Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Nicaragua

Self-employed in Nicaragua in 2025 — 44.3%. Ranked 65 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 2.2 pp.

2025 44.3% −0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank 65of 182
Period maximum 48.1%2005
Period minimum 44.3%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Nicaragua, 1991–202544454647484919911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 46.5%1992: 46.6%1993: 46.7%1994: 46.6%1995: 46.5%1996: 46.4%1997: 46.2%1998: 46%1999: 45.9%2000: 45.7%2001: 45.6%2002: 46.2%2003: 46.9%2004: 47.5%2005: 48.1%2006: 47.8%2007: 47.5%2008: 47.2%2009: 47.2%2010: 47%2011: 46.8%2012: 46.5%2013: 46.3%2014: 46%2015: 45.7%2016: 45.5%2017: 45.2%2018: 45%2019: 45%2020: 45.6%2021: 45.2%2022: 45%2023: 44.7%2024: 44.5%2025: 44.3%
Change over the period: −2.2 pp Annual average: -0.07 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Nicaragua 44.3%
World 46.4%
Central America computed 33.1%
Self-employed — Nicaragua, by year Nicaragua All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 44.3 −0.2 pp
2024 44.5 −0.2 pp
2023 44.7 −0.3 pp
2022 45 −0.2 pp
2021 45.2 −0.4 pp
2020 45.6 +0.6 pp
2019 45 −0 pp
2018 45 −0.1 pp
2017 45.2 −0.3 pp
2016 45.5 −0.3 pp
2015 45.7 −0.3 pp
2014 46 −0.3 pp
2013 46.3 −0.2 pp
2012 46.5 −0.3 pp
2011 46.8 −0.2 pp
2010 47 −0.1 pp
2009 47.2 −0.1 pp
2008 47.2 −0.3 pp
2007 47.5 −0.3 pp
2006 47.8 −0.2 pp
2005 48.1 +0.6 pp
2004 47.5 +0.6 pp
2003 46.9 +0.7 pp
2002 46.2 +0.6 pp
2001 45.6 −0.1 pp
2000 45.7 −0.1 pp
1999 45.9 −0.2 pp
1998 46 −0.1 pp
1997 46.2 −0.2 pp
1996 46.4 −0.2 pp
1995 46.5 −0.1 pp
1994 46.6 −0 pp
1993 46.7 +0.1 pp
1992 46.6 +0.1 pp
1991 46.5

Central America, 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.