Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Saudi Arabia

Self-employed in Saudi Arabia in 2025 — 5.5%. Ranked 176 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 2.6 pp.

2025 5.5% −0 pp vs 2024
World rank 176of 182
Period maximum 8.2%1991
Period minimum 2.6%2018

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Saudi Arabia, 1991–202502.557.51019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 8.2%1992: 8.1%1993: 7.9%1994: 7.7%1995: 7.6%1996: 7.4%1997: 7.3%1998: 7.2%1999: 7%2000: 6.8%2001: 6.7%2002: 6.6%2003: 6.4%2004: 6.1%2005: 5.7%2006: 5.5%2007: 5.2%2008: 4.9%2009: 4.9%2010: 4.5%2011: 4.1%2012: 3.8%2013: 3.5%2014: 3.3%2015: 3.3%2016: 3.2%2017: 3%2018: 2.6%2019: 5.2%2020: 5.6%2021: 6.6%2022: 6.4%2023: 5%2024: 5.6%2025: 5.5%
Change over the period: −2.6 pp Annual average: -0.08 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Saudi Arabia 5.5%
World 46.4%
Western Asia computed 25%
High-income countries computed 11%
Self-employed — Saudi Arabia, by year Saudi Arabia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 5.5 −0 pp
2024 5.6 +0.6 pp
2023 5 −1.4 pp
2022 6.4 −0.1 pp
2021 6.6 +1 pp
2020 5.6 +0.3 pp
2019 5.2 +2.6 pp
2018 2.6 −0.4 pp
2017 3 −0.2 pp
2016 3.2 −0.1 pp
2015 3.3 −0 pp
2014 3.3 −0.2 pp
2013 3.5 −0.2 pp
2012 3.8 −0.3 pp
2011 4.1 −0.4 pp
2010 4.5 −0.3 pp
2009 4.9 +0 pp
2008 4.9 −0.3 pp
2007 5.2 −0.2 pp
2006 5.5 −0.3 pp
2005 5.7 −0.4 pp
2004 6.1 −0.3 pp
2003 6.4 −0.2 pp
2002 6.6 −0.1 pp
2001 6.7 −0.1 pp
2000 6.8 −0.3 pp
1999 7 −0.2 pp
1998 7.2 −0 pp
1997 7.3 −0.1 pp
1996 7.4 −0.2 pp
1995 7.6 −0.2 pp
1994 7.7 −0.2 pp
1993 7.9 −0.2 pp
1992 8.1 −0.1 pp
1991 8.2

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.