Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Sao Tome and Principe

Self-employed in Sao Tome and Principe in 2025 — 44%. Ranked 67 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 7.8 pp.

2025 44% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 67of 182
Period maximum 51.8%1991
Period minimum 43.4%2019

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Sao Tome and Principe, 1991–202542.54547.55052.519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 51.8%1992: 51.7%1993: 51.5%1994: 51.3%1995: 51.1%1996: 50.9%1997: 50.6%1998: 50.4%1999: 50.1%2000: 49.8%2001: 49.5%2002: 49.2%2003: 48.8%2004: 48.5%2005: 48.1%2006: 47.5%2007: 47.1%2008: 46.8%2009: 46.2%2010: 45.8%2011: 45.6%2012: 45.4%2013: 45.1%2014: 44.8%2015: 44.6%2016: 44.3%2017: 44%2018: 43.7%2019: 43.4%2020: 44.9%2021: 44.4%2022: 44.3%2023: 44.2%2024: 44.1%2025: 44%
Change over the period: −7.8 pp Annual average: -0.23 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sao Tome and Principe

Sao Tome and Principe 44%
World 46.4%
Middle Africa computed 80.1%
Self-employed — Sao Tome and Principe, by year Sao Tome and Principe All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 44 −0.1 pp
2024 44.1 −0.1 pp
2023 44.2 −0.1 pp
2022 44.3 −0.2 pp
2021 44.4 −0.5 pp
2020 44.9 +1.5 pp
2019 43.4 −0.3 pp
2018 43.7 −0.3 pp
2017 44 −0.3 pp
2016 44.3 −0.3 pp
2015 44.6 −0.3 pp
2014 44.8 −0.3 pp
2013 45.1 −0.3 pp
2012 45.4 −0.2 pp
2011 45.6 −0.3 pp
2010 45.8 −0.3 pp
2009 46.2 −0.6 pp
2008 46.8 −0.3 pp
2007 47.1 −0.5 pp
2006 47.5 −0.5 pp
2005 48.1 −0.4 pp
2004 48.5 −0.4 pp
2003 48.8 −0.4 pp
2002 49.2 −0.3 pp
2001 49.5 −0.3 pp
2000 49.8 −0.3 pp
1999 50.1 −0.3 pp
1998 50.4 −0.3 pp
1997 50.6 −0.2 pp
1996 50.9 −0.2 pp
1995 51.1 −0.2 pp
1994 51.3 −0.2 pp
1993 51.5 −0.2 pp
1992 51.7 −0.1 pp
1991 51.8

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.