Unemployment rate in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Unemployment rate was 3.54 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
3.54
Change on year
down 15.8%
World rank
128th
of 186 countries
All-time high
19.92
in 2001
All-time low
3.54
in 2025
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Bulgaria, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Bulgaria is 3.54, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 15.8% on the previous year and down 61.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Bulgaria peaked at 19.92 in 2001 and was at its lowest, 3.54, in 2025.
Bulgaria ranks 128th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 11.1 | — |
| 1992 | 15.3 | +37.8% |
| 1993 | 16.4 | +7.2% |
| 1994 | 12.8 | -22.0% |
| 1995 | 11.1 | -13.3% |
| 1996 | 12.5 | +12.6% |
| 1997 | 13.7 | +9.6% |
| 1998 | 12.2 | -10.9% |
| 1999 | 14.1 | +15.6% |
| 2000 | 16.22 | +15.0% |
| 2001 | 19.92 | +22.8% |
| 2002 | 18.11 | -9.1% |
| 2003 | 13.73 | -24.2% |
| 2004 | 12.04 | -12.3% |
| 2005 | 10.08 | -16.2% |
| 2006 | 8.95 | -11.2% |
| 2007 | 6.88 | -23.2% |
| 2008 | 5.61 | -18.5% |
| 2009 | 6.82 | +21.5% |
| 2010 | 10.28 | +50.8% |
| 2011 | 11.26 | +9.5% |
| 2012 | 12.27 | +9.0% |
| 2013 | 12.94 | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 11.42 | -11.7% |
| 2015 | 9.14 | -20.0% |
| 2016 | 7.58 | -17.1% |
| 2017 | 6.16 | -18.6% |
| 2018 | 5.21 | -15.5% |
| 2019 | 4.15 | -20.4% |
| 2020 | 5.04 | +21.4% |
| 2021 | 5.17 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 4.15 | -19.7% |
| 2023 | 4.32 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 4.2 | -2.8% |
| 2025 | 3.54 | -15.8% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 3.54 is below the median for high income countries, which is 5.04, 70% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 3.54 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.56, 64% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.24 | 11.1 | 16.4 | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.84 | 5.61 | 19.92 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.04 | 4.15 | 12.94 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.4 | 3.54 | 5.17 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 125 Iceland 3.62 compare
- 126 Cameroon 3.6 compare
- 127 North Korea 3.54 compare
- 129 Kyrgyzstan 3.53 compare
- 130 Israel 3.49 compare
- 131 Burkina Faso 3.48 compare
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 rate in Bulgaria?
- Unemployment rate in Bulgaria was 3.54 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 19.92 in 2001.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.54 in 2025.
- How does Bulgaria rank for unemployment rate?
- Bulgaria ranks 128th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 61.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).