5 Least Egalitarian Countries in the World

4. Republic of Congo

Average Rank: 14.5

The Republic of Congo is plagued by pronounced inequalities across a number of dimensions. Despite increased income per capita, the country’s Human Development Index (HDI) improvements in health and education remain modest. High infant mortality persists at 32 deaths per 1,000 live births, while educational proficiency levels for primary school children in math and French are only at 30% and 40%, respectively. Disparities in access to basic services are evident as 66% urban and a mere 15% rural population have electricity access, and below-potential access to clean water at 74% overall and 46% in rural areas. Additionally, the country’s multidimensional inequalities extend to gender, youth unemployment, and fragility, ranking poorly on gender inequality indices and experiencing a high youth unemployment rate of 42%, which has exacerbated poverty and social exclusion.