Bulgaria — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Bulgaria, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Bulgaria was 56.12% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 56.90% in 2023. The lowest was 49.44% in 1996 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.32% per year.
Bulgaria ranks 134 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 72%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 60.12%, so Bulgaria sits below it. It peaked in 2023 and has fallen 1% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 4%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 37 of 49 economies; France (55.35%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 156th of 187 in 1990 → 160th of 187 in 2000 → 142nd of 187 in 2010 → 126th of 187 in 2020 → 133rd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 56.12% | -0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 56.28% | -0.6 pp |
| 2023 | 56.9% | +0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 56.74% | +1.3 pp |
| 2021 | 55.39% | -0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 55.88% | -0.8 pp |
| 2019 | 56.66% | +1.3 pp |
| 2018 | 55.32% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 55.41% | +2.1 pp |
| 2016 | 53.31% | -0.9 pp |
| 2015 | 54.21% | +0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 53.97% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 53.94% | +0.8 pp |
| 2012 | 53.17% | +0.6 pp |
| 2011 | 52.55% | -1.0 pp |
| 2010 | 53.5% | -0.6 pp |
| 2009 | 54.1% | -0.8 pp |
| 2008 | 54.86% | +1.3 pp |
| 2007 | 53.55% | +1.5 pp |
| 2006 | 52.01% | +1.9 pp |
| 2005 | 50.13% | -0.8 pp |
| 2004 | 50.91% | +0.7 pp |
| 2003 | 50.16% | -0.8 pp |
| 2002 | 50.96% | -0.5 pp |
| 2001 | 51.47% | +1.5 pp |
| 2000 | 49.95% | -0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 50.18% | +0.4 pp |
| 1998 | 49.79% | -0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 50.01% | +0.6 pp |
| 1996 | 49.44% | -0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 49.66% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 49.79% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 49.91% | -0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 50.07% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 50.14% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 50.26% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Bulgaria’s Labor participation in 1991?
50.14% (1991). 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 population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Bulgaria’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +11.7% in total — about 0.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.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: 2025: 56.12%; 2024: 56.28%; 2023: 56.9%; 2022: 56.74%; 2021: 55.39%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. 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.