Self-employment - Country rankings

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Self-employment, percent of total employment, 2023:

The average for 2023 based on 177 countries was 40.05 percent. The highest value was in the Central African Republic: 94.54 percent and the lowest value was in Qatar: 0.39 percent. The indicator is available from 1991 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Measure: percent; Source: The World Bank
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series


Countries Self-employment, 2023 Global rank Available data
C.A. Republic 94.54 1 1991 - 2023
Chad 91.17 2 1991 - 2023
Niger 90.27 3 1991 - 2023
Sierra Leone 89.46 4 1991 - 2023
Madagascar 88.97 5 1991 - 2023
Benin 88.04 6 1991 - 2023
North Korea 87.98 7 1991 - 2023
Eq. Guinea 87.3 8 1991 - 2023
DR Congo 86.3 9 1991 - 2023
Tanzania 85.52 10 1991 - 2023
Mali 85.43 11 1991 - 2023
Ethiopia 85.09 12 1991 - 2023
Mozambique 85.06 13 1991 - 2023
Burundi 84.76 14 1991 - 2023
Nigeria 84.73 15 1991 - 2023
Togo 82.13 16 1991 - 2023
Guinea 81.88 17 1991 - 2023
Afghanistan 81.72 18 1991 - 2023
Uganda 81.44 19 1991 - 2023
Nepal 80.16 20 1991 - 2023
Liberia 79.03 21 1991 - 2023
G.-Bissau 78.32 22 1991 - 2023
Papua N.G. 78.3 23 1991 - 2023
Laos 77.47 24 1991 - 2023
Eritrea 76.3 25 1991 - 2023
India 76.13 26 1991 - 2023
R. of Congo 75.62 27 1991 - 2023
Haiti 75.44 28 1991 - 2023
Burkina Faso 75.28 29 1991 - 2023
Ivory Coast 74.37 30 1991 - 2023
Zambia 73.8 31 1991 - 2023
Zimbabwe 71.49 32 1991 - 2023
Ghana 71.17 33 1991 - 2023
Bhutan 70.71 34 1991 - 2023
Senegal 69.57 35 1991 - 2023
Cameroon 69.49 36 1991 - 2023
Gambia 69.24 37 1991 - 2023
Azerbaijan 67.55 38 1991 - 2023
Bolivia 67.46 39 1991 - 2023
Angola 65.5 40 1991 - 2023
Kenya 65.25 41 1991 - 2023
Burma 64.92 42 1991 - 2023
Solomon Isl. 64.38 43 1991 - 2023
Malawi 61.63 44 1991 - 2023
Armenia 60.91 45 1991 - 2023
Vanuatu 60.17 46 1991 - 2023
Moldova 59.01 47 1991 - 2023
Mauritania 57.54 48 1991 - 2023
Comoros 57.48 49 1991 - 2023
Pakistan 57.11 50 1991 - 2023
Cambodia 56.35 51 1991 - 2023
Indonesia 54.05 52 1991 - 2023
Yemen 53.8 53 1991 - 2023
Bangladesh 53.39 54 1991 - 2023
Vietnam 52.97 55 1991 - 2023
Peru 52.6 56 1991 - 2023
Albania 52.36 57 1991 - 2023
Thailand 52.1 58 1991 - 2023
Somalia 51.35 59 1991 - 2023
Tonga 51.16 60 1991 - 2023
Ecuador 50.79 61 1991 - 2023
Djibouti 50.69 62 1991 - 2023
Georgia 48.74 63 1991 - 2023
Colombia 46.59 64 1991 - 2023
Uzbekistan 45.88 65 1991 - 2023
Honduras 45.65 66 1991 - 2023
China 45.31 67 1991 - 2023
Samoa 44.66 68 1991 - 2023
S.T.&Principe 43.01 69 1991 - 2023
Nicaragua 42.99 70 1991 - 2023
Iran 42.51 71 1991 - 2023
Domin. Rep. 42.37 72 1991 - 2023
Sri Lanka 41.81 73 1991 - 2023
Paraguay 41.32 74 1991 - 2023
Rwanda 41.25 75 1991 - 2023
Venezuela 40.55 76 1991 - 2023
Morocco 39.95 77 1991 - 2023
Mongolia 39.77 78 1991 - 2023
Guatemala 39.54 79 1991 - 2023
Namibia 39.13 80 1991 - 2023
