Bulgaria ranked 68/197 by economy size with a GDP of $112B and 64/197 by GDP per capita at $17,412. Bulgaria has $26.2B in government debt, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 28%.
In 2025, Bulgaria made up 0.1% of the world's economy, compared to 0.17% in 1980.
The chart below shows GDP in nominal terms, GDP adjusted for inflation (in constant dollars), and a bar chart of year-over-year inflation-adjusted growth.
| Year | GDP | GDP growth | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current $ | Constant $ | ||
| 1980 | $19,839,230,769 | $30,380,971,166 | - |
| 1981 | $19,870,000,000 | $31,869,687,928 | 0.16% |
| 1982 | $19,342,000,000 | $32,613,706,697 | -2.66% |
| 1983 | $16,563,666,667 | $33,732,456,606 | -14.4% |
| 1984 | $17,594,944,444 | $34,878,160,477 | 6.23% |
| 1985 | $17,155,421,053 | $35,814,095,245 | -2.5% |
| 1986 | $20,249,294,118 | $37,321,009,834 | 18% |
| 1987 | $28,101,000,000 | $39,580,615,539 | 38.8% |
| 1988 | $22,555,941,176 | $43,912,592,027 | -19.7% |
| 1989 | $21,988,444,444 | $42,467,919,536 | -2.52% |
| 1990 | $20,632,090,909 | $38,595,959,168 | -6.17% |
| 1991 | $7,628,738,475 | $35,336,393,321 | -63% |
| 1992 | $8,602,887,623 | $32,766,593,697 | 12.8% |
| 1993 | $10,832,064,942 | $32,281,577,705 | 25.9% |
| 1994 | $9,709,240,034 | $32,868,460,441 | -10.4% |
| 1995 | $18,991,484,420 | $33,809,162,070 | 95.6% |
| 1996 | $12,294,964,838 | $35,569,061,581 | -35.3% |
| 1997 | $11,316,127,379 | $30,548,353,201 | -7.96% |
| 1998 | $15,031,055,047 | $31,705,867,020 | 32.8% |
| 1999 | $13,637,098,579 | $29,043,813,498 | -9.27% |
| 2000 | $13,245,990,274 | $30,376,118,720 | -2.87% |
| 2001 | $14,183,446,026 | $31,537,611,700 | 7.08% |
| 2002 | $16,403,043,850 | $33,389,478,558 | 15.6% |
| 2003 | $21,144,957,990 | $35,138,136,848 | 28.9% |
| 2004 | $26,157,743,369 | $37,425,778,955 | 23.7% |
| 2005 | $29,868,657,858 | $40,066,672,613 | 14.2% |
| 2006 | $34,380,536,496 | $42,792,243,672 | 15.1% |
| 2007 | $44,431,257,129 | $45,639,805,450 | 29.2% |
| 2008 | $54,480,684,188 | $48,437,324,161 | 22.6% |
| 2009 | $52,023,801,230 | $46,816,058,447 | -4.51% |
| 2010 | $50,689,051,382 | $47,544,216,522 | -2.57% |
| 2011 | $57,681,293,007 | $48,537,973,978 | 13.8% |
| 2012 | $54,297,052,002 | $48,901,433,558 | -5.87% |
| 2013 | $55,819,262,375 | $48,636,020,243 | 2.8% |
| 2014 | $57,080,897,012 | $49,097,794,444 | 2.26% |
| 2015 | $50,765,918,159 | $50,765,918,159 | -11.1% |
| 2016 | $53,929,397,039 | $52,302,414,125 | 6.23% |
| 2017 | $59,167,647,388 | $53,738,599,947 | 9.71% |
| 2018 | $66,251,582,036 | $55,108,646,394 | 12% |
| 2019 | $68,634,004,792 | $57,196,630,544 | 3.6% |
| 2020 | $70,550,652,467 | $55,357,337,084 | 2.79% |
| 2021 | $84,414,122,840 | $59,664,478,254 | 19.7% |
| 2022 | $90,509,236,929 | $62,074,193,827 | 7.22% |
| 2023 | $102,396,840,296 | $63,245,418,927 | 13.1% |
| 2024 | $112,211,952,704 | $65,023,138,714 | 9.59% |
Economic Statistics of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross domestic product |
$112B
2024 |
68/197 |
| GDP growth |
9.59%
2023-2024 |
44/196 |
| GDP per capita |
$17,412
2024 |
64/197 |
| GDP per capita, PPP |
$41,086
2024 |
57/197 |
| Government debt |
$26.2B
2024 |
93/185 |
| Debt-to-GDP ratio |
28%
2025 |
162/185 |
| Government debt per person |
$4,067
2024 |
90/185 |
| Average annual personal income after taxes |
$12,784
2025 |
63/197 |
| Listed domestic companies |
204
2024 |
33/103 |
| Market capitalization of domestic companies |
$8.41B
2024 |
69/100 |
| Number of billionaires |
2
2025 |
53/78 |
| Billionaire frequency |
1 in 2,593,613
2025 |
53/78 |
| Income share by richest 10% |
31.1%
2023 |
46/169 |
| Income share by poorest 10% |
2.1%
2023 |
126/169 |
| Government expenditure, % of GDP |
39%
2025 |
57/195 |
| Consumer prices inflation |
3.6%
2024-2025 |
83/195 |
| Central bank interest rate |
1.82%
2025 |
97/105 |
| Unemployment rate |
4.17%
2024 |
121/196 |
| Population |
6403235
|
110/197 |
Bulgaria's GDP per capita
Bulgaria has a GDP per capita of $17,412, ranking 64/197, a GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP) of $41,086, ranking 57/197, and a median annual after tax income of $12,784, ranking 63/197.
