Self-employed, male (% of male employment) in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Self-employed, male (% of male employment) was 5.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Self-employed, male (% of male employment) in United Arab Emirates, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, self-employed, male (% of male employment) in United Arab Emirates stood at 5.0%.
The figure is down 1.0% on the previous year and up 31.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, self-employed, male (% of male employment) in United Arab Emirates peaked at 5.2% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 1991.
United Arab Emirates ranks 183rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Self-employed, male (% of male employment) in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3.5% | — |
| 1992 | 3.5% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 3.6% | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 3.7% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 3.6% | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 3.6% | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 3.5% | -2.3% |
| 1998 | 3.6% | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 3.7% | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 3.6% | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 3.7% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 3.9% | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 4.0% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 4.0% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 3.9% | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 4.2% | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 4.6% | +10.7% |
| 2008 | 5.1% | +11.2% |
| 2009 | 5.2% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 5.2% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 5.1% | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 4.9% | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 4.7% | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 3.7% | -20.1% |
| 2015 | 3.8% | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 3.8% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 4.1% | +7.5% |
| 2019 | 4.9% | +20.5% |
| 2020 | 5.1% | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 4.7% | -7.2% |
| 2022 | 5.1% | +7.9% |
| 2023 | 5.1% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 5.1% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 5.0% | -1.0% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 5.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 16.6%, 30% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 5.0% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 27.1%, 19% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.2% | 3.6% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.4% | 3.7% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 4.7% | 5.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More work & labour data for United Arab Emirates
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.9136 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.7692 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 1.09 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.7766 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,158 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,005 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 11,620 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 14,514 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 26,134 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is self-employed, male (% of male employment) in United Arab Emirates?
- Self-employed, male (% of male employment) in United Arab Emirates was 5.0% 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 5.2% in 2009.
- What is the lowest self-employed, male (% of male employment) recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 1991.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for self-employed, male (% of male employment)?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 183rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is self-employed, male (% of male employment) rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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.
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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.