Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Maldives

Self-employed in the Maldives in 2025 — 20%. Ranked 122 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 18.8 pp.

2025 20% −0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank 122of 182
Period maximum 38.9%1991
Period minimum 20%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Maldives, 1991–2025202530354019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 38.9%1992: 38.6%1993: 38.4%1994: 38.2%1995: 37.9%1996: 37.6%1997: 37.3%1998: 37.1%1999: 36.8%2000: 36.6%2001: 36.5%2002: 36.3%2003: 36%2004: 35.7%2005: 35.6%2006: 35.3%2007: 34.9%2008: 34.5%2009: 34.1%2010: 32.4%2011: 30.5%2012: 28.6%2013: 26.6%2014: 24.6%2015: 24.3%2016: 24%2017: 23.3%2018: 22.5%2019: 21.8%2020: 21.4%2021: 21%2022: 20.8%2023: 20.6%2024: 20.3%2025: 20%
Change over the period: −18.8 pp Annual average: -0.55 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Maldives 20%
World 46.4%
South Asia 73.1%
Southern Asia computed 70.5%
Self-employed — Maldives, by year Maldives All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 20 −0.3 pp
2024 20.3 −0.3 pp
2023 20.6 −0.2 pp
2022 20.8 −0.2 pp
2021 21 −0.4 pp
2020 21.4 −0.4 pp
2019 21.8 −0.7 pp
2018 22.5 −0.7 pp
2017 23.3 −0.8 pp
2016 24 −0.3 pp
2015 24.3 −0.3 pp
2014 24.6 −2 pp
2013 26.6 −2 pp
2012 28.6 −1.9 pp
2011 30.5 −1.9 pp
2010 32.4 −1.8 pp
2009 34.1 −0.3 pp
2008 34.5 −0.5 pp
2007 34.9 −0.4 pp
2006 35.3 −0.3 pp
2005 35.6 −0.1 pp
2004 35.7 −0.3 pp
2003 36 −0.3 pp
2002 36.3 −0.2 pp
2001 36.5 −0.1 pp
2000 36.6 −0.2 pp
1999 36.8 −0.2 pp
1998 37.1 −0.3 pp
1997 37.3 −0.3 pp
1996 37.6 −0.3 pp
1995 37.9 −0.3 pp
1994 38.2 −0.2 pp
1993 38.4 −0.2 pp
1992 38.6 −0.3 pp
1991 38.9

Southern 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.