Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Laos

Self-employed in Laos in 2025 — 77.1%. Ranked 20 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 14.8 pp.

2025 77.1% −0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank 20of 182
Period maximum 91.9%1991
Period minimum 77.1%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Laos, 1991–2025758085909519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 91.9%1992: 91.6%1993: 91.3%1994: 91%1995: 90.6%1996: 90.1%1997: 89.7%1998: 89.2%1999: 88.7%2000: 88.2%2001: 87.7%2002: 87.1%2003: 86.6%2004: 86.1%2005: 85.6%2006: 85%2007: 84.6%2008: 84.1%2009: 83.7%2010: 83.1%2011: 82.6%2012: 82.1%2013: 81.6%2014: 81.1%2015: 80.7%2016: 80.2%2017: 79.7%2018: 79.3%2019: 78.8%2020: 78.6%2021: 78.2%2022: 77.9%2023: 77.7%2024: 77.4%2025: 77.1%
Change over the period: −14.8 pp Annual average: -0.43 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Laos 77.1%
World 46.4%
South-Eastern Asia computed 49.7%
Self-employed — Laos, by year Laos All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 77.1 −0.3 pp
2024 77.4 −0.3 pp
2023 77.7 −0.3 pp
2022 77.9 −0.3 pp
2021 78.2 −0.4 pp
2020 78.6 −0.2 pp
2019 78.8 −0.4 pp
2018 79.3 −0.4 pp
2017 79.7 −0.5 pp
2016 80.2 −0.5 pp
2015 80.7 −0.5 pp
2014 81.1 −0.5 pp
2013 81.6 −0.5 pp
2012 82.1 −0.5 pp
2011 82.6 −0.5 pp
2010 83.1 −0.5 pp
2009 83.7 −0.5 pp
2008 84.1 −0.5 pp
2007 84.6 −0.4 pp
2006 85 −0.5 pp
2005 85.6 −0.5 pp
2004 86.1 −0.5 pp
2003 86.6 −0.5 pp
2002 87.1 −0.5 pp
2001 87.7 −0.5 pp
2000 88.2 −0.5 pp
1999 88.7 −0.5 pp
1998 89.2 −0.5 pp
1997 89.7 −0.5 pp
1996 90.1 −0.5 pp
1995 90.6 −0.4 pp
1994 91 −0.3 pp
1993 91.3 −0.3 pp
1992 91.6 −0.3 pp
1991 91.9

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.