Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 3.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Bulgaria, 1993–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Bulgaria is 3.7%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is down 15.8% on the previous year and down 62.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Bulgaria peaked at 20.9% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 2025.
Bulgaria ranks 118th of 181 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 20.9% | — |
| 1994 | 20.2% | -3.2% |
| 1995 | 15.7% | -22.2% |
| 1996 | 13.8% | -12.3% |
| 1997 | 13.9% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 12.6% | -9.4% |
| 1999 | 14.0% | +11.1% |
| 2000 | 16.6% | +18.3% |
| 2001 | 20.9% | +25.9% |
| 2002 | 18.8% | -10.0% |
| 2003 | 14.2% | -24.4% |
| 2004 | 12.4% | -12.7% |
| 2005 | 10.3% | -17.0% |
| 2006 | 8.6% | -16.1% |
| 2007 | 6.5% | -24.6% |
| 2008 | 5.5% | -15.9% |
| 2009 | 7.0% | +27.5% |
| 2010 | 10.9% | +55.4% |
| 2011 | 12.3% | +12.9% |
| 2012 | 13.5% | +10.3% |
| 2013 | 13.9% | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 12.3% | -11.4% |
| 2015 | 9.8% | -20.6% |
| 2016 | 8.1% | -17.2% |
| 2017 | 6.4% | -21.6% |
| 2018 | 5.7% | -10.4% |
| 2019 | 4.5% | -21.7% |
| 2020 | 5.4% | +20.1% |
| 2021 | 5.4% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 4.3% | -19.3% |
| 2023 | 4.4% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 4.4% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 3.7% | -15.8% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 3.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 75% of the median. (75 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 3.7% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.4%, 69% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.9% | 12.6% | 20.9% | 7 |
| 2000s | 12.1% | 5.5% | 20.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.7% | 4.5% | 13.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.6% | 3.7% | 5.4% | 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 unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Bulgaria?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Bulgaria was 3.7% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 20.9% in 2001.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 2025.
- How does Bulgaria rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- Bulgaria ranks 118th out of 181 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 62.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.