Bulgaria — GDP growth
GDP Growth (Annual %) for Bulgaria, 1981–2025.
GDP growth for Bulgaria was 3.10% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 45 years, from 1981 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 10.94% in 1988. The lowest was -14.12% in 1997 (about -4.6× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.04% per year.
Bulgaria ranks 110 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 52%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 2.03%, so Bulgaria sits above it. It peaked in 1988 and has fallen 72% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 9%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 19 of 57 economies; Denmark (2.93%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 371% in 1997. That is 6% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1981 level: doubled by 1988.
World ranking. Slipped: 60th of 161 in 1981 → 171st of 176 in 1990 → 84th of 199 in 2000 → 157th of 209 in 2010 → 89th of 209 in 2020 → 99th of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1981 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.1% | -0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 3.39% | +1.7 pp |
| 2023 | 1.68% | -2.4 pp |
| 2022 | 4.08% | -3.7 pp |
| 2021 | 7.83% | +11.0 pp |
| 2020 | -3.13% | -6.9 pp |
| 2019 | 3.79% | +1.5 pp |
| 2018 | 2.33% | -0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 2.75% | -0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 3.03% | -0.4 pp |
| 2015 | 3.4% | +2.4 pp |
| 2014 | 0.95% | +1.5 pp |
| 2013 | -0.54% | -1.3 pp |
| 2012 | 0.75% | -1.3 pp |
| 2011 | 2.09% | +0.5 pp |
| 2010 | 1.56% | +4.9 pp |
| 2009 | -3.35% | -9.5 pp |
| 2008 | 6.13% | -0.5 pp |
| 2007 | 6.65% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 6.8% | -0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 7.06% | +0.5 pp |
| 2004 | 6.51% | +1.3 pp |
| 2003 | 5.24% | -0.6 pp |
| 2002 | 5.87% | +2.0 pp |
| 2001 | 3.82% | -0.8 pp |
| 2000 | 4.59% | +13.0 pp |
| 1999 | -8.4% | -12.2 pp |
| 1998 | 3.79% | +17.9 pp |
| 1997 | -14.12% | -19.3 pp |
| 1996 | 5.21% | +2.3 pp |
| 1995 | 2.9% | +1.1 pp |
| 1994 | 1.82% | +3.3 pp |
| 1993 | -1.48% | +5.8 pp |
| 1992 | -7.27% | +1.2 pp |
| 1991 | -8.45% | +0.7 pp |
| 1990 | -9.12% | -5.8 pp |
| 1989 | -3.29% | -14.2 pp |
| 1988 | 10.94% | +4.9 pp |
| 1987 | 6.05% | +1.8 pp |
| 1986 | 4.21% | +1.5 pp |
| 1985 | 2.68% | -0.7 pp |
| 1984 | 3.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 3.43% | +1.1 pp |
| 1982 | 2.33% | -2.6 pp |
| 1981 | 4.9% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Bulgaria’s GDP growth in 1982?
2.33% (1982). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Bulgaria’s GDP growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1981 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -36.8% in total — about 1.0% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 3.1%; 2024: 3.39%; 2023: 1.68%; 2022: 4.08%; 2021: 7.83%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG — GDP Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.