Panama 38.91 81 1991 - 2023
Lesotho 38.58 82 1991 - 2023
Cape Verde 38.51 83 1991 - 2023
Jamaica 37.28 84 1991 - 2023
Philippines 36.75 85 1991 - 2023
El Salvador 36.34 86 1991 - 2023
Belize 36.05 87 1991 - 2023
Swaziland 34.86 88 1991 - 2023
Syria 34.48 89 1991 - 2023
Gabon 33.85 90 1991 - 2023
Kyrgyzstan 32.64 91 1991 - 2023
Algeria 32.09 92 1991 - 2023
Guyana 31.93 93 1991 - 2023
Iraq 31.6 94 1991 - 2023
Turkmenistan 31.53 95 1991 - 2023
Fiji 31.41 96 1991 - 2023
Mexico 31.35 97 1991 - 2023
Brazil 31.23 98 1991 - 2023
Botswana 31.08 99 1991 - 2023
Greece 30.95 100 1991 - 2023
Lebanon 29.56 101 1991 - 2023
Uruguay 29.35 102 1991 - 2023
Saint Lucia 29.17 103 1991 - 2023
Turkey 28.6 104 1991 - 2023
Malaysia 27.64 105 1991 - 2023
Serbia 27.05 106 1991 - 2023
Tajikistan 27 107 1991 - 2023
Costa Rica 26.95 108 1991 - 2023
Egypt 26.09 109 1991 - 2023
Tr.&Tobago 25.98 110 1991 - 2023
Argentina 25.75 111 1991 - 2023
St. Vincent & ... 25.62 112 1991 - 2023
Tunisia 25.5 113 1991 - 2023
Kazakhstan 25.39 114 1991 - 2023
Chile 24.65 115 1991 - 2023
South Korea 23.18 116 1991 - 2023
Suriname 23.07 117 1991 - 2023
Romania 22.8 118 1991 - 2023
Bosnia & Herz. 22.7 119 1991 - 2023
Maldives 21.9 120 1991 - 2023
Italy 21.37 121 1991 - 2023
Barbados 20.46 122 1991 - 2023
Poland 19.9 123 1991 - 2023
New Zealand 18.86 124 1991 - 2023
Montenegro 18.73 125 1991 - 2023
Mauritius 18.47 126 1991 - 2023
Puerto Rico 17.12 127 1991 - 2023
N. Caledonia 16.84 128 1991 - 2023
Switzerland 16.61 129 1991 - 2023
Netherlands 16.5 130 1991 - 2023
Czechia 16.49 131 1991 - 2023
South Africa 16.31 132 1991 - 2023
North Macedonia 15.93 133 1991 - 2023
Bahamas 15.81 134 1991 - 2023
Austria 15.72 135 1991 - 2023
Spain 15.17 136 1991 - 2023
Malta 15.15 137 1991 - 2023
Slovakia 15.13 138 1991 - 2023
Libya 15.09 139 1991 - 2023
Belgium 15.02 140 1991 - 2023
Portugal 14.55 141 1991 - 2023
Slovenia 14.26 142 1991 - 2023
Ireland 13.75 143 1991 - 2023
Iceland 13.68 144 1991 - 2023
Croatia 13.54 145 1991 - 2023
UK 13.42 146 1991 - 2023
Latvia 13.39 147 1991 - 2023
Singapore 13.32 148 1991 - 2023
Finland 13.19 149 1991 - 2023
Canada 13.15 150 1991 - 2023
Australia 13.06 151 1991 - 2023
France 12.92 152 1991 - 2023
Hungary 12.29 153 1991 - 2023
Lithuania 11.86 154 1991 - 2023
Jordan 11.7 155 1991 - 2023
Israel 11.69 156 1991 - 2023
Bulgaria 11.29 157 1991 - 2023
Estonia 11.11 158 1991 - 2023
Sweden 10.65 159 1991 - 2023
Cyprus 10.52 160 1991 - 2023
Luxembourg 9.93 161 1991 - 2023
Japan 9.5 162 1991 - 2023
Germany 8.63 163 1991 - 2023
Hong Kong 8.46 164 1991 - 2023
Denmark 8.42 165 1991 - 2023
Brunei 7.63 166 1991 - 2023
Saudi Arabia 6.83 167 1991 - 2023
Russia 6.58 168 1991 - 2023
Macao 6.48 169 1991 - 2023
USA 6.08 170 1991 - 2023
UA Emirates 4.87 171 1991 - 2023
Norway 4.57 172 1991 - 2023
Belarus 4.54 173 1991 - 2023
Oman 3.43 174 1991 - 2023
Bahrain 2.63 175 1991 - 2023
Kuwait 1.95 176 1991 - 2023
Qatar 0.39 177 1991 - 2023


