Self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation was 344.5 Thousand persons in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
344.5 Thousand persons
Change on year
up 10.8%
World rank
24th
of 45 countries
All-time high
391.9 Thousand persons
in 2000
All-time low
283.9 Thousand persons
in 2021
Years of data
26
2000–2025

Self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Bulgaria, 2000–2025

01002003004002000201220252000: 391.9 Thousand persons2001: 354.6 Thousand persons2002: 348.6 Thousand persons2003: 355.7 Thousand persons2004: 377.9 Thousand persons2005: 354.5 Thousand persons2006: 352.3 Thousand persons2007: 350.9 Thousand persons2008: 362 Thousand persons2009: 357.7 Thousand persons2010: 344.3 Thousand persons2011: 317.3 Thousand persons2012: 303.8 Thousand persons2013: 324.4 Thousand persons2014: 337.1 Thousand persons2015: 330.3 Thousand persons2016: 319.8 Thousand persons2017: 330.9 Thousand persons2018: 324.4 Thousand persons2019: 291.3 Thousand persons2020: 287.8 Thousand persons2021: 283.9 Thousand persons2022: 294.2 Thousand persons2023: 291.8 Thousand persons2024: 310.9 Thousand persons2025: 344.5 Thousand persons

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Thousand persons.

Analysis

Bulgaria recorded 344.5 Thousand persons for self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in 2025.

The figure is up 10.8% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Bulgaria peaked at 391.9 Thousand persons in 2000 and was at its lowest, 283.9 Thousand persons, in 2021.

Bulgaria ranks 24th of 45 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Bulgaria, 2000 to 2025.
Year Thousand persons Change
2000 391.9 Thousand persons
2001 354.6 Thousand persons -9.5%
2002 348.6 Thousand persons -1.7%
2003 355.7 Thousand persons +2.0%
2004 377.9 Thousand persons +6.2%
2005 354.5 Thousand persons -6.2%
2006 352.3 Thousand persons -0.6%
2007 350.9 Thousand persons -0.4%
2008 362 Thousand persons +3.2%
2009 357.7 Thousand persons -1.2%
2010 344.3 Thousand persons -3.7%
2011 317.3 Thousand persons -7.8%
2012 303.8 Thousand persons -4.3%
2013 324.4 Thousand persons +6.8%
2014 337.1 Thousand persons +3.9%
2015 330.3 Thousand persons -2.0%
2016 319.8 Thousand persons -3.2%
2017 330.9 Thousand persons +3.5%
2018 324.4 Thousand persons -2.0%
2019 291.3 Thousand persons -10.2%
2020 287.8 Thousand persons -1.2%
2021 283.9 Thousand persons -1.4%
2022 294.2 Thousand persons +3.6%
2023 291.8 Thousand persons -0.8%
2024 310.9 Thousand persons +6.5%
2025 344.5 Thousand persons +10.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 360.61 Thousand persons 348.6 Thousand persons 391.9 Thousand persons 10
2010s 322.36 Thousand persons 291.3 Thousand persons 344.3 Thousand persons 10
2020s 302.18 Thousand persons 283.9 Thousand persons 344.5 Thousand persons 6

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 21 Serbia 394.4 Thousand persons compare
  2. 22 Slovakia 382.8 Thousand persons compare
  3. 22 Slovakia 382.8 Thousand persons compare
  4. 25 Ireland 300.4 Thousand persons compare
  5. 26 Finland 263.1 Thousand persons compare
  6. 27 Croatia 199.4 Thousand persons compare
  7. 27 Croatia 199.4 Thousand persons compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More work & labour data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Bulgaria?
Self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Bulgaria was 344.5 Thousand persons in 2025, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation recorded in Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 391.9 Thousand persons in 2000.
What is the lowest self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 283.9 Thousand persons in 2021.
How does Bulgaria rank for self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation?
Bulgaria ranks 24th out of 45 countries with data for 2025.
Is self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.3%. 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 Self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/self-employed-persons-by-citizenship-and-degree-of-urbanisation/bulgaria/

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About this data

Indicator
Self-employed persons by citizenship and degree of urbanisation
Unit
Thousand persons
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 1,285 data points, 1995–2025
Last refreshed