Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Public sector employment as a share of total employment was 17.7% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bulgaria, 2007–2019
Source: World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 17.7% for public sector employment as a share of total employment in 2019.
The figure is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bulgaria peaked at 27.5% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 15.7%, in 2008.
Bulgaria ranks 44th of 79 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 27.5% | — |
| 2008 | 15.7% | -43.1% |
| 2009 | 16.2% | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 17.5% | +7.8% |
| 2011 | 18.4% | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 19.7% | +7.4% |
| 2013 | 19.2% | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 18.9% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 18.5% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 18.7% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 18.0% | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 17.1% | -4.9% |
| 2019 | 17.7% | +3.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 19.8% | 15.7% | 27.5% | 3 |
| 2010s | 18.4% | 17.1% | 19.7% | 10 |
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 public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bulgaria?
- Public sector employment as a share of total employment in Bulgaria was 17.7% in 2019, according to World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 27.5% in 2007.
- What is the lowest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.7% in 2008.
- How does Bulgaria rank for public sector employment as a share of total employment?
- Bulgaria ranks 44th out of 79 countries with data for 2019.
- Is public sector employment as a share of total employment rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Public sector employment as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of all employed people who are paid employees of the public sector, including government, the armed forces, public services, and state-owned enterprises.