New - World map: Self-employment




Definition: Self-employed workers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners or in cooperative, hold the type of jobs defined as a "self-employment jobs." i.e. jobs where the remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits derived from the goods and services produced. Self-employed workers include four sub-categories of employers, own-account workers, members of producers' cooperatives, and contributing family workers.

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All articles

1. C.A. Republic
2. Chad
3. Niger
4. Sierra Leone
5. Madagascar
6. Benin
7. North Korea
8. Eq. Guinea
9. DR Congo
10. Tanzania
11. Mali
12. Ethiopia
13. Mozambique
14. Burundi
15. Nigeria
16. Togo
17. Guinea
18. Afghanistan
19. Uganda
20. Nepal
21. Liberia
22. G.-Bissau
23. Papua N.G.
24. Laos
25. Eritrea
26. India
27. R. of Congo
28. Haiti
29. Burkina Faso
30. Ivory Coast
31. Zambia
32. Zimbabwe
33. Ghana
34. Bhutan
35. Senegal
36. Cameroon
37. Gambia
38. Azerbaijan
39. Bolivia
40. Angola
41. Kenya
42. Burma
43. Solomon Isl.
44. Malawi
45. Armenia
46. Vanuatu
47. Moldova
48. Mauritania
49. Comoros
50. Pakistan
51. Cambodia
52. Indonesia
53. Yemen
54. Bangladesh
55. Vietnam
56. Peru
57. Albania
58. Thailand
59. Somalia
60. Tonga
61. Ecuador
62. Djibouti
63. Georgia
64. Colombia
65. Uzbekistan
66. Honduras
67. China
68. Samoa
69. S.T.&Principe
70. Nicaragua
71. Iran
72. Domin. Rep.
73. Sri Lanka
74. Paraguay
75. Rwanda
76. Venezuela
77. Morocco
78. Mongolia
79. Guatemala
80. Namibia
81. Panama
82. Lesotho
83. Cape Verde
84. Jamaica
85. Philippines
86. El Salvador
87. Belize
88. Swaziland
89. Syria
90. Gabon
91. Kyrgyzstan
92. Algeria
93. Guyana
94. Iraq
95. Turkmenistan
96. Fiji
97. Mexico
98. Brazil
99. Botswana
100. Greece
101. Lebanon
102. Uruguay
103. Saint Lucia
104. Turkey
105. Malaysia
106. Serbia
107. Tajikistan
108. Costa Rica
109. Egypt
110. Tr.&Tobago
111. Argentina
112. St. Vincent & ...
113. Tunisia
114. Kazakhstan
115. Chile
116. South Korea
117. Suriname
118. Romania
119. Bosnia & Herz.
120. Maldives
121. Italy
122. Barbados
123. Poland
124. New Zealand
125. Montenegro
126. Mauritius
127. Puerto Rico
128. N. Caledonia
129. Switzerland
130. Netherlands
131. Czechia
132. South Africa
133. North Macedonia
134. Bahamas
135. Austria
136. Spain
137. Malta
138. Slovakia
139. Libya
140. Belgium
141. Portugal
142. Slovenia
143. Ireland
144. Iceland
145. Croatia
146. UK
147. Latvia
148. Singapore
149. Finland
150. Canada
151. Australia
152. France
153. Hungary
154. Lithuania
155. Jordan
156. Israel
157. Bulgaria
158. Estonia
159. Sweden
160. Cyprus
161. Luxembourg
162. Japan
163. Germany
164. Hong Kong
165. Denmark
166. Brunei
167. Saudi Arabia
168. Russia
169. Macao
170. USA
171. UA Emirates
172. Norway
173. Belarus
174. Oman
175. Bahrain
176. Kuwait
177. Qatar
94.54
91.17
90.27
89.46
88.97
88.04
87.98
87.30
86.30
85.52
85.43
85.09
85.06
84.76
84.73
82.13
81.88
81.72
81.44
80.16
79.03
78.32
78.30
77.47
76.30
76.13
75.62
75.44
75.28
74.37
73.80
71.49
71.17
70.71
69.57
69.49
69.24
67.55
67.46
65.50
65.25
64.92
64.38
61.63
60.91
60.17
59.01
57.54
57.48
57.11
56.35
54.05
53.80
53.39
52.97
52.60
52.36
52.10
51.35
51.16
50.79
50.69
48.74
46.59
45.88
45.65
45.31
44.66
43.01
42.99
42.51
42.37
41.81
41.32
41.25
40.55
39.95
39.77
39.54
39.13
38.91
38.58
38.51
37.28
36.75
36.34
36.05
34.86
34.48
33.85
32.64
32.09
31.93
31.60
31.53
31.41
31.35
31.23
31.08
30.95
29.56
29.35
29.17
28.60
27.64
27.05
27.00
26.95
26.09
25.98
25.75
25.62
25.50
25.39
24.65
23.18
23.07
22.80
22.70
21.90
21.37
20.46
19.90
18.86
18.73
18.47
17.12
16.84
16.61
16.50
16.49
16.31
15.93
15.81
15.72
15.17
15.15
15.13
15.09
15.02
14.55
14.26
13.75
13.68
13.54
13.42
13.39
13.32
13.19
13.15
13.06
12.92
12.29
11.86
11.70
11.69
11.29
11.11
10.65
10.52
9.93
9.50
8.63
8.46
8.42
7.63
6.83
6.58
6.48
6.08
4.87
4.57
4.54
3.43
2.63
1.95
0.39
0
23.6
47.3
70.9
94.54


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