| Year | Current $ | |
|---|---|---|
| GDP per capita | GDP per capita, PPP | |
| 1980 | $2,239 | - |
| 1981 | $2,235 | - |
| 1982 | $2,169 | - |
| 1983 | $1,853 | - |
| 1984 | $1,964 | - |
| 1985 | $1,915 | - |
| 1986 | $2,260 | - |
| 1987 | $3,132 | - |
| 1988 | $2,511 | - |
| 1989 | $2,477 | - |
| 1990 | $2,367 | $7,546 |
| 1991 | $884 | $7,213 |
| 1992 | $1,007 | $6,915 |
| 1993 | $1,279 | $7,030 |
| 1994 | $1,150 | $7,335 |
| 1995 | $2,259 | $7,738 |
| 1996 | $1,470 | $6,846 |
| 1997 | $1,361 | $5,749 |
| 1998 | $1,820 | $6,178 |
| 1999 | $1,661 | $5,808 |
| 2000 | $1,621 | $6,423 |
| 2001 | $1,771 | $6,961 |
| 2002 | $2,093 | $7,786 |
| 2003 | $2,719 | $8,417 |
| 2004 | $3,390 | $9,202 |
| 2005 | $3,900 | $10,291 |
| 2006 | $4,523 | $11,408 |
| 2007 | $5,889 | $12,822 |
| 2008 | $7,271 | $14,347 |
| 2009 | $6,988 | $14,181 |
| 2010 | $6,854 | $14,956 |
| 2011 | $7,850 | $15,747 |
| 2012 | $7,432 | $16,327 |
| 2013 | $7,796 | $16,894 |
| 2014 | $8,070 | $17,991 |
| 2015 | $7,269 | $18,901 |
| 2016 | $7,822 | $20,745 |
| 2017 | $8,697 | $22,317 |
| 2018 | $9,872 | $24,053 |
| 2019 | $10,373 | $26,814 |
| 2020 | $10,770 | $27,377 |
| 2021 | $12,972 | $30,974 |
| 2022 | $14,000 | $35,816 |
| 2023 | $15,884 | $37,508 |
| 2024 | $17,412 | $41,086 |
Bulgaria's government spending, deficit, and chart
This chart shows Bulgaria's government spending, budget balance, and debt over time, each expressed as a share of GDP.
Over the past 50 years, Bulgaria recorded a fiscal deficit in 19 years — average annual deficit equal to -0.68% of GDP. In 2024, government spending reached $41.1B (39% of GDP), with a deficit of -3.03%.
The national debt reached $26.2B, ranking 93rd out of 185 countries by total size, with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 28%, ranking 162nd.
