Employment in services (% of total employment) in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Employment in services (% of total employment) was 67.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
67.4%
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
71st
of 187 countries
All-time high
67.4%
in 2025
All-time low
45.4%
in 1991
Years of data
35
1991–2025

Employment in services (% of total employment) in Bulgaria, 1991–2025

02040601991200820251991: 45.41992: 46.21993: 47.41994: 48.41995: 49.61996: 50.61997: 50.51998: 51.31999: 53.62000: 542001: 57.52002: 56.62003: 56.72004: 56.32005: 56.82006: 57.42007: 572008: 56.12009: 57.52010: 59.92011: 622012: 622013: 632014: 63.12015: 62.92016: 62.92017: 63.52018: 632019: 63.72020: 62.52021: 63.62022: 63.22023: 64.22024: 672025: 67.4

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

The most recent figure for employment in services (% of total employment) in Bulgaria is 67.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.

The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 7.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in Bulgaria peaked at 67.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 45.4%, in 1991.

That places Bulgaria 71st out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.

Employment in services (% of total employment) in Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Bulgaria, 1991 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1991 45.4%
1992 46.2% +1.8%
1993 47.4% +2.5%
1994 48.4% +2.2%
1995 49.6% +2.5%
1996 50.6% +2.0%
1997 50.5% -0.2%
1998 51.3% +1.6%
1999 53.6% +4.4%
2000 54.0% +0.8%
2001 57.5% +6.6%
2002 56.6% -1.6%
2003 56.7% +0.2%
2004 56.3% -0.7%
2005 56.8% +0.9%
2006 57.4% +1.1%
2007 57.0% -0.8%
2008 56.1% -1.5%
2009 57.5% +2.5%
2010 59.9% +4.2%
2011 62.0% +3.5%
2012 62.0% -0.0%
2013 63.0% +1.6%
2014 63.1% +0.2%
2015 62.9% -0.3%
2016 62.9% +0.0%
2017 63.5% +0.9%
2018 63.0% -0.8%
2019 63.7% +1.2%
2020 62.5% -2.0%
2021 63.6% +1.8%
2022 63.2% -0.6%
2023 64.2% +1.5%
2024 67.0% +4.5%
2025 67.4% +0.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 49.2% 45.4% 53.6% 9
2000s 56.6% 54.0% 57.5% 10
2010s 62.6% 59.9% 63.7% 10
2020s 64.6% 62.5% 67.4% 6

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 68 United Arab Emirates 68.0% compare
  2. 69 Cape Verde 67.7% compare
  3. 70 Cuba 67.6% compare
  4. 72 Panama 67.0% compare
  5. 73 Suriname 66.9% compare
  6. 74 Botswana 66.2% compare

See the full ranking of 235 places →

More work & labour data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is employment in services (% of total employment) in Bulgaria?
Employment in services (% of total employment) in Bulgaria was 67.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 67.4% in 2025.
What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 45.4% in 1991.
How does Bulgaria rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
Bulgaria ranks 71st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is up 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
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 services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Employment in services (% of total employment) in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/employment-in-services-percent-of-total-employment-modeled-ilo-estimate/bulgaria/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate)
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
235 places, 8,211 data points, 1991–2025
Last refreshed

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 services sector consists of wholesale and retail trade and restaurants and hotels; transport, storage, and communications; financing, insurance, real estate, and business services; and community, social, and personal services, in accordance with divisions 6-9 (ISIC 2) or categories G-Q (ISIC 3) or categories G-U (ISIC 4).