Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Eastern Asia

Self-employed in Eastern Asia in 2025 — 35.3%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 18.3 pp.

2025 35.3% −0.4 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 53.6%1991
Period minimum 35.3%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Eastern Asia, 1991–2025354045505519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 53.6%1992: 53%1993: 52.3%1994: 51.7%1995: 51.1%1996: 50.4%1997: 49.9%1998: 49.3%1999: 48.8%2000: 48.3%2001: 47.7%2002: 47.2%2003: 46.6%2004: 46%2005: 45.3%2006: 44.6%2007: 43.9%2008: 43.2%2009: 42.5%2010: 41.8%2011: 41.2%2012: 40.6%2013: 40%2014: 39.5%2015: 39%2016: 38.5%2017: 38%2018: 37.6%2019: 37.1%2020: 37%2021: 36.9%2022: 36.4%2023: 36%2024: 35.6%2025: 35.3%
Change over the period: −18.3 pp Annual average: -0.54 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Eastern Asia 35.3%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Eastern Asia, by year Eastern Asia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 35.3 −0.4 pp
2024 35.6 −0.4 pp
2023 36 −0.4 pp
2022 36.4 −0.5 pp
2021 36.9 −0.2 pp
2020 37 −0 pp
2019 37.1 −0.5 pp
2018 37.6 −0.5 pp
2017 38 −0.5 pp
2016 38.5 −0.5 pp
2015 39 −0.5 pp
2014 39.5 −0.5 pp
2013 40 −0.6 pp
2012 40.6 −0.6 pp
2011 41.2 −0.6 pp
2010 41.8 −0.7 pp
2009 42.5 −0.7 pp
2008 43.2 −0.7 pp
2007 43.9 −0.8 pp
2006 44.6 −0.7 pp
2005 45.3 −0.6 pp
2004 46 −0.6 pp
2003 46.6 −0.6 pp
2002 47.2 −0.5 pp
2001 47.7 −0.5 pp
2000 48.3 −0.5 pp
1999 48.8 −0.5 pp
1998 49.3 −0.6 pp
1997 49.9 −0.6 pp
1996 50.4 −0.6 pp
1995 51.1 −0.6 pp
1994 51.7 −0.6 pp
1993 52.3 −0.7 pp
1992 53 −0.6 pp
1991 53.6

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.