Labour indicators rates - Regions — Labour force participation rate in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Labour indicators rates - Regions — Labour force participation rate was -12.2 Percentage points in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labour indicators rates - Regions — Labour force participation rate in Bulgaria, 2000–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage points.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded -12.2 Percentage points for labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and down 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate in Bulgaria peaked at -10 Percentage points in 2002 and was at its lowest, -12.7 Percentage points, in 2018.
That places Bulgaria 29th out of 43 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Labour indicators rates - Regions — Labour force participation rate in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Percentage points | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | -11.5 Percentage points | — |
| 2001 | -10.3 Percentage points | -10.4% |
| 2002 | -10 Percentage points | -2.9% |
| 2003 | -10.7 Percentage points | +7.0% |
| 2004 | -10.7 Percentage points | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -11 Percentage points | +2.8% |
| 2006 | -10.4 Percentage points | -5.5% |
| 2007 | -10.7 Percentage points | +2.9% |
| 2008 | -11.5 Percentage points | +7.5% |
| 2009 | -11.5 Percentage points | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -11.6 Percentage points | +0.9% |
| 2011 | -11 Percentage points | -5.2% |
| 2012 | -10.9 Percentage points | -0.9% |
| 2013 | -11.1 Percentage points | +1.8% |
| 2014 | -11.5 Percentage points | +3.6% |
| 2015 | -11.4 Percentage points | -0.9% |
| 2016 | -11.8 Percentage points | +3.5% |
| 2017 | -12.2 Percentage points | +3.4% |
| 2018 | -12.7 Percentage points | +4.1% |
| 2019 | -11.8 Percentage points | -7.1% |
| 2020 | -11.9 Percentage points | +0.8% |
| 2021 | -11.7 Percentage points | -1.7% |
| 2022 | -12.7 Percentage points | +8.5% |
| 2023 | -12.4 Percentage points | -2.4% |
| 2024 | -12.4 Percentage points | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -12.2 Percentage points | -1.6% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's -12.2 Percentage points is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -9.5 Percentage points, 1.3× the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's -12.2 Percentage points is below the median for high income countries, which is -9.5 Percentage points, 1.3× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | -10.83 Percentage points | -11.5 Percentage points | -10 Percentage points | 10 |
| 2010s | -11.6 Percentage points | -12.7 Percentage points | -10.9 Percentage points | 10 |
| 2020s | -12.22 Percentage points | -12.7 Percentage points | -11.7 Percentage points | 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 labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate in Bulgaria?
- Labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate in Bulgaria was -12.2 Percentage points in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was -10 Percentage points in 2002.
- What is the lowest labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was -12.7 Percentage points in 2018.
- How does Bulgaria rank for labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate?
- Bulgaria ranks 29th out of 43 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Labour indicators rates - Regions — Labour force participation rate, gender difference. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This dataset provides indicators on participation rate, employment to population ratio and unemployment rate, in large regions (TL2) and, where available, in small regions (TL3). Data definition and source The labour force status is presented by sex, for 15-64 year-olds and 15+ year-olds age ranges, the latter having less country coverage. Data is based on a labour force survey using ILO guidelines and collected from Eurostat (reg_lmk) for EU countries and via delegates of the OECD Working Party on Territorial Indicators (WPTI), as well as from national statistical offices' websites. Definition of regions Regions are subnational units below national boundaries. OECD countries have two regional levels: large regions (territorial level 2 or TL2) and small regions (territorial level 3 or TL3). For more information, see the OECD Territorial grid (pdf) and the OECD Territorial Correspondence Table (xlsx). Cite this dataset OECD Regions, Cities and Local Areas database http://oe.cd/geostats. Further information OECD Regions and Cities Statistical Atlas OECD Regions and Cities at a Glance For questions and/or comments, please email RegionStat@oecd.org.