Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force was 2,472 Persons in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force in Bulgaria, 2000–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
In 2025, population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in Bulgaria stood at 2,472 Persons.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and down 12.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in Bulgaria peaked at 3,472 Persons in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2,442 Persons, in 2023.
That places Bulgaria 25th out of 33 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3,472 Persons | — |
| 2001 | 3,313 Persons | -4.6% |
| 2002 | 3,351 Persons | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 3,394 Persons | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 3,357 Persons | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 3,358 Persons | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3,243 Persons | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 3,148 Persons | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 3,056 Persons | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 3,093 Persons | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 2,992 Persons | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 3,022 Persons | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 2,956 Persons | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 2,883 Persons | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 2,851 Persons | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 2,835 Persons | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 2,856 Persons | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 2,708 Persons | -5.2% |
| 2018 | 2,686 Persons | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 2,498 Persons | -7.0% |
| 2020 | 2,522 Persons | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 2,536 Persons | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 2,464 Persons | -2.8% |
| 2023 | 2,442 Persons | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 2,450 Persons | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 2,472 Persons | +0.9% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 2,472 Persons is below the median for high income countries, which is 3,454 Persons, 72% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 2,472 Persons is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,070 Persons, 81% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3,279 Persons | 3,056 Persons | 3,472 Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,829 Persons | 2,498 Persons | 3,022 Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,481 Persons | 2,442 Persons | 2,536 Persons | 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 population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in Bulgaria?
- Population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force in Bulgaria was 2,472 Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 3,472 Persons in 2000.
- What is the lowest population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,442 Persons in 2023.
- How does Bulgaria rank for population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force?
- Bulgaria ranks 25th out of 33 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population outside the labour force — persons outside the labour force rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.8%. 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 Population outside the labour force — Persons outside the labour force. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the outside the labour force population is a subset of the infra-annual labour statistics database, which contains predominantly monthly and quarterly statistics on the outside the labour force population by age groups (15+, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 15-64 and 15-74 where available) and sex and associated statistical methodological information and associated statistical methodological information, for the OECD member countries and for selected other economies. The persons outside the labour force comprise all persons of working age who, during the specified reference period, were not in the labour force (that is, were not employed or unemployed). The infra-annual labour statistics compiled for all OECD member countries, are drawn from Labour Force Surveys based on definition provided by the 19th Conference of Labour Statisticians in 2013. The uniform application of these definitions across all OECD member countries results in estimates that are internationally comparable.