Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Panama

Self-employed in Panama in 2025 — 40.6%. Ranked 75 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has risen by 3.3 pp.

2025 40.6% −0 pp vs 2024
World rank 75of 182
Period maximum 44.3%2022
Period minimum 30.6%2008

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Panama, 1991–20253035404519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 37.2%1992: 37.1%1993: 36.9%1994: 36.7%1995: 36.6%1996: 36.5%1997: 36.4%1998: 36.8%1999: 37.2%2000: 37.7%2001: 38.2%2002: 38.7%2003: 39.1%2004: 38.8%2005: 38.5%2006: 38.2%2007: 35.8%2008: 30.6%2009: 36.5%2010: 36.2%2011: 34.1%2012: 34.1%2013: 34.4%2014: 34.8%2015: 35.8%2016: 37.9%2017: 37.2%2018: 39.5%2019: 41.3%2020: 41.2%2021: 40.9%2022: 44.3%2023: 38.9%2024: 40.6%2025: 40.6%
Change over the period: +3.3 pp Annual average: 0.1 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Panama 40.6%
World 46.4%
Central America computed 33.1%
High-income countries computed 11%
Self-employed — Panama, by year Panama All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 40.6 −0 pp
2024 40.6 +1.7 pp
2023 38.9 −5.4 pp
2022 44.3 +3.5 pp
2021 40.9 −0.4 pp
2020 41.2 −0.1 pp
2019 41.3 +1.8 pp
2018 39.5 +2.3 pp
2017 37.2 −0.7 pp
2016 37.9 +2.1 pp
2015 35.8 +1.1 pp
2014 34.8 +0.4 pp
2013 34.4 +0.3 pp
2012 34.1 −0 pp
2011 34.1 −2.1 pp
2010 36.2 −0.3 pp
2009 36.5 +5.9 pp
2008 30.6 −5.2 pp
2007 35.8 −2.3 pp
2006 38.2 −0.3 pp
2005 38.5 −0.3 pp
2004 38.8 −0.3 pp
2003 39.1 +0.4 pp
2002 38.7 +0.5 pp
2001 38.2 +0.5 pp
2000 37.7 +0.5 pp
1999 37.2 +0.4 pp
1998 36.8 +0.4 pp
1997 36.4 −0.1 pp
1996 36.5 −0 pp
1995 36.6 −0.2 pp
1994 36.7 −0.2 pp
1993 36.9 −0.2 pp
1992 37.1 −0.1 pp
1991 37.2

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.