Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 3.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bulgaria, 1990–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bulgaria is 3.5%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 16.0% on the previous year and down 61.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bulgaria peaked at 21.4% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 1990.
That places Bulgaria 134th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.7% | — |
| 1991 | 11.1% | +552.9% |
| 1992 | 15.3% | +37.8% |
| 1993 | 21.4% | +39.8% |
| 1994 | 20.2% | -5.7% |
| 1995 | 15.9% | -21.1% |
| 1996 | 13.7% | -13.6% |
| 1997 | 13.7% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 12.2% | -10.9% |
| 1999 | 14.1% | +15.6% |
| 2000 | 16.2% | +15.0% |
| 2001 | 19.9% | +22.8% |
| 2002 | 18.1% | -9.1% |
| 2003 | 13.7% | -24.2% |
| 2004 | 12.0% | -12.3% |
| 2005 | 10.1% | -16.2% |
| 2006 | 9.0% | -11.2% |
| 2007 | 6.9% | -23.2% |
| 2008 | 5.6% | -18.5% |
| 2009 | 6.8% | +21.5% |
| 2010 | 10.3% | +50.8% |
| 2011 | 11.3% | +9.5% |
| 2012 | 12.3% | +9.0% |
| 2013 | 12.9% | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 11.4% | -11.7% |
| 2015 | 9.1% | -20.0% |
| 2016 | 7.6% | -17.1% |
| 2017 | 6.2% | -18.6% |
| 2018 | 5.2% | -15.5% |
| 2019 | 4.1% | -20.4% |
| 2020 | 5.0% | +21.4% |
| 2021 | 5.2% | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 4.1% | -19.7% |
| 2023 | 4.3% | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | -3.6% |
| 2025 | 3.5% | -16.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.9% | 1.7% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.8% | 5.6% | 19.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.0% | 4.1% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.4% | 3.5% | 5.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 131 Germany 3.8% compare
- 132 Hong Kong, China 3.7% compare
- 133 Bangladesh 3.6% compare
- 135 Kyrgyzstan 3.5% compare
- 136 Nigeria 3.5% compare
- 137 Uganda 3.4% 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, total (% of total labor force) in Bulgaria?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bulgaria was 3.5% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 21.4% in 1993.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 1990.
- How does Bulgaria rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Bulgaria ranks 134th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 61.7%. 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, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 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.