Employers, total (% of total employment) in Arab World
Arab World: Employers, total (% of total employment) was 3.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employers, total (% of total employment) in Arab World, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Arab World recorded 3.9% for employers, total (% of total employment) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 30.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employers, total (% of total employment) in Arab World peaked at 7.9% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 3.9%, in 2025.
Arab World ranks 23rd of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employers, total (% of total employment) in Arab World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.8% | — |
| 1992 | 7.8% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 7.7% | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 7.9% | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 7.9% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 7.6% | -3.5% |
| 1997 | 7.3% | -4.1% |
| 1998 | 7.6% | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 7.6% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 7.8% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 7.9% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 7.6% | -3.6% |
| 2003 | 7.7% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 7.5% | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 6.9% | -8.4% |
| 2006 | 6.6% | -4.2% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 6.7% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 6.5% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 6.5% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 6.6% | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 6.5% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 5.7% | -12.4% |
| 2014 | 6.2% | +7.4% |
| 2015 | 5.7% | -8.0% |
| 2016 | 5.6% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 5.6% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 6.0% | +8.3% |
| 2019 | 5.5% | -8.5% |
| 2020 | 5.5% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 4.5% | -18.3% |
| 2022 | 4.4% | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 3.9% | -9.7% |
| 2024 | 3.9% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 3.9% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.7% | 7.3% | 7.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.2% | 6.5% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.0% | 5.5% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.4% | 3.9% | 5.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
More work & labour data for Arab World
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 48.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 10.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 39.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 25.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 20.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 73.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 46.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 70.6% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 30.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employers, total (% of total employment) in Arab World?
- Employers, total (% of total employment) in Arab World was 3.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 7.9% in 1994.
- What is the lowest employers, total (% of total employment) recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.9% in 2025.
- How does Arab World rank for employers, total (% of total employment)?
- Arab World ranks 23rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employers, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employers are those workers who, working on their own account or with one or a few partners, 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), and, in this capacity, have engaged, on a continuous basis, one or more persons to work for them as employee(s).