Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Southern Europe

Self-employed in Southern Europe in 2025 — 19.3%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 10.4 pp.

2025 19.3% −0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 30.1%1992
Period minimum 19.3%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Southern Europe, 1991–2025152025303519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 29.8%1992: 30.1%1993: 29.9%1994: 30%1995: 29.9%1996: 29.7%1997: 29.2%1998: 28.8%1999: 28%2000: 27.3%2001: 27.2%2002: 26.5%2003: 26%2004: 25.9%2005: 25.3%2006: 24.9%2007: 24.5%2008: 24.2%2009: 23.6%2010: 23.6%2011: 23.3%2012: 23.5%2013: 23.5%2014: 23.3%2015: 22.8%2016: 22.3%2017: 21.8%2018: 21.3%2019: 21%2020: 20.9%2021: 20.5%2022: 20%2023: 19.7%2024: 19.5%2025: 19.3%
Change over the period: −10.4 pp Annual average: -0.31 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Europe

Southern Europe 19.3%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Southern Europe, by year Southern Europe All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 19.3 −0.2 pp
2024 19.5 −0.2 pp
2023 19.7 −0.3 pp
2022 20 −0.6 pp
2021 20.5 −0.4 pp
2020 20.9 −0.1 pp
2019 21 −0.3 pp
2018 21.3 −0.5 pp
2017 21.8 −0.4 pp
2016 22.3 −0.5 pp
2015 22.8 −0.5 pp
2014 23.3 −0.2 pp
2013 23.5 −0 pp
2012 23.5 +0.2 pp
2011 23.3 −0.3 pp
2010 23.6 +0 pp
2009 23.6 −0.6 pp
2008 24.2 −0.3 pp
2007 24.5 −0.4 pp
2006 24.9 −0.4 pp
2005 25.3 −0.6 pp
2004 25.9 −0 pp
2003 26 −0.5 pp
2002 26.5 −0.7 pp
2001 27.2 −0.1 pp
2000 27.3 −0.6 pp
1999 28 −0.8 pp
1998 28.8 −0.4 pp
1997 29.2 −0.6 pp
1996 29.7 −0.2 pp
1995 29.9 −0.1 pp
1994 30 +0.1 pp
1993 29.9 −0.2 pp
1992 30.1 +0.3 pp
1991 29.8

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.