Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Central America

Self-employed in Central America in 2025 — 33.1%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 8.5 pp.

2025 33.1% −0 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 42.1%1993
Period minimum 32.4%2016

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Central America, 1991–20253032.53537.54042.519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 41.6%1992: 41.4%1993: 42.1%1994: 41.2%1995: 39.8%1996: 39%1997: 39.6%1998: 37.8%1999: 37.5%2000: 35.9%2001: 36.3%2002: 36.3%2003: 36.3%2004: 35.9%2005: 35.8%2006: 35.1%2007: 34.9%2008: 34.1%2009: 34.9%2010: 34.3%2011: 34%2012: 34%2013: 34%2014: 33.1%2015: 33.1%2016: 32.4%2017: 32.7%2018: 32.9%2019: 32.7%2020: 33.4%2021: 34.8%2022: 34.5%2023: 33.5%2024: 33.2%2025: 33.1%
Change over the period: −8.5 pp Annual average: -0.25 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Central America 33.1%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Central America, by year Central America All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 33.1 −0 pp
2024 33.2 −0.4 pp
2023 33.5 −1 pp
2022 34.5 −0.3 pp
2021 34.8 +1.4 pp
2020 33.4 +0.7 pp
2019 32.7 −0.2 pp
2018 32.9 +0.2 pp
2017 32.7 +0.3 pp
2016 32.4 −0.6 pp
2015 33.1 −0.1 pp
2014 33.1 −0.9 pp
2013 34 −0 pp
2012 34 +0.1 pp
2011 34 −0.4 pp
2010 34.3 −0.6 pp
2009 34.9 +0.8 pp
2008 34.1 −0.8 pp
2007 34.9 −0.2 pp
2006 35.1 −0.8 pp
2005 35.8 −0.1 pp
2004 35.9 −0.4 pp
2003 36.3 −0.1 pp
2002 36.3 +0.1 pp
2001 36.3 +0.3 pp
2000 35.9 −1.5 pp
1999 37.5 −0.4 pp
1998 37.8 −1.8 pp
1997 39.6 +0.6 pp
1996 39 −0.8 pp
1995 39.8 −1.4 pp
1994 41.2 −0.9 pp
1993 42.1 +0.7 pp
1992 41.4 −0.2 pp
1991 41.6

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.