LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (current ILO) in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (current ILO) was 5.53 in 2025. ▼ Falling
LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (current ILO) in Bulgaria, 2014–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 5.53 for lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization (current ilo) in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 12 years on record.
That represents a change of down 12.3% on the previous year and down 64.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization (current ilo) in Bulgaria peaked at 18.84 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 5.53, in 2025.
That places Bulgaria 54th out of 56 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.
LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (current ILO) in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 18.84 | — |
| 2015 | 15.69 | -16.7% |
| 2016 | 14.27 | -9.0% |
| 2017 | 11.1 | -22.2% |
| 2018 | 9.44 | -15.0% |
| 2019 | 7.56 | -19.9% |
| 2020 | 8.36 | +10.6% |
| 2021 | 8.92 | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 7.39 | -17.2% |
| 2023 | 6.91 | -6.5% |
| 2024 | 6.3 | -8.7% |
| 2025 | 5.53 | -12.3% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 5.53 is below the median for high income countries, which is 12.04, 46% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 5.53 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.04, 46% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 12.82 | 7.56 | 18.84 | 6 |
| 2020s | 7.24 | 5.53 | 8.92 | 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 lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization (current ilo) in Bulgaria?
- Lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization (current ilo) in Bulgaria was 5.53 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization (current ilo) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 18.84 in 2014.
- What is the lowest lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization (current ilo) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.53 in 2025.
- How does Bulgaria rank for lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization (current ilo)?
- Bulgaria ranks 54th out of 56 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lu4: composite rate of labour underutilization (current ilo) rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 64.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU4: Composite rate of labour underutilization (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series includes only countries for which the 19th ICLS definitions are applied. LU4 represents the share of the extended labour force that are in unemployment, time-related underemployment or the potential labour force. For more information, refer to the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database description.