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Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Mauritania

Self-employed in Mauritania in 2025 — 57.4%. Ranked 48 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 2.1 pp.

2025 57.4% −0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank 48of 182
Period maximum 59.8%1994
Period minimum 57.2%2012

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Mauritania, 1991–20255758596019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 59.6%1992: 59.6%1993: 59.6%1994: 59.8%1995: 59.7%1996: 59.6%1997: 59.6%1998: 59.6%1999: 59.6%2000: 59.7%2001: 59.7%2002: 59.6%2003: 59.5%2004: 59.2%2005: 58.9%2006: 58.3%2007: 58%2008: 57.7%2009: 57.6%2010: 57.4%2011: 57.2%2012: 57.2%2013: 57.5%2014: 57.8%2015: 58.2%2016: 58.5%2017: 58.8%2018: 58.5%2019: 58.2%2020: 58.9%2021: 58.4%2022: 58.2%2023: 58%2024: 57.7%2025: 57.4%
Change over the period: −2.1 pp Annual average: -0.06 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Mauritania 57.4%
World 46.4%
Sub-Saharan Africa 77.7%
Western Africa computed 82%
Lower-middle-income countries computed 67.4%
Self-employed — Mauritania, by year Mauritania All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 57.4 −0.3 pp
2024 57.7 −0.3 pp
2023 58 −0.3 pp
2022 58.2 −0.2 pp
2021 58.4 −0.5 pp
2020 58.9 +0.7 pp
2019 58.2 −0.3 pp
2018 58.5 −0.3 pp
2017 58.8 +0.3 pp
2016 58.5 +0.3 pp
2015 58.2 +0.3 pp
2014 57.8 +0.4 pp
2013 57.5 +0.3 pp
2012 57.2 −0.1 pp
2011 57.2 −0.2 pp
2010 57.4 −0.1 pp
2009 57.6 −0.1 pp
2008 57.7 −0.3 pp
2007 58 −0.3 pp
2006 58.3 −0.6 pp
2005 58.9 −0.3 pp
2004 59.2 −0.2 pp
2003 59.5 −0.2 pp
2002 59.6 −0.1 pp
2001 59.7 +0 pp
2000 59.7 +0.1 pp
1999 59.6 −0 pp
1998 59.6 −0 pp
1997 59.6 −0 pp
1996 59.6 −0.1 pp
1995 59.7 −0 pp
1994 59.8 +0.1 pp
1993 59.6 −0 pp
1992 59.6 +0.1 pp
1991 59.6 —

Western Africa, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

NE Niger 89.5 SL Sierra Leone 88.8 NG Nigeria 86.2 BF Burkina Faso 82.6 GN Guinea 81.9 BJ Benin 79.8 LR Liberia 78.3 TG Togo 76.6 ML Mali 76.4 GW Guinea-Bissau 75.5 CI Côte d'Ivoire 71 GM Gambia 68.6 GH Ghana 67.5 SN Senegal 64.3 MR Mauritania 57.4 CV Cabo Verde 38.5
Full table for all countries

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.

Other indicators for Mauritania

Labor Vulnerable employment

The share of own-account and contributing family workers — with no contract, insurance or guarantees.

Mauritania by year Labor Employment-to-population ratio

The share of the population aged 15 and over that actually works.

Mauritania by year Business New business density

How many new companies are registered per 1,000 people of working age.

Mauritania by year Labor Employment in agriculture

The share of workers employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Mauritania by year
All indicators for Mauritania