Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio was 38.69 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
38.69 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
3rd
of 49 countries
All-time high
38.69 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years
in 2025
All-time low
19.49 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025

Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio in Bulgaria, 1990–2025

0102030401990200720251990: 19.5 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1991: 20.1 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1992: 20.8 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1993: 21.3 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1994: 21.8 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1995: 22.2 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1996: 22.6 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1997: 22.7 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1998: 23.1 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1999: 23.4 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2000: 23.8 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2001: 24 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2002: 24.9 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2003: 25.1 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2004: 25.1 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2005: 25.2 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2006: 25.4 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2007: 25.5 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2008: 25.8 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2009: 26.1 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2010: 26.5 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2011: 27 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2012: 27.8 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2013: 29.1 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2014: 30.1 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2015: 31.2 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2016: 32.4 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2017: 33.4 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2018: 34.3 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2019: 35.4 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2020: 36.3 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2021: 36.7 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2022: 37.5 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2023: 37.7 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2024: 38.2 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2025: 38.7 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of population aged 15-64 years.

Analysis

In 2025, dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio in Bulgaria stood at 38.69 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 24.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio in Bulgaria peaked at 38.69 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years in 2025 and was at its lowest, 19.49 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years, in 1990.

That places Bulgaria 3rd out of 49 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.

Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio in Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio in Bulgaria, 1990 to 2025.
Year Percentage of population aged 15-64 years Change
1990 19.49 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years —
1991 20.14 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +3.3%
1992 20.76 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +3.1%
1993 21.34 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +2.8%
1994 21.83 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +2.3%
1995 22.16 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +1.5%
1996 22.6 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +2.0%
1997 22.74 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +0.6%
1998 23.1 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +1.6%
1999 23.37 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +1.2%
2000 23.81 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +1.9%
2001 23.98 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +0.7%
2002 24.95 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +4.0%
2003 25.07 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +0.5%
2004 25.15 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +0.3%
2005 25.25 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +0.4%
2006 25.35 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +0.4%
2007 25.5 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +0.6%
2008 25.75 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +1.0%
2009 26.07 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +1.2%
2010 26.46 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +1.5%
2011 27.03 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +2.2%
2012 27.81 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +2.9%
2013 29.08 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +4.6%
2014 30.14 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +3.6%
2015 31.2 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +3.5%
2016 32.42 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +3.9%
2017 33.43 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +3.1%
2018 34.34 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +2.7%
2019 35.35 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +2.9%
2020 36.29 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +2.7%
2021 36.67 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +1.0%
2022 37.52 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +2.3%
2023 37.71 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +0.5%
2024 38.24 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +1.4%
2025 38.69 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years +1.2%

Bulgaria compared with similar countries

  • Bulgaria's 38.69 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 31.79 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years, 1.2× the median. (39 countries reporting)
  • Bulgaria's 38.69 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 32.4 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years, 1.2× the median. (33 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 21.75 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 19.49 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 23.37 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 10
2000s 25.09 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 23.81 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 26.07 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 10
2010s 30.73 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 26.46 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 35.35 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 10
2020s 37.52 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 36.29 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 38.69 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 6

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 1 Japan 49.16 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years compare
  2. 2 Italy 39.04 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years compare
  3. 3 Türkiye 15.54 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years compare
  4. 4 Portugal 38.6 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years compare
  5. 5 Finland 38.11 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years compare
  6. 6 Greece 37.37 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years compare

See the full ranking of 54 places →

More reference data data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio in Bulgaria?
Dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio in Bulgaria was 38.69 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio recorded in Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 38.69 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years in 2025.
What is the lowest dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 19.49 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years in 1990.
How does Bulgaria rank for dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio?
Bulgaria ranks 3rd out of 49 countries with data for 2025.
Is dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is up 24.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 03 October 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/dependency-rates-regions-dependency-ratio/bulgaria/

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About this data

Indicator
Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio
Unit
Percentage of population aged 15-64 years
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
54 places, 1,749 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

This dataset provides indicators on dependency rates, in large regions (TL2) and small regions (TL3). Data definition and source The dependency ratio is a demographic indicator that measures the ratio of dependents (typically defined as those too young or too old to work) to the working-age population. The most common age ranges used for the working-age population are 20-64 and 15-64. Data is collected from Eurostat (reg_dem) for EU countries and via delegates of the OECD Working Party on Territorial Indicators (WPTI), as well as from national statistical offices' websites. Definition of regions Regions are subnational units below national boundaries. OECD countries have two regional levels: large regions (territorial level 2 or TL2) and small regions (territorial level 3 or TL3). For more information, see the OECD Territorial grid (pdf) and the OECD Territorial Correspondence Table (xlsx). Use of data on small regions When demographic data are analysed along with economic data using the TL3 level, it is advisable to aggregate data at the metropolitan region level when several TL3 regions are associated to the same metropolitan region. Metropolitan regions combine TL3 regions when 50% or more of the regional population live in a functionnal urban areas above 250 000 inhabitants. This approach corrects the distortions created by commuting, see the list of OECD metropolitan regions (xlsx) and the EU methodology (link). Territorial typologies Small TL3 regions are categorized based on shared characteristics into regional typologies. See the demographic indicators aggregated by territorial typology at country level on the access to City typology (link) and by urban-rural typology (link). Cite this dataset OECD Regions, Cities and Local Areas database http://oe.cd/geostats. Further information OECD Regions and Cities Statistical Atlas OECD Regions and Cities at a Glance For questions and/or comments, please email RegionStat@oecd.org.