Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Western Asia

Self-employed in Western Asia in 2025 — 25%. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 18.7 pp.

2025 25% −0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 43.7%1991
Period minimum 25%2025

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Western Asia, 1991–2025253035404519911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 43.7%1992: 43.4%1993: 43%1994: 43.1%1995: 42.9%1996: 42.6%1997: 42.3%1998: 41.8%1999: 41.4%2000: 40.8%2001: 41.1%2002: 39.7%2003: 38.9%2004: 36.9%2005: 35.5%2006: 34.1%2007: 33%2008: 31.5%2009: 31.4%2010: 30.8%2011: 30.1%2012: 28.9%2013: 28.1%2014: 27.9%2015: 27.1%2016: 26.7%2017: 26.7%2018: 26.5%2019: 26.8%2020: 26.4%2021: 26.4%2022: 26%2023: 25.3%2024: 25.2%2025: 25%
Change over the period: −18.7 pp Annual average: -0.55 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

Western Asia 25%
World 46.4%
Self-employed — Western Asia, by year Western Asia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 25 −0.2 pp
2024 25.2 −0 pp
2023 25.3 −0.7 pp
2022 26 −0.4 pp
2021 26.4 −0 pp
2020 26.4 −0.4 pp
2019 26.8 +0.3 pp
2018 26.5 −0.2 pp
2017 26.7 +0 pp
2016 26.7 −0.5 pp
2015 27.1 −0.8 pp
2014 27.9 −0.2 pp
2013 28.1 −0.9 pp
2012 28.9 −1.1 pp
2011 30.1 −0.7 pp
2010 30.8 −0.7 pp
2009 31.4 −0.1 pp
2008 31.5 −1.5 pp
2007 33 −1.1 pp
2006 34.1 −1.4 pp
2005 35.5 −1.4 pp
2004 36.9 −2 pp
2003 38.9 −0.8 pp
2002 39.7 −1.3 pp
2001 41.1 +0.3 pp
2000 40.8 −0.6 pp
1999 41.4 −0.4 pp
1998 41.8 −0.4 pp
1997 42.3 −0.4 pp
1996 42.6 −0.3 pp
1995 42.9 −0.2 pp
1994 43.1 +0.1 pp
1993 43 −0.4 pp
1992 43.4 −0.3 pp
1991 43.7

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.