Female labor force participation rates in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Female labor force participation rates was 50.38 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
50.38
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
118th
of 186 countries
All-time high
51.03
in 2023
All-time low
44.03
in 1996
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Female labor force participation rates in Bulgaria, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rates in Bulgaria is 50.38, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rates in Bulgaria peaked at 51.03 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 44.03, in 1996.
Bulgaria ranks 118th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rates in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 44.91 | — |
| 1991 | 44.73 | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 44.6 | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 44.45 | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 44.34 | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 44.22 | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 44.03 | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 44.45 | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 44.24 | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 44.55 | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 44.32 | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 46.66 | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 46.2 | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 44.87 | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 45.71 | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 44.65 | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 46.74 | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 48.07 | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 48.92 | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 48.06 | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 47.82 | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 47.2 | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 47.96 | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 48.53 | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 48.39 | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 48.73 | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 47.44 | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 49.6 | +4.6% |
| 2018 | 49.17 | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 50.38 | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 49.52 | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 49.19 | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 50.8 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 51.03 | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 50.49 | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 50.38 | -0.2% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 50.38 is below the median for high income countries, which is 55.09, 91% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 50.38 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 54.59, 92% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.45 | 44.03 | 44.91 | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.42 | 44.32 | 48.92 | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.52 | 47.2 | 50.38 | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.23 | 49.19 | 51.03 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 115 Papua New Guinea 50.82 compare
- 116 Philippines 50.49 compare
- 117 Cape Verde 50.47 compare
- 119 South Africa 49.88 compare
- 120 Belgium 49.78 compare
- 121 El Salvador 49.05 compare
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 female labor force participation rates in Bulgaria?
- Female labor force participation rates in Bulgaria was 50.38 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rates recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 51.03 in 2023.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rates recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.03 in 1996.
- How does Bulgaria rank for female labor force participation rates?
- Bulgaria ranks 118th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rates rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).