Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Kuwait

Self-employed in Kuwait in 2025 — 3.2%. Ranked 180 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 3.3 pp.

2025 3.2% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 180of 182
Period maximum 6.4%1991
Period minimum 1.1%2013

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Kuwait, 1991–20250246819911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 6.4%1992: 5.8%1993: 5.1%1994: 4.6%1995: 4.1%1996: 3.7%1997: 3.6%1998: 3.6%1999: 3.5%2000: 3.3%2001: 3.4%2002: 3.4%2003: 3.3%2004: 3%2005: 2.7%2006: 2.2%2007: 1.8%2008: 1.4%2009: 1.5%2010: 1.5%2011: 1.3%2012: 1.1%2013: 1.1%2014: 1.2%2015: 1.2%2016: 1.8%2017: 1.9%2018: 2%2019: 2.2%2020: 2.7%2021: 2.8%2022: 2.7%2023: 2.9%2024: 3.1%2025: 3.2%
Change over the period: −3.3 pp Annual average: -0.1 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Kuwait 3.2%
World 46.4%
Western Asia computed 25%
High-income countries computed 11%
Self-employed — Kuwait, by year Kuwait All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 3.2 +0.1 pp
2024 3.1 +0.2 pp
2023 2.9 +0.2 pp
2022 2.7 −0.1 pp
2021 2.8 +0.1 pp
2020 2.7 +0.5 pp
2019 2.2 +0.2 pp
2018 2 +0.1 pp
2017 1.9 +0.1 pp
2016 1.8 +0.7 pp
2015 1.2 +0 pp
2014 1.2 +0 pp
2013 1.1 −0 pp
2012 1.1 −0.1 pp
2011 1.3 −0.2 pp
2010 1.5 −0.1 pp
2009 1.5 +0.2 pp
2008 1.4 −0.5 pp
2007 1.8 −0.4 pp
2006 2.2 −0.5 pp
2005 2.7 −0.3 pp
2004 3 −0.2 pp
2003 3.3 −0.2 pp
2002 3.4 +0.1 pp
2001 3.4 +0.1 pp
2000 3.3 −0.2 pp
1999 3.5 −0.1 pp
1998 3.6 +0 pp
1997 3.6 −0.1 pp
1996 3.7 −0.4 pp
1995 4.1 −0.5 pp
1994 4.6 −0.5 pp
1993 5.1 −0.7 pp
1992 5.8 −0.7 pp
1991 6.4

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.