Australians topped the list with the median measure (50 per cent above, 50 per cent below), and global wealth has more than doubled since 2000, reaching a new all-time high of 241 trillion US dollars, according to the 2013 Credit Suisse Wealth Report. This is due to strong economic growth and rising population levels in emerging nations are important drivers of this trend.
According to the data, Greece ranks in the top ten for the most unequal income distribution in the Western world, with Australia coming in at eight, according to the OECD’s data.
“Despite the continuing challenges posed by the economic environment, the underlying factors this year have been broadly positive for global household wealth,” the report says.
“For the world as a whole, we estimate that personal wealth increased by 4.9 per cent. Aggregate total wealth passed the pre-crisis peak in 2010, and since then has set new highs every year. Average wealth also established a new high at 51,600 US dollars per adult, the first time that average global wealth has passed the 50,000 US dollar threshold since 2007.”