Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — BRICS

Self-employed in BRICS in 2025 — 49.8%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 10.8 pp.

2025 49.8% −0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 60.6%1991
Period minimum 49.8%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — BRICS, 1991–2025455055606519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 60.6%1992: 60.4%1993: 60.2%1994: 60%1995: 59.7%1996: 59.4%1997: 59.2%1998: 59.2%1999: 58.8%2000: 58.6%2001: 58.2%2002: 57.8%2003: 57.7%2004: 57.2%2005: 56.7%2006: 56.1%2007: 55.6%2008: 55%2009: 54.5%2010: 54%2011: 53.1%2012: 52.3%2013: 52%2014: 51.6%2015: 51.2%2016: 51%2017: 50.7%2018: 50.5%2019: 50.2%2020: 50.5%2021: 50.3%2022: 50.5%2023: 50.3%2024: 50.1%2025: 49.8%
Change over the period: −10.8 pp Annual average: -0.32 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

BRICS 49.8%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — BRICS, by year BRICS All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 49.8 −0.3 pp
2024 50.1 −0.2 pp
2023 50.3 −0.2 pp
2022 50.5 +0.1 pp
2021 50.3 −0.2 pp
2020 50.5 +0.3 pp
2019 50.2 −0.3 pp
2018 50.5 −0.2 pp
2017 50.7 −0.3 pp
2016 51 −0.2 pp
2015 51.2 −0.4 pp
2014 51.6 −0.4 pp
2013 52 −0.3 pp
2012 52.3 −0.8 pp
2011 53.1 −0.9 pp
2010 54 −0.5 pp
2009 54.5 −0.5 pp
2008 55 −0.6 pp
2007 55.6 −0.6 pp
2006 56.1 −0.6 pp
2005 56.7 −0.5 pp
2004 57.2 −0.5 pp
2003 57.7 −0.2 pp
2002 57.8 −0.3 pp
2001 58.2 −0.4 pp
2000 58.6 −0.2 pp
1999 58.8 −0.4 pp
1998 59.2 −0 pp
1997 59.2 −0.2 pp
1996 59.4 −0.3 pp
1995 59.7 −0.3 pp
1994 60 −0.2 pp
1993 60.2 −0.2 pp
1992 60.4 −0.2 pp
1991 60.6

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.