| Year | % of GDP | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Government spending | Government debt | Government deficit/surplus | |
| 1924 | 14.6% | 11.5% | 1.26% |
| 1925 | 13.8% | - | -0.97% |
| 1926 | 11.3% | - | -0.25% |
| 1927 | 12.6% | 34.3% | -0.02% |
| 1928 | 14.7% | 39.8% | -1.09% |
| 1929 | 18.7% | 40.7% | -6.67% |
| 1930 | 16.9% | 47.6% | -5.48% |
| 1931 | 14.7% | 50.4% | -3.07% |
| 1932 | 14.3% | 59.1% | -2.14% |
| 1933 | 15.3% | 61.3% | -0.56% |
| 1934 | 12% | 62.4% | -0.12% |
| 1935 | 15.4% | 59.9% | 1.34% |
| 1936 | 15.5% | 56.1% | 1.17% |
| 1937 | 15.1% | 47.2% | 1.41% |
| 1938 | 14.1% | 42.7% | 1% |
| 1939 | 14.1% | 38.8% | 0.72% |
| 1940 | 14.3% | 38.8% | 0.75% |
| 1941 | 18.5% | 33.2% | 3.96% |
| 1942 | 23% | 33.3% | -0.3% |
| 1943 | 13.4% | 34.5% | 0% |
| 1944 | 10.1% | 33.2% | 0% |
| 1945 | - | 41.7% | 0% |
| 1946 | - | 48.5% | 0% |
| 1947 | - | - | 0% |
| 1948 | - | - | 0% |
| 1949 | - | - | 0% |
| 1950 | - | - | 0% |
| 1951 | - | - | 0% |
| 1952 | - | - | 0% |
| 1953 | - | - | 0% |
| 1954 | - | - | 0% |
| 1955 | - | - | 0% |
| 1956 | - | - | 0% |
| 1957 | - | - | 0% |
| 1958 | - | - | 0% |
| 1959 | - | - | 0% |
| 1960 | - | - | 0% |
| 1961 | - | - | 0% |
| 1962 | - | - | 0% |
| 1963 | - | - | 0% |
| 1964 | - | - | 0% |
| 1965 | - | - | 0% |
| 1966 | - | - | 0% |
| 1967 | - | - | 0% |
| 1968 | - | - | 0% |
| 1969 | - | - | 0% |
| 1970 | - | - | 0% |
| 1971 | - | - | 0% |
| 1972 | - | - | 0% |
| 1973 | - | - | 0% |
| 1974 | - | - | 0% |
| 1975 | - | - | 0% |
| 1976 | - | - | 0% |
| 1977 | - | - | 0% |
| 1978 | - | - | 0% |
| 1979 | - | - | 0% |
| 1980 | - | - | 0% |
| 1981 | - | - | 0% |
| 1982 | - | - | 0% |
| 1983 | - | - | 0% |
| 1984 | - | - | 0% |
| 1985 | - | - | 0% |
| 1986 | - | - | 0% |
| 1987 | - | - | 0% |
| 1988 | - | - | 0% |
| 1989 | - | - | 0% |
| 1990 | - | - | 0% |
| 1991 | - | - | 0% |
| 1992 | - | - | 0% |
| 1993 | - | - | 0% |
| 1994 | - | - | 0% |
| 1995 | 45.4% | 72% | -7.98% |
| 1996 | 44% | 113.8% | -10.1% |
| 1997 | 32.9% | 88.4% | 0.83% |
| 1998 | 30.6% | 67.3% | 1.08% |
| 1999 | 36.2% | 78.7% | 0.15% |
| 2000 | 37.1% | 73.3% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 36.5% | 67.1% | -0.58% |
| 2002 | 35.1% | 53.4% | -0.61% |
| 2003 | 35.8% | 45.4% | 0.003% |
| 2004 | 34.6% | 37.8% | 1.59% |
| 2005 | 34% | 28.5% | 2.19% |
| 2006 | 32.5% | 22.6% | 3.22% |
| 2007 | 33.1% | 17.6% | 3.09% |
| 2008 | 33.5% | 14.7% | 2.73% |
| 2009 | 33.8% | 14.5% | -0.86% |
| 2010 | 34.6% | 14.1% | -3.77% |
| 2011 | 32% | 14.3% | -1.83% |
| 2012 | 32.5% | 16.5% | -0.43% |
| 2013 | 35.5% | 17.2% | -1.75% |
| 2014 | 37.1% | 26.3% | -3.65% |
| 2015 | 37.3% | 25.4% | -2.77% |
| 2016 | 32.7% | 27% | 1.54% |
| 2017 | 32% | 22.9% | 0.82% |
| 2018 | 34.4% | 20.1% | 0.12% |
| 2019 | 36% | 18.4% | -0.96% |
| 2020 | 37.6% | 22.7% | -2.92% |
| 2021 | 38.4% | 22.4% | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 37.6% | 21.5% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 37.4% | 21.9% | -3.03% |
| 2024 | 36.6% | 23.4% | -3.03% |
| 2025 | 39% | 28% | -3.03% |
Inflation rate by year
Over the past 20 years, Bulgaria has had an average annual inflation rate of 3.64%. In 2025, inflation was 3.6%. The bar chart below shows consumer price inflation by year.
