Share of Self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment in Portugal
Portugal: Share of Self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment was 17.91 % in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of Self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment in Portugal, 2000–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
Portugal recorded 17.91 % for share of self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.1% on the previous year and down 21.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment in Portugal peaked at 28.2 % in 2001 and was at its lowest, 17.15 %, in 2023.
Portugal ranks 58th of 68 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Share of Self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment in Portugal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 27.16 % | — |
| 2001 | 28.2 % | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 27.37 % | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 28.14 % | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 27.83 % | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 26.75 % | -3.9% |
| 2006 | 25.54 % | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 26.03 % | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 25.78 % | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 26.32 % | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 25.57 % | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 25.43 % | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 26.2 % | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 26.15 % | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 24.34 % | -6.9% |
| 2015 | 22.7 % | -6.7% |
| 2016 | 21.92 % | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 21.06 % | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 20.67 % | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 20.71 % | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 20.55 % | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 18.3 % | -10.9% |
| 2022 | 18.25 % | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 17.15 % | -6.0% |
| 2024 | 17.54 % | +2.3% |
| 2025 | 17.91 % | +2.1% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 17.91 % is below the median for high income countries, which is 19.1 %, 94% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 17.91 % is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 21.13 %, 85% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 26.91 % | 25.54 % | 28.2 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.48 % | 20.67 % | 26.2 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.28 % | 17.15 % | 20.55 % | 6 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More economy & growth data for Portugal
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.18 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.9 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 6.84 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0218 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 639.78 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 13.49 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 16.41 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.043 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 1,261 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 62.23 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment in Portugal?
- Share of self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment in Portugal was 17.91 % in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest share of self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 28.2 % in 2001.
- What is the lowest share of self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.15 % in 2023.
- How does Portugal rank for share of self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment?
- Portugal ranks 58th out of 68 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Share of Self-employed people in [industry] out of total employment in [industry] by [sex]: Total employment — Value — Male — All age ranges or no breakdown by age — National. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The Suite of Gender Indicators presents a set of indicators relevant to agrifood systems that are disaggregated by sex, with the aim of highlighting gender differences across agrifood systems. The initial set of indicators is based on those used in FAO’s 2023 Status of Women in Agrifood Systems (SWAFS) report and on the recommendations of an expert consultation held in December 2023, and covers key dimensions including economic participation, governance, agency, social norms, assets and services, education, health, and nutrition. Indicator selection was informed by expert judgment and by the availability of data with sufficient geographic and temporal coverage to enable meaningful comparisons across regions and over time. While most indicators are produced and published by FAO and other international organizations, the objective of this domain is to provide a one-stop shop for sex-disaggregated data on agrifood systems.