Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — East Asia & Pacific

Self-employed in East Asia & Pacific in 2025 — 39%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 16.9 pp.

2025 39% −0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 56%1991
Period minimum 39%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — East Asia & Pacific, 1991–202535404550556019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 56%1992: 55.5%1993: 54.8%1994: 54.3%1995: 53.7%1996: 53.1%1997: 52.5%1998: 52.3%1999: 52%2000: 51.6%2001: 50.7%2002: 50.3%2003: 49.9%2004: 49%2005: 48.2%2006: 47.6%2007: 47.1%2008: 46.4%2009: 45.9%2010: 45.2%2011: 44.6%2012: 43.9%2013: 43.3%2014: 42.7%2015: 41.9%2016: 41.4%2017: 40.9%2018: 40.7%2019: 40.3%2020: 40.4%2021: 40.2%2022: 39.9%2023: 39.7%2024: 39.4%2025: 39%
Change over the period: −16.9 pp Annual average: -0.5 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: East Asia & Pacific

East Asia & Pacific 39%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — East Asia & Pacific, by year East Asia & Pacific All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 39 −0.3 pp
2024 39.4 −0.4 pp
2023 39.7 −0.2 pp
2022 39.9 −0.2 pp
2021 40.2 −0.3 pp
2020 40.4 +0.2 pp
2019 40.3 −0.4 pp
2018 40.7 −0.3 pp
2017 40.9 −0.4 pp
2016 41.4 −0.5 pp
2015 41.9 −0.9 pp
2014 42.7 −0.6 pp
2013 43.3 −0.5 pp
2012 43.9 −0.7 pp
2011 44.6 −0.7 pp
2010 45.2 −0.6 pp
2009 45.9 −0.6 pp
2008 46.4 −0.7 pp
2007 47.1 −0.5 pp
2006 47.6 −0.6 pp
2005 48.2 −0.7 pp
2004 49 −0.9 pp
2003 49.9 −0.4 pp
2002 50.3 −0.4 pp
2001 50.7 −0.9 pp
2000 51.6 −0.4 pp
1999 52 −0.3 pp
1998 52.3 −0.2 pp
1997 52.5 −0.6 pp
1996 53.1 −0.6 pp
1995 53.7 −0.6 pp
1994 54.3 −0.5 pp
1993 54.8 −0.6 pp
1992 55.5 −0.5 pp
1991 56

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.