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Economy & jobs Statistics · Country

Labour force participation in Bulgaria

1990 – 2025 · 36 data points 30 of 41 · Countries Updated Oct 22, 2026
Economy & jobs · Bulgaria

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1990 – 2025

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Overview 6 figures People 13 figures Economy 14 figures Housing 1 figure Education 4 figures Tourism 4 figures Climate 1 figure
Latest value · 2025 56.1% −0.2 pp since 2024
Countries · 2025 30 of 41 Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2015 +1.9 pp
vs World −4.9 pp World: 61.0% · 2025
Labour force participation, 1990 – 2025 percent · Bulgaria · World
+1.9 pp since 2015
Bulgaria World

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1990 – 2025

Compared with Labour force participation · percent
Bulgaria
56.1%
World
61.0%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators

The series at a glance Bulgaria · 1990 – 2025
Latest value 56.1% · 2025
First value 50.3% · 1990
Highest 56.9% · 2023
Lowest 49.4% · 1996
Data points 36

By year

All years · 1990 – 2025

YearBulgariaChange World
2025 56.1% −0.2 pp 61.0%
2024 56.3% −0.6 pp 61.1%
2023 56.9% +0.2 pp 61.2%
2022 56.7% +1.3 pp 60.7%
2021 55.4% −0.5 pp 60.4%
2020 55.9% −0.8 pp 59.6%
2019 56.7% +1.3 pp 61.0%
2018 55.3% −0.1 pp 61.2%
2017 55.4% +2.1 pp 61.3%
2016 53.3% −0.9 pp 61.5%
2015 54.2% +0.2 pp 61.6%
2014 54.0% +0.0 pp 61.8%
2013 53.9% +0.8 pp 62.0%
2012 53.2% +0.6 pp 62.2%
2011 52.6% −1.0 pp 62.4%
2010 53.5% −0.6 pp 62.6%
2009 54.1% −0.8 pp 62.8%
2008 54.9% +1.3 pp 63.1%
2007 53.5% +1.5 pp 63.4%
2006 52.0% +1.9 pp 63.5%
2005 50.1% −0.8 pp 63.8%
2004 50.9% +0.7 pp 63.8%
2003 50.2% −0.8 pp 63.9%
2002 51.0% −0.5 pp 64.1%
2001 51.5% +1.5 pp 64.2%
2000 50.0% −0.2 pp 64.4%
1999 50.2% +0.4 pp 64.6%
1998 49.8% −0.2 pp 64.5%
1997 50.0% +0.6 pp 64.7%
1996 49.4% −0.2 pp 64.7%
1995 49.7% −0.1 pp 64.8%
1994 49.8% −0.1 pp 65.0%
1993 49.9% −0.2 pp 65.0%
1992 50.1% −0.1 pp 65.3%
1991 50.1% −0.1 pp 65.4%
1990 50.3% 65.5%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1990 – 2025

Ranking · Countries

2018 · Place 1 is the highest value.

Year: 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
Highest first Lowest first A–Z
#TerritoryLabour force participation
1 Liberia 76.9%
2 Congo - Brazzaville 68.1%
3 China 67.8%
4 Indonesia 67.7%
5 Ecuador 66.7%
6 Honduras 66.5%
7 Netherlands 66.4%
8 Norway 65.9%
9 Canada 65.5%
10 Colombia 65.2%
11 Congo - Kinshasa 64.5%
12 Brazil 64.5%
13 Chile 63.2%
14 South Korea 62.8%
15 United Kingdom 62.6%
16 United States 62.6%
17 Russia 62.4%
18 Lithuania 61.5%
19 Germany 60.9%
20 Hong Kong SAR China 60.6%
21 Mexico 60.4%
22 Czechia 60.4%
23 Argentina 59.6%
24 Saudi Arabia 59.4%
25 Finland 59.3%
26 Philippines 59.0%
27 Bangladesh 58.9%
28 Spain 57.6%
29 Poland 57.5%
30 Bulgaria 55.3%
31 France 55.3%
32 Sierra Leone 53.9%
33 Türkiye 53.2%
34 India 52.5%
35 Romania 51.8%
36 Gabon 51.3%
37 Greece 50.8%
38 Italy 49.6%
39 Lebanon 48.4%
40 Egypt 43.3%
41 Algeria 42.3%
42 Yemen 32.6%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2018

What it means

The share of adults who work or are looking for work.

How it is calculated

Employed plus unemployed people aged 15 and over (16 in the US) divided by the population of that age.