New business density in Small states
Small states: New business density was 6.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
6.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
Change on year
down 1.5%
Rank
7th
of 45 groups
All-time high
6.56 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
in 2021
All-time low
3.58 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
in 2009
Years of data
17
2006–2022
New business density in Small states, 2006–2022
Source: Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB). Measured in new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64.
Analysis
In 2022, new business density in Small states stood at 6.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and up 53.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, new business density in Small states peaked at 6.56 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.58 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64, in 2009.
Small states ranks 7th of 45 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.
New business density in Small states, year by year
| Year | new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 6.25 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | — |
| 2007 | 5.26 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -15.9% |
| 2008 | 4.34 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -17.5% |
| 2009 | 3.58 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -17.6% |
| 2010 | 4.12 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +15.3% |
| 2011 | 4.39 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +6.5% |
| 2012 | 4.22 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -3.9% |
| 2013 | 4.43 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +5.1% |
| 2014 | 4.64 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 4.86 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 5.29 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +8.7% |
| 2017 | 5.25 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 5.57 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +6.2% |
| 2019 | 5.69 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 5.12 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -10.0% |
| 2021 | 6.56 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +28.1% |
| 2022 | 6.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.85 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 3.58 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 6.25 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 4 |
| 2010s | 4.85 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 4.12 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 5.69 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.05 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 5.12 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 6.56 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Small states
- 4 Estonia 26.76 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 5 Cape Verde 21.76 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 6 United States Virgin Islands 19.96 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
- 7 Luxembourg 19.61 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 8 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 19.19 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 9 Saint Kitts and Nevis 18.72 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 10 Australia 18.06 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
More private sector data for Small states
- Merchandise trade 70.4% (2025)
- Food imports 16.0% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 60.8% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 141.38 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 19.2% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 43.9% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 100.88 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 4,958 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2991 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 2.68 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is new business density in Small states?
- New business density in Small states was 6.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2022, according to Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest new business density recorded in Small states?
- The highest recorded value was 6.56 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2021.
- What is the lowest new business density recorded in Small states?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.58 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2009.
- How does Small states rank for new business density?
- Small states ranks 7th out of 45 groups with data for 2022.
- Is new business density rising or falling in Small states?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Small states data come from?
- The figures come from Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB), published as part of New business density (new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The number of newly registered firms with limited liability per 1,000 working-age people (ages 15-64) per calendar year.