Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) was 19.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Bulgaria, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 19.6% for employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Bulgaria peaked at 39.3% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 19.6%, in 2025.
That places Bulgaria 21st out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 39.3% | — |
| 1992 | 37.9% | -3.5% |
| 1993 | 36.1% | -4.7% |
| 1994 | 34.6% | -4.3% |
| 1995 | 32.8% | -5.3% |
| 1996 | 31.1% | -4.9% |
| 1997 | 30.8% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 29.9% | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 27.5% | -8.0% |
| 2000 | 27.3% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 28.8% | +5.5% |
| 2002 | 28.8% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 28.0% | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 28.5% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 28.8% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 28.0% | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 28.5% | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 28.9% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 27.5% | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 24.5% | -11.1% |
| 2011 | 23.0% | -6.1% |
| 2012 | 25.4% | +10.5% |
| 2013 | 24.2% | -4.8% |
| 2014 | 22.6% | -6.6% |
| 2015 | 23.1% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 22.5% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 21.8% | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 22.7% | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 21.3% | -6.3% |
| 2020 | 23.1% | +8.5% |
| 2021 | 22.1% | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 22.1% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 21.3% | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 19.9% | -6.7% |
| 2025 | 19.6% | -1.6% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 19.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.2%, 2.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 19.6% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.4%, 1.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.3% | 27.5% | 39.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 28.3% | 27.3% | 28.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.1% | 21.3% | 25.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.4% | 19.6% | 23.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More work & labour data for Bulgaria
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7248 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.7055 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7441 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.5 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.5166 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,606 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 817.52 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,761 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,770 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,531 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Bulgaria?
- Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) in Bulgaria was 19.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in industry, female (% of female employment) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 39.3% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in industry, female (% of female employment) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.6% in 2025.
- How does Bulgaria rank for employment in industry, female (% of female employment)?
- Bulgaria ranks 21st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in industry, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The industry sector consists of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, and public utilities (electricity, gas, and water), in accordance with divisions 2-5 (ISIC 2) or categories C-F (ISIC 3) or categories B-F (ISIC 4).