Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — South Asia

Self-employed in South Asia in 2025 — 73.1%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 11.2 pp.

2025 73.1% −0.5 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 84.3%1991
Period minimum 73.1%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — South Asia, 1991–20257075808519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 84.3%1992: 84.1%1993: 83.8%1994: 83.6%1995: 83.3%1996: 83%1997: 82.8%1998: 82.6%1999: 82.3%2000: 82.1%2001: 82%2002: 81.9%2003: 81.8%2004: 81.6%2005: 81.5%2006: 81.3%2007: 81.1%2008: 80.9%2009: 80.7%2010: 80.4%2011: 79.4%2012: 78.3%2013: 77.9%2014: 77.5%2015: 77%2016: 76.4%2017: 75.8%2018: 75.3%2019: 74.8%2020: 74.9%2021: 74.5%2022: 74.7%2023: 74.2%2024: 73.5%2025: 73.1%
Change over the period: −11.2 pp Annual average: -0.33 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

South Asia 73.1%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — South Asia, by year South Asia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 73.1 −0.5 pp
2024 73.5 −0.6 pp
2023 74.2 −0.5 pp
2022 74.7 +0.2 pp
2021 74.5 −0.4 pp
2020 74.9 +0.1 pp
2019 74.8 −0.5 pp
2018 75.3 −0.5 pp
2017 75.8 −0.6 pp
2016 76.4 −0.5 pp
2015 77 −0.5 pp
2014 77.5 −0.5 pp
2013 77.9 −0.4 pp
2012 78.3 −1.1 pp
2011 79.4 −1.1 pp
2010 80.4 −0.3 pp
2009 80.7 −0.2 pp
2008 80.9 −0.2 pp
2007 81.1 −0.2 pp
2006 81.3 −0.2 pp
2005 81.5 −0.2 pp
2004 81.6 −0.2 pp
2003 81.8 −0.1 pp
2002 81.9 −0.1 pp
2001 82 −0.1 pp
2000 82.1 −0.2 pp
1999 82.3 −0.3 pp
1998 82.6 −0.2 pp
1997 82.8 −0.2 pp
1996 83 −0.3 pp
1995 83.3 −0.2 pp
1994 83.6 −0.3 pp
1993 83.8 −0.2 pp
1992 84.1 −0.2 pp
1991 84.3

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.