The line graph illustrates the proportion of self-employed individuals as a percentage of the total workforce in five countries over a ten-year period beginning in 1998.
Overall, the share of self-employment in Russia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic followed an upward trajectory, while Greece and Turkey witnessed a consistent decline. Throughout the entire period, Turkey maintained the highest proportion of self-employed workers among the five nations.
In 1998, self-employment levels in Russia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic stood at approximately 5%, 8%, and 11%, respectively. By 2008, these figures had increased modestly, with Russia and the Czech Republic each recording a growth of around 2-3 percentage points, reaching roughly 7% and 14% respectively. Slovakia experienced a more pronounced expansion, with its proportion rising by half, from 8% to 12%.
By contrast, the other two countries experienced significant contractions in self-employment. In Greece, the figure was about 42% in 1998, but this proportion plummeted to just under 5% by 2008. Turkey began the period with the largest share of self-employed individuals at approximately 56%, yet this figure underwent a marked reduction, falling to around 38% by the end of the decade