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Economy & jobs Statistics · Country

Unemployment rate in Bulgaria

2000 – 2025 · 26 data points 12 of 14 · Countries Updated Oct 21, 2026
Economy & jobs · Bulgaria

Source: Eurostat, 2000 – 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 3.5% −0.7 pp since 2024
Countries · 2025 12 of 14 Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2015 −5.7 pp
vs European Union −2.5 pp European Union: 6.0% · 2025
Unemployment rate, 2000 – 2025 percent · Bulgaria · European Union · World
−5.7 pp since 2015
Bulgaria European Union World

Sources: Eurostat · World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2000 – 2025

Compared with Unemployment rate · percent
Bulgaria
3.5%
European Union
6.0%
World
4.8%

Sources: Eurostat · World Bank — World Development Indicators

The series at a glance Bulgaria · 2000 – 2025
Latest value 3.5% · 2025
First value 16.2% · 2000
Highest 19.9% · 2001
Lowest 3.5% · 2025
Data points 26

By year

All years · 2000 – 2025

YearBulgariaChange European UnionWorld
2025 3.5% −0.7 pp 6.0% 4.8%
2024break in series 4.2% −0.1 pp 6.0% 4.8%
2023 4.3% +0.1 pp 6.1% 4.8%
2022 4.2% −1.0 pp 6.2% 5.2%
2021break in series 5.2% +0.2 pp 7.1% 6.0%
2020 5.0% +0.8 pp 7.1% 6.6%
2019break in series 4.2% −1.0 pp 6.7% 5.6%
2018 5.2% −1.0 pp 7.3% 5.8%
2017 6.2% −1.4 pp 8.2% 5.9%
2016 7.6% −1.6 pp 9.1% 6.0%
2015 9.2% −2.2 pp 10.1% 6.0%
2014 11.4% −1.6 pp 10.9% 6.0%
2013 13.0% +0.7 pp 11.4% 6.1%
2012 12.3% +1.0 pp 10.9% 6.2%
2011break in series 11.3% +1.0 pp 9.9% 6.1%
2010break in series 10.3% +3.5 pp 9.9% 6.3%
2009 6.8% +1.2 pp 9.2% 6.4%
2008break in series 5.6% −1.3 pp 7.3% 5.8%
2007 6.9% −2.1 pp 7.5% 5.8%
2006 9.0% −1.1 pp 8.7% 6.0%
2005break in series 10.1% −2.0 pp 9.6% 6.2%
2004 12.1% −1.7 pp 10.0% 6.3%
2003break in series 13.8% −4.3 pp 9.7% 6.5%
2002 18.1% −1.8 pp 9.6% 6.4%
2001break in series 19.9% +3.7 pp — 6.2%
2000 16.2% — 6.1%

Sources: Eurostat · World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2000 – 2025

Ranking · Countries

2023 · 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
#TerritoryUnemployment rate
1 Spain 12.2%
2 Greece 11.1%
3 Türkiye 9.4%
4 Italy 7.7%
5 France 7.3%
6 Finland 7.2%
7 Lithuania 6.9%
8 Romania 5.6%
9 Bulgaria 4.3%
10 Norway 3.6%
11 Netherlands 3.6%
12 Germany 3.1%
13 Poland 2.8%
14 Czechia 2.6%

Source: Eurostat, 2023

What it means

The share of people who want a job and are looking for one but do not have one.

How it is calculated

Unemployed people divided by the labour force (employed plus unemployed), following the international definition; annual average.