Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Romania

Self-employed in Romania in 2025 — 14.5%. Ranked 141 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 16 pp.

2025 14.5% −0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank 141of 182
Period maximum 37.9%2000
Period minimum 14.5%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Romania, 1991–20251020304019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 30.5%1992: 30.9%1993: 31.3%1994: 31.7%1995: 31.9%1996: 32.1%1997: 32.2%1998: 33.8%1999: 35.9%2000: 37.9%2001: 37.8%2002: 31.5%2003: 31.3%2004: 26.4%2005: 27.2%2006: 25.6%2007: 25.5%2008: 24.3%2009: 24.6%2010: 26.9%2011: 25%2012: 25.1%2013: 24.6%2014: 23.9%2015: 20.7%2016: 18.4%2017: 18.1%2018: 17%2019: 16%2020: 15.5%2021: 15.1%2022: 14.8%2023: 14.7%2024: 14.7%2025: 14.5%
Change over the period: −16 pp Annual average: -0.47 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Romania 14.5%
World 46.4%
Eastern Europe computed 10.3%
High-income countries computed 11%
Self-employed — Romania, by year Romania All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 14.5 −0.2 pp
2024 14.7 −0.1 pp
2023 14.7 −0.1 pp
2022 14.8 −0.3 pp
2021 15.1 −0.4 pp
2020 15.5 −0.5 pp
2019 16 −1 pp
2018 17 −1.1 pp
2017 18.1 −0.3 pp
2016 18.4 −2.4 pp
2015 20.7 −3.1 pp
2014 23.9 −0.7 pp
2013 24.6 −0.5 pp
2012 25.1 +0.2 pp
2011 25 −2 pp
2010 26.9 +2.4 pp
2009 24.6 +0.2 pp
2008 24.3 −1.2 pp
2007 25.5 −0.1 pp
2006 25.6 −1.5 pp
2005 27.2 +0.8 pp
2004 26.4 −4.9 pp
2003 31.3 −0.2 pp
2002 31.5 −6.3 pp
2001 37.8 −0 pp
2000 37.9 +1.9 pp
1999 35.9 +2.1 pp
1998 33.8 +1.6 pp
1997 32.2 +0.1 pp
1996 32.1 +0.2 pp
1995 31.9 +0.3 pp
1994 31.7 +0.3 pp
1993 31.3 +0.4 pp
1992 30.9 +0.5 pp
1991 30.5

Eastern Europe, 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.