Women and Men in the Informal Economy: A Statistical Picture (ILO 2002)

Major Findings

 

Size of the Informal Economy:
Share of Non-Agricultural Employment
  • Sub-Saharan Africa         

72%
  • Asia

65%
  • Latin America

51%
  • North Africa        

48%

Source: ILO 2002

 

Size of the Informal Economy:
Share of Non-Agricultural and Total Employment

 

 Informal Employment
(excluding agriculture)
as % of

Non-Agricultural Employment

 Informal Employment
(including agriculture)
as % of
Total Employment
India 83% 93%
Mexico 55% 6
South Africa 28% 34%

*Note: Informal Employment in South Africa = employment in informal enterprises + domestic work (i.e., does not include other forms of informal wage employment)
Source: ILO 2002

 

Composition of the Informal Economy:
Self-Employment and Wage Employment

  Self-Employment Wage Employment
Sub-Saharan Africa 70% 30%
North Africa  62% 38%
Latin America 60% 40%
Asia 59%    41%

Source: ILO 2002