Bulgaria — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Bulgaria, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Bulgaria was 3.54% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 19.92% in 2001. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -3.31% per year.
Bulgaria ranks 129 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 69%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so Bulgaria sits below it. It peaked in 2001 and has fallen 82% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 61%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 42 of 49 economies; Kyrgyz Republic (3.53%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 51% in 2010. That is 34% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 44th of 187 in 1991 → 20th of 187 in 2000 → 54th of 187 in 2010 → 120th of 187 in 2020 → 124th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.54% | -0.7 pp |
| 2024 | 4.2% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 4.32% | +0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 4.15% | -1.0 pp |
| 2021 | 5.17% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 5.04% | +0.9 pp |
| 2019 | 4.15% | -1.1 pp |
| 2018 | 5.21% | -1.0 pp |
| 2017 | 6.16% | -1.4 pp |
| 2016 | 7.58% | -1.6 pp |
| 2015 | 9.14% | -2.3 pp |
| 2014 | 11.42% | -1.5 pp |
| 2013 | 12.94% | +0.7 pp |
| 2012 | 12.27% | +1.0 pp |
| 2011 | 11.26% | +1.0 pp |
| 2010 | 10.28% | +3.5 pp |
| 2009 | 6.82% | +1.2 pp |
| 2008 | 5.61% | -1.3 pp |
| 2007 | 6.88% | -2.1 pp |
| 2006 | 8.95% | -1.1 pp |
| 2005 | 10.08% | -2.0 pp |
| 2004 | 12.04% | -1.7 pp |
| 2003 | 13.73% | -4.4 pp |
| 2002 | 18.11% | -1.8 pp |
| 2001 | 19.92% | +3.7 pp |
| 2000 | 16.22% | +2.1 pp |
| 1999 | 14.1% | +1.9 pp |
| 1998 | 12.2% | -1.5 pp |
| 1997 | 13.7% | +1.2 pp |
| 1996 | 12.5% | +1.4 pp |
| 1995 | 11.1% | -1.7 pp |
| 1994 | 12.8% | -3.6 pp |
| 1993 | 16.4% | +1.1 pp |
| 1992 | 15.3% | +4.2 pp |
| 1991 | 11.1% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Bulgaria’s Unemployment in 1992?
15.3% (1992). 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 total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Bulgaria’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -68.1% in total — about 3.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.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: 3.54%; 2024: 4.2%; 2023: 4.32%; 2022: 4.15%; 2021: 5.17%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment 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.