| Year | Inflation |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 0% |
| 1981 | 0% |
| 1982 | 2.8% |
| 1983 | 2.8% |
| 1984 | 2.8% |
| 1985 | 2.8% |
| 1986 | 2.7% |
| 1987 | 2.7% |
| 1988 | 2.5% |
| 1989 | 6.4% |
| 1990 | 23.9% |
| 1991 | 334% |
| 1992 | 82% |
| 1993 | 72.8% |
| 1994 | 96% |
| 1995 | 62.1% |
| 1996 | 123% |
| 1997 | 1,061% |
| 1998 | 18.7% |
| 1999 | 2.6% |
| 2000 | 10.3% |
| 2001 | 7.4% |
| 2002 | 5.8% |
| 2003 | 2.3% |
| 2004 | 6.1% |
| 2005 | 6% |
| 2006 | 7.4% |
| 2007 | 7.6% |
| 2008 | 12% |
| 2009 | 2.5% |
| 2010 | 3% |
| 2011 | 3.4% |
| 2012 | 2.4% |
| 2013 | 0.4% |
| 2014 | -1.6% |
| 2015 | -1.1% |
| 2016 | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 1.2% |
| 2018 | 2.6% |
| 2019 | 2.5% |
| 2020 | 1.2% |
| 2021 | 2.8% |
| 2022 | 13% |
| 2023 | 8.6% |
| 2024 | 2.6% |
| 2025 | 3.6% |
Balance of trade
|
Bulgaria
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
Current account balance
|
-$2.01B
2024 |
142/189 |
| Current account balance, % of GDP |
-1.79%
2024 |
103/189 |
| Goods imports |
$51.8B
2024 |
53/188 |
| Goods exports |
$46B
2024 |
54/188 |
| Service imports |
$8.2B
2024 |
75/188 |
| Service exports |
$16.6B
2024 |
54/188 |
| Imports of goods and services, % of GDP |
53.5%
2024 |
65/180 |
| Exports of goods and services, % of GDP |
55.8%
2024 |
44/193 |
Bulgaria's top 10 trading partners
Bulgaria's biggest trading partner accounting for 12.9%% of all exports and imports is Germany, with a trade balance between the two of +$1.89B — Bulgaria exports $7.86B worth of goods and services to Germany and imports $5.97B.
Below is the list of the top 10 trade partners of Bulgaria.
| Rank | Country | Trade value | Share of total trade | Export to | Import from | Top export to | Top import from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Germany
|
$13.8B | 12.9% | $7.86B | $5.97B | Machinery & equipment | Machinery & equipment |
| 2 |
Turkey
|
$8.4B | 7.85% | $3.52B | $4.87B | Metals | Metals |
| 3 |
Romania
|
$7.43B | 6.95% | $4.84B | $2.59B | Machinery & equipment | Processed food, beverages & tobacco |
| 4 |
Italy
|
$6.62B | 6.19% | $3.49B | $3.12B | Metals | Machinery & equipment |
| 5 |
China
|
$6.47B | 6.05% | $828M | $5.64B | Raw materials & minerals | Machinery & equipment |
| 6 |
Greece
|
$4.79B | 4.48% | $2.84B | $1.95B | Processed food, beverages & tobacco | Processed food, beverages & tobacco |
| 7 |
Poland
|
$4.39B | 4.11% | $2.64B | $1.75B | Miscellaneous | Machinery & equipment |
| 8 |
France
|
$3.21B | 3% | $1.8B | $1.41B | Machinery & equipment | Machinery & equipment |
| 9 |
Czech Republic
|
$2.6B | 2.43% | $1.43B | $1.18B | Miscellaneous | Machinery & equipment |
| 10 |
Serbia
|
$2.59B | 2.42% | $1.33B | $1.25B | Raw materials & minerals | Metals |
Bulgaria's top 10 exports
|
Bulgaria
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Machinery & equipment | $12B | 44/193 |
| Metals | $7.8B | 41/192 |
| Raw materials & minerals | $6.67B | 68/193 |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $4.48B | 44/193 |
| Chemicals & pharma | $4.41B | 45/193 |
| Transport & tourism services | $3.91B | 80/188 |
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $3.65B | 46/192 |
| Miscellaneous | $2.94B | 22/191 |
| Raw agricultural goods | $2.79B | 42/193 |
| Wood & paper products | $892M | 51/192 |
Bulgaria's top 10 imports
|
Bulgaria
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Machinery & equipment | $16.3B | 56/193 |
| Raw materials & minerals | $11.1B | 52/193 |
| Chemicals & pharma | $6.82B | 56/193 |
| Metals | $5.31B | 47/193 |
| Textiles & consumer goods | $4.4B | 54/193 |
| Processed food, beverages & tobacco | $4.03B | 50/193 |
| Raw agricultural goods | $1.87B | 59/193 |
| Transport & tourism services | $1.47B | 112/188 |
| Animal & marine products | $1.42B | 48/193 |
| Wood & paper products | $1.09B | 62/193 |
Economic freedom indices
|
Bulgaria
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Economic freedom | 68.8 | 43/197 |
| Property rights | 75.7 | 42/182 |
| Government integrity | 48.5 | 42/182 |
| Judicial effectiveness | 56.6 | 42/182 |
| Tax burden | 94.2 | 15/181 |
| Government spending | 56.7 | 131/180 |
| Fiscal health | 91.1 | 42/181 |
| Business freedom | 74.9 | 52/182 |
| Labor freedom | 68 | 21/182 |
| Monetary freedom | 70.8 | 95/180 |
| Trade freedom | 79.6 | 31/181 |
| Investment freedom | 60 | 59/181 |
| Financial freedom | 50 | 72/181 |
Bulgaria's economic freedom by year
Bulgaria is ranked 37/180 for economic freedom with a score of 68.8, compared to 61/163 and a score of 62.3 in 2005.
