Self-employed — all countries

Self-employed — Timor-Leste

Self-employed in Timor-Leste in 2025 — 74.9%. Ranked 28 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has fallen by 6.8 pp.

2025 74.9% −0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank 28of 182
Period maximum 81.7%1991
Period minimum 74.6%2019

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Self-employed — Timor-Leste, 1991–2025747678808219911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 81.7%1992: 81.3%1993: 80.9%1994: 80.6%1995: 80.2%1996: 79.9%1997: 79.6%1998: 79.5%1999: 79.2%2000: 78.8%2001: 78.4%2002: 78.2%2003: 78.1%2004: 78.1%2005: 78.1%2006: 78.1%2007: 78%2008: 77.7%2009: 77.4%2010: 77.1%2011: 76.6%2012: 76.3%2013: 75.9%2014: 75.6%2015: 75.3%2016: 75.1%2017: 75%2018: 75%2019: 74.6%2020: 75.2%2021: 74.8%2022: 74.7%2023: 75.2%2024: 75.1%2025: 74.9%
Change over the period: −6.8 pp Annual average: -0.2 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste 74.9%
World 46.4%
South-Eastern Asia computed 49.7%
Self-employed — Timor-Leste, by year Timor-Leste All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 74.9 −0.2 pp
2024 75.1 −0.1 pp
2023 75.2 +0.5 pp
2022 74.7 −0.1 pp
2021 74.8 −0.4 pp
2020 75.2 +0.6 pp
2019 74.6 −0.5 pp
2018 75 −0 pp
2017 75 −0.1 pp
2016 75.1 −0.2 pp
2015 75.3 −0.3 pp
2014 75.6 −0.3 pp
2013 75.9 −0.4 pp
2012 76.3 −0.4 pp
2011 76.6 −0.4 pp
2010 77.1 −0.4 pp
2009 77.4 −0.3 pp
2008 77.7 −0.3 pp
2007 78 −0.1 pp
2006 78.1 +0 pp
2005 78.1 −0.1 pp
2004 78.1 −0 pp
2003 78.1 −0 pp
2002 78.2 −0.2 pp
2001 78.4 −0.4 pp
2000 78.8 −0.4 pp
1999 79.2 −0.3 pp
1998 79.5 −0.1 pp
1997 79.6 −0.3 pp
1996 79.9 −0.4 pp
1995 80.2 −0.3 pp
1994 80.6 −0.4 pp
1993 80.9 −0.4 pp
1992 81.3 −0.4 pp
1991 81.7

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.