Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Employment in industry (% of total employment) was 27.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Bulgaria, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in industry (% of total employment) in Bulgaria stood at 27.9%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and down 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in industry (% of total employment) in Bulgaria peaked at 45.1% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 27.9%, in 2025.
That places Bulgaria 26th 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 (% of total employment) in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 45.1% | — |
| 1992 | 43.8% | -2.9% |
| 1993 | 42.0% | -4.0% |
| 1994 | 40.4% | -3.9% |
| 1995 | 38.5% | -4.6% |
| 1996 | 36.9% | -4.2% |
| 1997 | 36.3% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 35.0% | -3.8% |
| 1999 | 33.0% | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 32.8% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 32.8% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 32.7% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 32.1% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 32.9% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 34.2% | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 34.5% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 35.5% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 36.3% | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 35.6% | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 33.4% | -6.2% |
| 2011 | 31.5% | -5.7% |
| 2012 | 31.5% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 30.5% | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 29.6% | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 30.3% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 30.2% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 29.3% | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 30.3% | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 29.5% | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 30.9% | +4.9% |
| 2021 | 30.0% | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 30.2% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 29.6% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 28.1% | -4.9% |
| 2025 | 27.9% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 39.0% | 33.0% | 45.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 33.9% | 32.1% | 36.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.6% | 29.3% | 33.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.5% | 27.9% | 30.9% | 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 (% of total employment) in Bulgaria?
- Employment in industry (% of total employment) in Bulgaria was 27.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 45.1% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in industry (% of total employment) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.9% in 2025.
- How does Bulgaria rank for employment in industry (% of total employment)?
- Bulgaria ranks 26th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in industry (% of total employment) rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. 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 (% of total 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).