3% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 39 | Tanzania | 58.3% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 40 | Lithuania | 57.1% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 41 | Belarus | 57% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 42 | United States | 56.8% | 2023 | North America |
| 43 | China | 56.1% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 44 | Tunisia | 56.1% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 45 | Netherlands | 55.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 46 | Ukraine | 55.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 47 | New Zealand | 55.4% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 48 | Poland | 54.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 49 | Honduras | 54.7% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 50 | Australia | 54.6% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 51 | Korea, Rep. | 54.6% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 52 | South Africa | 54.3% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 53 | Kenya | 54% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 54 | Greece | 54% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 55 | Mozambique | 54% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 56 | Hungary | 53.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 57 | Cyprus | 53.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 58 | India | 53.3% | 2023 | South Asia |
| 59 | Zimbabwe | 53.3% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 60 | Slovak Republic | 53.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 61 | Costa Rica | 53.1% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 62 | Ecuador | 53% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 63 | Russian Federation | 52.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 64 | Namibia | 52.9% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 65 | Argentina | 52.8% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 66 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 52.7% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 67 | North Macedonia | 52.5% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 68 | Senegal | 52.3% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 69 | El Salvador | 52.1% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 70 | Nicaragua | 52% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 71 | Uruguay | 51.9% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 72 | Bulgaria | 51.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 73 | Moldova | 51.3% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 74 | Italy | 51.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 75 | Czechia | 51.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 76 | Brazil | 51.1% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 77 | Indonesia | 50.9% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 78 | Armenia | 50.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 79 | Togo | 50.1% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 80 | Romania | 50% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 81 | Israel | 49.9% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 82 | Bolivia | 49.8% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 83 | Luxembourg | 49.8% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 84 | Jordan | 49.3% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 85 | Cayman Islands | 49.1% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 86 | Fiji | 48.9% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 87 | Chad | 48.5% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 88 | Colombia | 47.8% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 89 | Guatemala | 46.9% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 90 | Georgia | 46.7% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 91 | Morocco | 46.5% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 92 | Malta | 45.9% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 93 | Suriname | 45.8% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 94 | Mauritius | 45.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 95 | Philippines | 44.9% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 96 | Paraguay | 44.5% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 97 | Lebanon | 44.5% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 98 | Chile | 44% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 99 | Singapore | 43.9% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 100 | Thailand | 43.8% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 101 | Tajikistan | 43.6% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 102 | Dominican Republic | 42.7% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 103 | Burkina Faso | 42.6% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 104 | Turkiye | 42.6% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 105 | Guinea | 42.2% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 106 | Mongolia | 40.6% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 107 | Mauritania | 40.4% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 108 | Peru | 40.1% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 109 | Kyrgyz Republic | 40% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 110 | Lao PDR | 39.8% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 111 | Bahamas, The | 39.7% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 112 | Malaysia | 39.7% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 113 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 39.3% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 114 | Azerbaijan | 39.2% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 115 | Niger | 39.1% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 116 | Norway | 38.4% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 117 | Mexico | 38.1% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 118 | Sri Lanka | 38.1% | 2023 | South Asia |
| 119 | British Virgin Islands | 38.1% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 120 | Uzbekistan | 37.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 121 | Kazakhstan | 37.3% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 122 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 36.2% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 123 | Trinidad and Tobago | 33.8% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 124 | Cote d'Ivoire | 33.2% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 125 | Panama | 32.8% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 126 | Macao SAR, China | 32.2% | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 127 | Nigeria | 31.2% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 128 | Ireland | 30.9% | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 129 | Oman | 30.3% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 130 | Zambia | 30% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 131 | Iraq | 29.6% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 132 | Bahrain | 29.4% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 133 | Saudi Arabia | 28% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 134 | Botswana | 27.8% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 135 | Gabon | 27.5% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 136 | Kuwait | 24.9% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 137 | Angola | 22.3% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 138 | Qatar | 17.7% | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 139 | Central African Republic | 16.4% | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 140 | Venezuela, RB | 8.44% | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
More on labor share of income
- Countries With the Lowest Labor Share of Income
- Labor share of income by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Highest Market-income Gini
- Countries With the Highest Redistribution
- Countries With the Highest Gini Index
- Countries With the Highest Extreme Poverty Rates
- Countries With the Highest Equality Scores
A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.