Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private was 37.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
37.1%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
12th
of 45 countries
All-time high
46.2%
in 2000
All-time low
37.0%
in 2024
Years of data
26
2000–2025

Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Bulgaria, 2000–2025

010203040502000201220252000: 46.2 Percentage2001: 44.6 Percentage2002: 45.1 Percentage2003: 46.1 Percentage2004: 45.1 Percentage2005: 45.9 Percentage2006: 43.8 Percentage2007: 42.1 Percentage2008: 40.6 Percentage2009: 41.3 Percentage2010: 41.2 Percentage2011: 42.1 Percentage2012: 41.4 Percentage2013: 40.4 Percentage2014: 40.1 Percentage2015: 40.1 Percentage2016: 40.8 Percentage2017: 38.5 Percentage2018: 38.5 Percentage2019: 37.4 Percentage2020: 38.4 Percentage2021: 38.9 Percentage2022: 37.5 Percentage2023: 37.2 Percentage2024: 37 Percentage2025: 37.1 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

In 2025, persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Bulgaria stood at 37.1%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 7.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Bulgaria peaked at 46.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 37.0%, in 2024.

Bulgaria ranks 12th of 45 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.

Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private households in Bulgaria, 2000 to 2025.
Year Percentage Change
2000 46.2%
2001 44.6% -3.5%
2002 45.1% +1.1%
2003 46.1% +2.2%
2004 45.1% -2.2%
2005 45.9% +1.8%
2006 43.8% -4.6%
2007 42.1% -3.9%
2008 40.6% -3.6%
2009 41.3% +1.7%
2010 41.2% -0.2%
2011 42.1% +2.2%
2012 41.4% -1.7%
2013 40.4% -2.4%
2014 40.1% -0.7%
2015 40.1% +0.0%
2016 40.8% +1.7%
2017 38.5% -5.6%
2018 38.5% +0.0%
2019 37.4% -2.9%
2020 38.4% +2.7%
2021 38.9% +1.3%
2022 37.5% -3.6%
2023 37.2% -0.8%
2024 37.0% -0.5%
2025 37.1% +0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 44.1% 40.6% 46.2% 10
2010s 40.0% 37.4% 42.1% 10
2020s 37.7% 37.0% 38.9% 6

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 9 Greece 38.7% compare
  2. 10 Serbia 37.7% compare
  3. 11 Belgium 37.3% compare
  4. 13 Poland 35.7% compare
  5. 13 Poland 35.7% compare
  6. 15 France 35.2% compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More work & labour data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Bulgaria?
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Bulgaria was 37.1% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 46.2% in 2000.
What is the lowest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 37.0% in 2024.
How does Bulgaria rank for persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private?
Bulgaria ranks 12th out of 45 countries with data for 2025.
Is persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private households. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/persons-outside-the-labour-force-percent-of-total-population-in-private-households-2/bulgaria/

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About this data

Indicator
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private households
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 1,442 data points, 1983–2025
Last refreshed