Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Middle East & North Africa

Self-employed in Middle East & North Africa in 2025 — 39%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 10.5 pp.

2025 39% −0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 49.5%1991
Period minimum 39%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Middle East & North Africa, 1991–20253540455019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 49.5%1992: 49.3%1993: 49.1%1994: 48.8%1995: 48.6%1996: 48.3%1997: 47.4%1998: 47.8%1999: 47.4%2000: 47.4%2001: 47.2%2002: 45.9%2003: 46%2004: 46.7%2005: 44.7%2006: 44%2007: 44.2%2008: 43.8%2009: 43.6%2010: 43.1%2011: 42.7%2012: 42.1%2013: 42%2014: 41.9%2015: 41.6%2016: 41.1%2017: 40.9%2018: 40.4%2019: 41.1%2020: 40.7%2021: 40.2%2022: 39.5%2023: 39.4%2024: 39.2%2025: 39%
Change over the period: −10.5 pp Annual average: -0.31 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Middle East & North Africa

Middle East & North Africa 39%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Middle East & North Africa, by year Middle East & North Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 39 −0.2 pp
2024 39.2 −0.1 pp
2023 39.4 −0.2 pp
2022 39.5 −0.7 pp
2021 40.2 −0.5 pp
2020 40.7 −0.4 pp
2019 41.1 +0.7 pp
2018 40.4 −0.5 pp
2017 40.9 −0.2 pp
2016 41.1 −0.5 pp
2015 41.6 −0.3 pp
2014 41.9 −0.1 pp
2013 42 −0.1 pp
2012 42.1 −0.6 pp
2011 42.7 −0.3 pp
2010 43.1 −0.5 pp
2009 43.6 −0.2 pp
2008 43.8 −0.4 pp
2007 44.2 +0.2 pp
2006 44 −0.7 pp
2005 44.7 −1.9 pp
2004 46.7 +0.6 pp
2003 46 +0.1 pp
2002 45.9 −1.3 pp
2001 47.2 −0.3 pp
2000 47.4 +0 pp
1999 47.4 −0.4 pp
1998 47.8 +0.3 pp
1997 47.4 −0.9 pp
1996 48.3 −0.3 pp
1995 48.6 −0.2 pp
1994 48.8 −0.3 pp
1993 49.1 −0.2 pp
1992 49.3 −0.3 pp
1991 49.5

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.