Self-employed, male (% of male employment) in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Self-employed, male (% of male employment) was 71.0% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Self-employed, male (% of male employment) in Least developed countries, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, self-employed, male (% of male employment) in Least developed countries stood at 71.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, self-employed, male (% of male employment) in Least developed countries peaked at 73.0% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 69.6%, in 2014.
That places Least developed countries 10th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
Self-employed, male (% of male employment) in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 72.8% | — |
| 1992 | 72.9% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 72.9% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 73.0% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 73.0% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 72.8% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 72.6% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 72.4% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 72.2% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 72.1% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 71.9% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 71.7% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 71.6% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 71.4% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 71.2% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 71.0% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 70.7% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 70.4% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 70.0% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 69.7% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 69.8% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 69.7% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 69.7% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 69.6% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 69.7% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 69.8% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 69.8% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 69.9% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 70.1% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 71.0% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 70.6% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 70.5% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 71.4% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 71.2% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 71.0% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 72.7% | 72.2% | 73.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 71.2% | 70.0% | 72.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.8% | 69.6% | 70.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.0% | 70.5% | 71.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
- 7 Central African Republic 82.7% compare
- 8 Ethiopia 82.6% compare
- 9 Tanzania, United Republic of 80.4% compare
- 10 South Sudan 80.3% compare
- 11 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 79.8% compare
- 12 Mozambique 78.9% compare
- 13 Burundi 78.7% compare
More work & labour data for Least developed countries
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 53.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 74.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 63.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 45.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 49.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 73.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 52.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 54.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 65.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is self-employed, male (% of male employment) in Least developed countries?
- Self-employed, male (% of male employment) in Least developed countries was 71.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest self-employed, male (% of male employment) recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 73.0% in 1995.
- What is the lowest self-employed, male (% of male employment) recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.6% in 2014.
- How does Least developed countries rank for self-employed, male (% of male employment)?
- Least developed countries ranks 10th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is self-employed, male (% of male employment) rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Self-employed, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.