Unemployment rates by citizenship and NUTS 2 region in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Unemployment rates by citizenship and NUTS 2 region was 3.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
3.5%
Change on year
down 16.7%
World rank
44th
of 48 countries
All-time high
19.9%
in 2001
All-time low
3.5%
in 2025
Years of data
26
2000–2025

Unemployment rates by citizenship and NUTS 2 region in Bulgaria, 2000–2025

51015202000201220252000: 16.2 Percentage2001: 19.9 Percentage2002: 18.1 Percentage2003: 13.8 Percentage2004: 12.1 Percentage2005: 10.1 Percentage2006: 9 Percentage2007: 6.9 Percentage2008: 5.6 Percentage2009: 6.8 Percentage2010: 10.3 Percentage2011: 11.3 Percentage2012: 12.3 Percentage2013: 13 Percentage2014: 11.4 Percentage2015: 9.2 Percentage2016: 7.6 Percentage2017: 6.2 Percentage2018: 5.2 Percentage2019: 4.2 Percentage2020: 5 Percentage2021: 5.2 Percentage2022: 4.2 Percentage2023: 4.3 Percentage2024: 4.2 Percentage2025: 3.5 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

Bulgaria recorded 3.5% for unemployment rates by citizenship and nuts 2 region in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.

The figure is down 16.7% on the previous year and down 62.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates by citizenship and nuts 2 region in Bulgaria peaked at 19.9% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 2025.

Bulgaria ranks 44th of 48 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

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

Unemployment rates by citizenship and NUTS 2 region in Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment rates by citizenship and NUTS 2 region in Bulgaria, 2000 to 2025.
Year Percentage Change
2000 16.2%
2001 19.9% +22.8%
2002 18.1% -9.0%
2003 13.8% -23.8%
2004 12.1% -12.3%
2005 10.1% -16.5%
2006 9.0% -10.9%
2007 6.9% -23.3%
2008 5.6% -18.8%
2009 6.8% +21.4%
2010 10.3% +51.5%
2011 11.3% +9.7%
2012 12.3% +8.8%
2013 13.0% +5.7%
2014 11.4% -12.3%
2015 9.2% -19.3%
2016 7.6% -17.4%
2017 6.2% -18.4%
2018 5.2% -16.1%
2019 4.2% -19.2%
2020 5.0% +19.0%
2021 5.2% +4.0%
2022 4.2% -19.2%
2023 4.3% +2.4%
2024 4.2% -2.3%
2025 3.5% -16.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 11.8% 5.6% 19.9% 10
2010s 9.1% 4.2% 13.0% 10
2020s 4.4% 3.5% 5.2% 6

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 41 Germany 3.8% compare
  2. 41 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 3.8% compare
  3. 41 United Kingdom 3.8% compare
  4. 45 Malta 3.1% compare
  5. 45 Poland 3.1% compare
  6. 45 Poland 3.1% compare

See the full ranking of 484 places →

More work & labour data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates by citizenship and nuts 2 region in Bulgaria?
Unemployment rates by citizenship and nuts 2 region in Bulgaria was 3.5% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest unemployment rates by citizenship and nuts 2 region recorded in Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 19.9% in 2001.
What is the lowest unemployment rates by citizenship and nuts 2 region recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 2025.
How does Bulgaria rank for unemployment rates by citizenship and nuts 2 region?
Bulgaria ranks 44th out of 48 countries with data for 2025.
Is unemployment rates by citizenship and nuts 2 region rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is down 62.0%. 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 Unemployment rates by citizenship and NUTS 2 region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment rates by citizenship and NUTS 2 region in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-rates-by-citizenship-and-nuts-2-region/bulgaria/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rates by citizenship and NUTS 2 region
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
484 places, 11,318 data points, 1999–2025
Last refreshed