Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — ASEAN

Self-employed in ASEAN in 2025 — 49.7%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 17.9 pp.

2025 49.7% −0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 67.6%1991
Period minimum 49.7%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — ASEAN, 1991–202545505560657019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 67.6%1992: 67.2%1993: 66.4%1994: 66%1995: 65.6%1996: 64.9%1997: 64%1998: 64.7%1999: 64.8%2000: 64.6%2001: 62.5%2002: 62.5%2003: 62.6%2004: 60.6%2005: 59.6%2006: 59.2%2007: 59.4%2008: 58.6%2009: 58%2010: 57.2%2011: 56.1%2012: 54.7%2013: 54.3%2014: 53.2%2015: 51.3%2016: 50.8%2017: 50.3%2018: 50.4%2019: 50%2020: 50.8%2021: 50.5%2022: 50.4%2023: 50.5%2024: 50%2025: 49.7%
Change over the period: −17.9 pp Annual average: -0.53 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: ASEAN

ASEAN 49.7%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — ASEAN, by year ASEAN All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 49.7 −0.3 pp
2024 50 −0.5 pp
2023 50.5 +0.1 pp
2022 50.4 −0.1 pp
2021 50.5 −0.3 pp
2020 50.8 +0.8 pp
2019 50 −0.4 pp
2018 50.4 +0.1 pp
2017 50.3 −0.4 pp
2016 50.8 −0.5 pp
2015 51.3 −1.9 pp
2014 53.2 −1 pp
2013 54.3 −0.5 pp
2012 54.7 −1.3 pp
2011 56.1 −1.1 pp
2010 57.2 −0.8 pp
2009 58 −0.6 pp
2008 58.6 −0.8 pp
2007 59.4 +0.2 pp
2006 59.2 −0.5 pp
2005 59.6 −0.9 pp
2004 60.6 −2 pp
2003 62.6 +0.1 pp
2002 62.5 −0 pp
2001 62.5 −2.1 pp
2000 64.6 −0.2 pp
1999 64.8 +0.1 pp
1998 64.7 +0.7 pp
1997 64 −0.9 pp
1996 64.9 −0.7 pp
1995 65.6 −0.5 pp
1994 66 −0.4 pp
1993 66.4 −0.8 pp
1992 67.2 −0.4 pp
1991 67.6

About the indicator

The share of total employment that is self-employed: employers, own-account workers, members of producers cooperatives and contributing family workers. High values in low-income countries reflect not developed entrepreneurship but the absence of wage jobs and informal work in agriculture and small-scale trade.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.