Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) was 54.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Bulgaria, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 54.1% for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 9.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Bulgaria peaked at 54.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 41.2%, in 2001.
Bulgaria ranks 120th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 44.6% | — |
| 1992 | 42.4% | -4.9% |
| 1993 | 41.7% | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 43.4% | +4.1% |
| 1995 | 44.1% | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 43.3% | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 43.2% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 43.7% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 43.1% | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 41.9% | -2.9% |
| 2001 | 41.2% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 41.7% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 43.3% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 44.8% | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 45.1% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 47.4% | +5.1% |
| 2007 | 49.9% | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 51.8% | +3.9% |
| 2009 | 50.4% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 48.0% | -4.8% |
| 2011 | 46.6% | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 46.6% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 47.0% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 47.8% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 49.3% | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 49.3% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 52.0% | +5.5% |
| 2018 | 52.4% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 54.3% | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 53.1% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 52.5% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 54.4% | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 54.4% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 53.9% | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 54.1% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.3% | 41.7% | 44.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 45.7% | 41.2% | 51.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.3% | 46.6% | 54.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.7% | 52.5% | 54.4% | 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 to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Bulgaria?
- Employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) in Bulgaria was 54.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 54.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.2% in 2001.
- How does Bulgaria rank for employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%)?
- Bulgaria ranks 120th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment to population ratio, 15+, total (%) rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.9%. 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 to population ratio, 15+, total (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.