Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Latin America & Caribbean

Self-employed in Latin America & Caribbean in 2025 — 35.6%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 3.6 pp.

2025 35.6% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 39.6%1993
Period minimum 35.1%2014

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Latin America & Caribbean, 1991–20253436384019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 39.3%1992: 39.4%1993: 39.6%1994: 39.3%1995: 39%1996: 38.3%1997: 38.6%1998: 38.4%1999: 38.6%2000: 38.2%2001: 38.2%2002: 38.3%2003: 38.1%2004: 37.8%2005: 37.5%2006: 37%2007: 36.2%2008: 36%2009: 36.3%2010: 35.9%2011: 35.7%2012: 35.5%2013: 35.4%2014: 35.1%2015: 35.5%2016: 35.8%2017: 36.3%2018: 36.7%2019: 36.6%2020: 37.2%2021: 37.8%2022: 37%2023: 36.2%2024: 35.7%2025: 35.6%
Change over the period: −3.6 pp Annual average: -0.11 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Latin America & Caribbean

Latin America & Caribbean 35.6%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Latin America & Caribbean, by year Latin America & Caribbean All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 35.6 −0.1 pp
2024 35.7 −0.4 pp
2023 36.2 −0.8 pp
2022 37 −0.8 pp
2021 37.8 +0.6 pp
2020 37.2 +0.6 pp
2019 36.6 −0 pp
2018 36.7 +0.3 pp
2017 36.3 +0.5 pp
2016 35.8 +0.2 pp
2015 35.5 +0.4 pp
2014 35.1 −0.3 pp
2013 35.4 −0.1 pp
2012 35.5 −0.2 pp
2011 35.7 −0.2 pp
2010 35.9 −0.4 pp
2009 36.3 +0.3 pp
2008 36 −0.2 pp
2007 36.2 −0.7 pp
2006 37 −0.6 pp
2005 37.5 −0.3 pp
2004 37.8 −0.3 pp
2003 38.1 −0.2 pp
2002 38.3 +0.1 pp
2001 38.2 +0 pp
2000 38.2 −0.4 pp
1999 38.6 +0.2 pp
1998 38.4 −0.1 pp
1997 38.6 +0.2 pp
1996 38.3 −0.6 pp
1995 39 −0.3 pp
1994 39.3 −0.3 pp
1993 39.6 +0.2 pp
1992 39.4 +0.1 pp
1991 39.3

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.