Bulgaria — Health spending
Health Spending (% of GDP) for Bulgaria, 2000–2023.
Health spending for Bulgaria was 7.92% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 24 years, from 2000 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 8.58% in 2021. The lowest was 5.83% in 2000 (about 1.4× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.34% per year.
Bulgaria ranks 63 of 189 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 33%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 7.92%, so Bulgaria sits level with it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 8% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved up 11%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 26 of 51 economies; Estonia (7.84%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 19% in 2020. That is 3% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 52 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 66th of 184 in 2000 → 63rd of 188 in 2010 → 61st of 189 in 2020 → 61st of 188 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 2000 to 2023
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 7.92% | +0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 7.64% | -0.9 pp |
| 2021 | 8.58% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 8.44% | +1.3 pp |
| 2019 | 7.12% | -0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 7.34% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 7.5% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 7.46% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 7.39% | -0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 7.68% | +0.5 pp |
| 2013 | 7.14% | -0.4 pp |
| 2012 | 7.54% | +0.4 pp |
| 2011 | 7.1% | +0.0 pp |
| 2010 | 7.09% | +0.5 pp |
| 2009 | 6.6% | +0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 6.28% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 6.16% | -0.4 pp |
| 2006 | 6.53% | -0.4 pp |
| 2005 | 6.89% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 6.89% | -0.3 pp |
| 2003 | 7.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 7.08% | +0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 6.86% | +1.0 pp |
| 2000 | 5.83% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Bulgaria’s Health spending in 2001?
6.86% (2001). 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 % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Bulgaria’s Health spending growing or shrinking?
Between 2000 and 2023 the series was growing overall: +35.8% in total — about 1.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. 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: 2023: 7.92%; 2022: 7.64%; 2021: 8.58%; 2020: 8.44%; 2019: 7.12%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS — Health Spending (% of GDP). 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.