Self-employed persons by occupation by country
Countries reporting
47
Highest
6,641 Thousand persons
Türkiye
Lowest
27.7 Thousand persons
Luxembourg
Median
397.8 Thousand persons
Years covered
43
1983–2025
Data points
1,479
What the numbers show
Self-employed persons by occupation is currently reported for 47 countries. The highest value is 6,641 Thousand persons in Türkiye; the lowest is 27.7 Thousand persons in Luxembourg.
The median across all reporting countries is 397.8 Thousand persons, and the mean is 1,117 Thousand persons.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 240.
Over the past decade 31 countries rose and 15 fell. The largest increase was in Malta (up 63.2%), and the largest decrease in Romania (down 49.6%).
Self-employed persons by occupation: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Türkiye | 6,641 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 19.5% | rising |
| 2 | Italy | 4,943 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 3.3% | flat |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 4,881 Thousand persons | 2019 | up 27.3% | rising |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 4,881 Thousand persons | 2019 | up 27.3% | rising |
| 5 | France | 3,865 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 31.9% | rising |
| 6 | Germany | 3,393 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 17.2% | rising |
| 7 | Spain | 3,195 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 7.2% | rising |
| 8 | Poland | 3,120 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 6.7% | flat |
| 8 | Poland | 3,120 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 6.7% | flat |
| 10 | Netherlands | 1,518 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 13.4% | rising |
| 10 | Netherlands | 1,518 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 13.4% | rising |
| 12 | Greece | 1,088 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 1.0% | falling |
| 13 | Romania | 834.2 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 49.6% | falling |
| 14 | Czechia | 806.7 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 3.9% | rising |
| 15 | Portugal | 751.5 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 0.3% | falling |
| 16 | Belgium | 736.7 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 14.6% | rising |
| 17 | Switzerland | 658.9 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 15.3% | rising |
| 18 | Hungary | 557.6 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 25.2% | falling |
| 19 | Austria | 499 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 6.6% | rising |
| 20 | Sweden | 478.5 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 1.2% | rising |
| 21 | Serbia | 454.1 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 17.6% | falling |
| 21 | Serbia | 454.1 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 17.6% | falling |
| 23 | Slovakia | 397.8 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 9.5% | rising |
| 23 | Slovakia | 397.8 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 9.5% | rising |
| 25 | Bulgaria | 372 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 8.1% | falling |
| 26 | Ireland | 350.2 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 27 | Finland | 304.4 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 9.2% | rising |
| 28 | Croatia | 211.6 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 0.6% | falling |
| 28 | Croatia | 211.6 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 0.6% | falling |
| 30 | Denmark | 207.4 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 10.5% | falling |
| 31 | Lithuania | 158.5 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 7.5% | falling |
| 31 | Lithuania | 158.5 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 7.5% | falling |
| 33 | Norway | 151.6 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 16.0% | falling |
| 34 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 140.3 Thousand persons | 2025 | — | flat |
| 35 | Latvia | 121.5 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 15.1% | rising |
| 35 | Latvia | 121.5 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 15.1% | rising |
| 37 | Slovenia | 120.2 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 6.6% | rising |
| 37 | Slovenia | 120.2 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 6.6% | rising |
| 39 | North Macedonia | 101.8 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 20.2% | falling |
| 39 | North Macedonia | 101.8 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 20.2% | falling |
| 41 | Estonia | 76.3 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 31.6% | rising |
| 41 | Estonia | 76.3 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 31.6% | rising |
| 43 | Cyprus | 46.5 Thousand persons | 2025 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 44 | Malta | 44.4 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 63.2% | rising |
| 45 | Montenegro | 41.5 Thousand persons | 2020 | up 40.7% | rising |
| 46 | Iceland | 27.9 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 22.9% | flat |
| 47 | Luxembourg | 27.7 Thousand persons | 2025 | up 21.5% | rising |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- European Union - 27 countries (from 2020) 28,224 Thousand persons
- Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) 22,220 Thousand persons