| Year | Index | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economic freedom | Judicial effectiveness | Tax burden | Government spending | Fiscal health | |
| 1995 | 50 | - | 46 | 50.5 | - |
| 1996 | 48.6 | - | 50.6 | 30.6 | - |
| 1997 | 47.6 | - | 48.9 | 37.3 | - |
| 1998 | 45.7 | - | 53.5 | 48.8 | - |
| 1999 | 46.2 | - | 68 | 46.3 | - |
| 2000 | 47.3 | - | 67.9 | 54.4 | - |
| 2001 | 51.9 | - | 58.1 | 67.3 | - |
| 2002 | 57.1 | - | 68.3 | 49.6 | - |
| 2003 | 57 | - | 72.4 | 56.7 | - |
| 2004 | 59.2 | - | 81.1 | 64.5 | - |
| 2005 | 62.3 | - | 80.3 | 53.4 | - |
| 2006 | 64.1 | - | 83.2 | 49.8 | - |
| 2007 | 62.7 | - | 82.4 | 57.8 | - |
| 2008 | 63.7 | - | 82.7 | 56 | - |
| 2009 | 64.6 | - | 86.2 | 58.7 | - |
| 2010 | 62.3 | - | 86.3 | 48.3 | - |
| 2011 | 64.9 | - | 86.9 | 58.3 | - |
| 2012 | 64.7 | - | 93.6 | 50.3 | - |
| 2013 | 65 | - | 94 | 64.2 | - |
| 2014 | 65.7 | - | 91.2 | 64.5 | - |
| 2015 | 66.8 | - | 91 | 64.5 | - |
| 2016 | 65.9 | - | 91.1 | 60.4 | - |
| 2017 | 67.9 | 38.9 | 91 | 58.4 | 86.4 |
| 2018 | 68.3 | 42.5 | 90.9 | 60.5 | 94.3 |
| 2019 | 69 | 41.9 | 90.2 | 63.9 | 98.8 |
| 2020 | 70.2 | 45.4 | 90.3 | 66.1 | 99.2 |
| 2021 | 70.4 | 43.6 | 93.9 | 64.7 | 99.2 |
| 2022 | 71 | 61.1 | 93.9 | 60.5 | 96.2 |
| 2023 | 69.3 | 43.9 | 93.7 | 56.5 | 90.5 |
| 2024 | 68.5 | 57.4 | 92.9 | 56.2 | 91.4 |
| 2025 | 68.8 | 56.6 | 94.2 | 56.7 | 91.1 |
More economic indicators
|
Bulgaria
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Services, % of GDP |
62.6%
2024 |
58/191 |
| Industry, % of GDP |
22.5%
2024 |
114/194 |
| Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP |
2.07%
2024 |
145/193 |
|
GNI, Atlas method
|
$98.7B
2024 |
70/194 |
| GNI per capita, PPP |
$39,130
2024 |
52/191 |
| Total reserves including gold |
$43.7B
2024 |
47/177 |
|
Net foreign direct investment
|
-$2.47B
2024 |
146/188 |
|
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
|
$3.5B
2024 |
55/193 |
|
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
|
$1.03B
2024 |
50/187 |
| Poverty at national poverty lines |
21.7%
2023 |
90/176 |
|
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
|
20.4%
2024 |
122/176 |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
GDP per capita map
GDP per capita
Relevant pages:
Bulgaria topic pages:
Economy comparisons
The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.
Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.
A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.
Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.
Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.