Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Industry jobs as a share of total employment was 27.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
27.9%
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
26th
of 186 countries
All-time high
45.1%
in 1991
All-time low
27.9%
in 2025
Years of data
35
1991–2025

Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Bulgaria, 1991–2025

010203040501991200820251991: 45.1 %1992: 43.8 %1993: 42 %1994: 40.4 %1995: 38.5 %1996: 36.9 %1997: 36.3 %1998: 35 %1999: 33 %2000: 32.8 %2001: 32.8 %2002: 32.7 %2003: 32.1 %2004: 32.9 %2005: 34.2 %2006: 34.5 %2007: 35.5 %2008: 36.3 %2009: 35.6 %2010: 33.4 %2011: 31.5 %2012: 31.5 %2013: 30.5 %2014: 29.6 %2015: 30.3 %2016: 30.2 %2017: 29.3 %2018: 30.3 %2019: 29.5 %2020: 30.9 %2021: 30 %2022: 30.2 %2023: 29.6 %2024: 28.1 %2025: 27.9 %

Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for industry jobs as a share of total employment in Bulgaria is 27.9%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.

The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 8.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, industry jobs as a share of total employment in Bulgaria peaked at 45.1% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 27.9%, in 2025.

That places Bulgaria 26th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.

Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Bulgaria, 1991 to 2025.
Year % Change
1991 45.1% —
1992 43.8% -2.9%
1993 42.0% -4.0%
1994 40.4% -3.9%
1995 38.5% -4.6%
1996 36.9% -4.2%
1997 36.3% -1.5%
1998 35.0% -3.8%
1999 33.0% -5.6%
2000 32.8% -0.5%
2001 32.8% -0.2%
2002 32.7% -0.3%
2003 32.1% -1.6%
2004 32.9% +2.5%
2005 34.2% +4.0%
2006 34.5% +0.7%
2007 35.5% +3.0%
2008 36.3% +2.2%
2009 35.6% -1.8%
2010 33.4% -6.2%
2011 31.5% -5.7%
2012 31.5% -0.2%
2013 30.5% -3.0%
2014 29.6% -2.9%
2015 30.3% +2.2%
2016 30.2% -0.4%
2017 29.3% -2.8%
2018 30.3% +3.3%
2019 29.5% -2.7%
2020 30.9% +4.9%
2021 30.0% -3.1%
2022 30.2% +0.8%
2023 29.6% -2.1%
2024 28.1% -4.9%
2025 27.9% -0.9%

Bulgaria compared with similar countries

  • Bulgaria's 27.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 19.9%, 1.4× the median. (62 countries reporting)
  • Bulgaria's 27.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23.3%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 39.0% 33.0% 45.1% 9
2000s 33.9% 32.1% 36.3% 10
2010s 30.6% 29.3% 33.4% 10
2020s 29.5% 27.9% 30.9% 6

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 23 Egypt 29.4% compare
  2. 24 Cambodia 28.9% compare
  3. 25 Turkmenistan 28.6% compare
  4. 27 Turkey 27.3% compare
  5. 28 Serbia 27.1% compare
  6. 29 Kyrgyzstan 26.8% compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More reference data data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is industry jobs as a share of total employment in Bulgaria?
Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Bulgaria was 27.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest industry jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 45.1% in 1991.
What is the lowest industry jobs as a share of total employment recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 27.9% in 2025.
How does Bulgaria rank for industry jobs as a share of total employment?
Bulgaria ranks 26th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
Is industry jobs as a share of total employment rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Industry jobs as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 29 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/industry-share-of-total-emplyoment/bulgaria/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/industry-share-of-total-emplyoment/bulgaria/">Industry jobs as a share of total employment in Bulgaria</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Industry jobs as a share of total employment
Unit
%
Source
ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,496 data points, 1991–2025
Last refreshed

Share of total employment working in the industry sector.