Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — China

Self-employed in China in 2025 — 37.7%. Ranked 82 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 19.8 pp.

2025 37.7% −0.4 pp vs 2024
World rank 82of 182
Period maximum 57.4%1991
Period minimum 37.7%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — China, 1991–202535404550556019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 57.4%1992: 56.9%1993: 56.2%1994: 55.5%1995: 54.8%1996: 54.1%1997: 53.5%1998: 52.9%1999: 52.3%2000: 51.7%2001: 51.1%2002: 50.5%2003: 49.8%2004: 49.1%2005: 48.4%2006: 47.6%2007: 46.8%2008: 46%2009: 45.2%2010: 44.5%2011: 43.8%2012: 43.2%2013: 42.6%2014: 42%2015: 41.5%2016: 41%2017: 40.5%2018: 40%2019: 39.6%2020: 39.5%2021: 39.3%2022: 38.9%2023: 38.4%2024: 38.1%2025: 37.7%
Change over the period: −19.8 pp Annual average: -0.58 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

China 37.7%
World 46.4%
Eastern Asia computed 35.3%
Self-employed — China, by year China All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 37.7 −0.4 pp
2024 38.1 −0.4 pp
2023 38.4 −0.4 pp
2022 38.9 −0.4 pp
2021 39.3 −0.3 pp
2020 39.5 −0 pp
2019 39.6 −0.5 pp
2018 40 −0.5 pp
2017 40.5 −0.5 pp
2016 41 −0.5 pp
2015 41.5 −0.5 pp
2014 42 −0.6 pp
2013 42.6 −0.6 pp
2012 43.2 −0.6 pp
2011 43.8 −0.7 pp
2010 44.5 −0.7 pp
2009 45.2 −0.7 pp
2008 46 −0.8 pp
2007 46.8 −0.8 pp
2006 47.6 −0.8 pp
2005 48.4 −0.7 pp
2004 49.1 −0.7 pp
2003 49.8 −0.7 pp
2002 50.5 −0.6 pp
2001 51.1 −0.6 pp
2000 51.7 −0.6 pp
1999 52.3 −0.6 pp
1998 52.9 −0.6 pp
1997 53.5 −0.6 pp
1996 54.1 −0.7 pp
1995 54.8 −0.7 pp
1994 55.5 −0.7 pp
1993 56.2 −0.6 pp
1992 56.9 −0.6 pp
1991 57.4

Eastern Asia, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

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.