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, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bulgaria stood at 3.5%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 15.8% on the previous year and down 61.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Bulgaria peaked at 19.9% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 2025.
That places Bulgaria 129th 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 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) 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 | 16.2% | +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% | -2.8% |
| 2025 | 3.5% | -15.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.2% | 11.1% | 16.4% | 9 |
| 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
- 126 Iceland 3.6% compare
- 127 Cameroon 3.6% compare
- 128 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 3.5% compare
- 130 Kyrgyzstan 3.5% compare
- 131 Israel 3.5% compare
- 132 Burkina Faso 3.5% compare
More education data for Bulgaria
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,173 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 111,576 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 105,281 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 485,226 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 234,521 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.7644 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0364 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
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 ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 19.9% in 2001.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 2025.
- How does Bulgaria rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Bulgaria ranks 129th 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 61.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.