Self-employed, female (% of female employment) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Self-employed, female (% of female employment) was 6.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Self-employed, female (% of female employment) in Saudi Arabia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 6.8% for self-employed, female (% of female employment) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and up 397.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, self-employed, female (% of female employment) in Saudi Arabia peaked at 7.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2017.
That places Saudi Arabia 170th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Self-employed, female (% of female employment) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.0% | — |
| 1992 | 2.1% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 2.1% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 2.2% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 2.2% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 2.2% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 2.3% | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 2.3% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 2.3% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 2.4% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 2.4% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 2.4% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 2.4% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 2.3% | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 2.2% | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 2.2% | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 2.1% | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 2.0% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 1.9% | -5.4% |
| 2011 | 1.8% | -7.6% |
| 2012 | 1.6% | -8.0% |
| 2013 | 1.5% | -7.1% |
| 2014 | 1.4% | -7.2% |
| 2015 | 1.4% | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 1.3% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 1.3% | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 1.5% | +16.7% |
| 2019 | 5.7% | +273.9% |
| 2020 | 6.1% | +7.6% |
| 2021 | 7.4% | +20.8% |
| 2022 | 6.7% | -9.9% |
| 2023 | 5.6% | -15.8% |
| 2024 | 6.9% | +22.5% |
| 2025 | 6.8% | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.9% | 1.3% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.6% | 5.6% | 7.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More work & labour data for Saudi Arabia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.6339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.5946 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.6842 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.31 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.5985 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 40,709 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 4,348 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 31,198 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 39,809 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 71,007 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is self-employed, female (% of female employment) in Saudi Arabia?
- Self-employed, female (% of female employment) in Saudi Arabia was 6.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest self-employed, female (% of female employment) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 7.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest self-employed, female (% of female employment) recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2017.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for self-employed, female (% of female employment)?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 170th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is self-employed, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 397.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Self-employed, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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 sub-categories of employers, own-account workers and members of producers' cooperatives and contributing family workers.