Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — NATO

Self-employed in NATO in 2025 — 12.3%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 5 pp.

2025 12.3% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 17.5%1994
Period minimum 12.3%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — NATO, 1991–20251214161819911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 17.4%1992: 17.4%1993: 17.4%1994: 17.5%1995: 17.3%1996: 17.2%1997: 17%1998: 16.8%1999: 16.6%2000: 16.3%2001: 16.3%2002: 15.9%2003: 15.9%2004: 15.6%2005: 15.3%2006: 15.1%2007: 14.7%2008: 14.5%2009: 14.7%2010: 14.7%2011: 14.6%2012: 14.6%2013: 14.4%2014: 14.3%2015: 14.1%2016: 13.9%2017: 13.7%2018: 13.6%2019: 13.4%2020: 13.1%2021: 13%2022: 12.7%2023: 12.5%2024: 12.4%2025: 12.3%
Change over the period: −5 pp Annual average: -0.15 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

NATO 12.3%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — NATO, by year NATO All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 12.3 −0.1 pp
2024 12.4 −0 pp
2023 12.5 −0.3 pp
2022 12.7 −0.3 pp
2021 13 −0.1 pp
2020 13.1 −0.3 pp
2019 13.4 −0.2 pp
2018 13.6 −0.2 pp
2017 13.7 −0.1 pp
2016 13.9 −0.2 pp
2015 14.1 −0.2 pp
2014 14.3 −0.1 pp
2013 14.4 −0.2 pp
2012 14.6 −0.1 pp
2011 14.6 −0.1 pp
2010 14.7 +0.1 pp
2009 14.7 +0.2 pp
2008 14.5 −0.2 pp
2007 14.7 −0.3 pp
2006 15.1 −0.3 pp
2005 15.3 −0.3 pp
2004 15.6 −0.3 pp
2003 15.9 +0 pp
2002 15.9 −0.4 pp
2001 16.3 +0 pp
2000 16.3 −0.3 pp
1999 16.6 −0.2 pp
1998 16.8 −0.2 pp
1997 17 −0.2 pp
1996 17.2 −0.1 pp
1995 17.3 −0.2 pp
1994 17.5 +0.1 pp
1993 17.4 −0.1 pp
1992 17.4 +0.1 pp
1991 17.4

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.