Own-account workers, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Own-account workers, total was 24.5% in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
24.5%
Change on year
up 0.2%
Rank
15th
of 25 groups
All-time high
27.3%
in 1991
All-time low
23.0%
in 2008
Years of data
26
1991–2016

Own-account workers, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1991–2016

01020301991200320161991: 27.3 % of total employment1992: 27.3 % of total employment1993: 26.1 % of total employment1994: 25.7 % of total employment1995: 25.9 % of total employment1996: 25.8 % of total employment1997: 25.1 % of total employment1998: 26.3 % of total employment1999: 24.5 % of total employment2000: 23.7 % of total employment2001: 24 % of total employment2002: 24.1 % of total employment2003: 24.3 % of total employment2004: 24.2 % of total employment2005: 24.5 % of total employment2006: 23.5 % of total employment2007: 23.8 % of total employment2008: 23 % of total employment2009: 23.2 % of total employment2010: 23.5 % of total employment2011: 23.8 % of total employment2012: 23.8 % of total employment2013: 24.8 % of total employment2014: 24.5 % of total employment2015: 24.5 % of total employment2016: 24.5 % of total employment

Source: World Bank. Measured in % of total employment.

Analysis

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) recorded 24.5% for own-account workers, total in 2016.

That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, own-account workers, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 27.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 23.0%, in 2008.

That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 15th out of 25 groups with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.

Own-account workers, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), year by year

Annual values for Own-account workers, total (% of total employment) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1991 to 2016.
Year % of total employment Change
1991 27.3%
1992 27.3% -0.2%
1993 26.1% -4.2%
1994 25.7% -1.8%
1995 25.9% +0.9%
1996 25.8% -0.6%
1997 25.1% -2.4%
1998 26.3% +4.7%
1999 24.5% -6.9%
2000 23.7% -3.1%
2001 24.0% +1.0%
2002 24.1% +0.6%
2003 24.3% +0.9%
2004 24.2% -0.4%
2005 24.5% +1.3%
2006 23.5% -4.3%
2007 23.8% +1.2%
2008 23.0% -3.4%
2009 23.2% +1.2%
2010 23.5% +1.2%
2011 23.8% +1.1%
2012 23.8% -0.1%
2013 24.8% +4.5%
2014 24.5% -1.4%
2015 24.5% -0.2%
2016 24.5% +0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 26.0% 24.5% 27.3% 9
2000s 23.8% 23.0% 24.5% 10
2010s 24.2% 23.5% 24.8% 7

Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)

  1. 12 Vanuatu 63.9% compare
  2. 13 Guinea-Bissau 63.4% compare
  3. 14 Liberia 62.5% compare
  4. 15 Togo 62.1% compare
  5. 16 Chad 61.6% compare
  6. 17 Cote d'Ivoire 59.1% compare
  7. 18 Niger 59.0% compare

See the full ranking of 213 places →

More work & labour data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)

All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →

Frequently asked questions

What is own-account workers, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
Own-account workers, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 24.5% in 2016, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest own-account workers, total recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
The highest recorded value was 27.3% in 1991.
What is the lowest own-account workers, total recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
The lowest recorded value was 23.0% in 2008.
How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for own-account workers, total?
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 15th out of 25 groups with data for 2016.
Is own-account workers, total rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) data come from?
The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Own-account workers, total (% of total employment). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Own-account workers, total in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income). Statizoid. Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/own-account-workers-total-percent-of-total-employment/middle-east-north-africa-afghanistan-and-pakistan-excluding-high-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Own-account workers, total (% of total employment)
Unit
% of total employment
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
213 places, 5,537 data points, 1991–2016
Last refreshed