Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Mercosur

Self-employed in Mercosur in 2025 — 31.6%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 4.6 pp.

2025 31.6% −0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 36.3%1992
Period minimum 30.3%2012

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Mercosur, 1991–2025303234363819911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 36.1%1992: 36.3%1993: 36.3%1994: 36.1%1995: 36%1996: 34.9%1997: 35.3%1998: 35.3%1999: 35.7%2000: 35.5%2001: 35.5%2002: 35.7%2003: 35.3%2004: 34.8%2005: 34.8%2006: 34%2007: 33%2008: 32.1%2009: 31.8%2010: 31.1%2011: 30.4%2012: 30.3%2013: 30.5%2014: 30.5%2015: 31.4%2016: 31.8%2017: 32.4%2018: 32.8%2019: 33.1%2020: 33.7%2021: 34.5%2022: 33.2%2023: 32.3%2024: 31.7%2025: 31.6%
Change over the period: −4.6 pp Annual average: -0.13 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Mercosur 31.6%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Mercosur, by year Mercosur All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 31.6 −0.2 pp
2024 31.7 −0.5 pp
2023 32.3 −0.9 pp
2022 33.2 −1.3 pp
2021 34.5 +0.8 pp
2020 33.7 +0.5 pp
2019 33.1 +0.3 pp
2018 32.8 +0.4 pp
2017 32.4 +0.5 pp
2016 31.8 +0.4 pp
2015 31.4 +0.9 pp
2014 30.5 +0 pp
2013 30.5 +0.2 pp
2012 30.3 −0.1 pp
2011 30.4 −0.7 pp
2010 31.1 −0.7 pp
2009 31.8 −0.4 pp
2008 32.1 −0.8 pp
2007 33 −1.1 pp
2006 34 −0.7 pp
2005 34.8 −0 pp
2004 34.8 −0.4 pp
2003 35.3 −0.4 pp
2002 35.7 +0.2 pp
2001 35.5 −0 pp
2000 35.5 −0.2 pp
1999 35.7 +0.4 pp
1998 35.3 +0 pp
1997 35.3 +0.4 pp
1996 34.9 −1.1 pp
1995 36 −0.1 pp
1994 36.1 −0.2 pp
1993 36.3 −0 pp
1992 36.3 +0.2 pp
1991 36.1

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.