Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Personal remittances and foreign aid received was 2.01 billion current US$ in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
2.01 billion current US$
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
65th
of 193 countries
All-time high
2.14 billion current US$
in 2019
All-time low
41.50 million current US$
in 1996
Years of data
26
1996–2021

Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Bulgaria, 1996–2021

0500.0M1.0B1.5B2.0B1996200820211996: 41.5M current US$1997: 50.6M current US$1998: 50.7M current US$1999: 42.5M current US$2000: 58.2M current US$2001: 826.2M current US$2002: 1.2B current US$2003: 1.7B current US$2004: 1.7B current US$2005: 1.6B current US$2006: 1.7B current US$2007: 1.7B current US$2008: 1.9B current US$2009: 1.6B current US$2010: 1.3B current US$2011: 1.5B current US$2012: 1.4B current US$2013: 1.7B current US$2014: 1.7B current US$2015: 1.5B current US$2016: 1.6B current US$2017: 2.1B current US$2018: 2.1B current US$2019: 2.1B current US$2020: 2.0B current US$2021: 2.0B current US$

Source: World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current US$.

Analysis

The most recent figure for personal remittances and foreign aid received in Bulgaria is 2.01 billion current US$, measured in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 35.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, personal remittances and foreign aid received in Bulgaria peaked at 2.14 billion current US$ in 2019 and was at its lowest, 41.50 million current US$, in 1996.

That places Bulgaria 65th out of 193 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Bulgaria, 1996 to 2021.
Year current US$ Change
1996 41.50 million current US$
1997 50.60 million current US$ +21.9%
1998 50.68 million current US$ +0.1%
1999 42.53 million current US$ -16.1%
2000 58.24 million current US$ +36.9%
2001 826.20 million current US$ +1318.7%
2002 1.18 billion current US$ +42.5%
2003 1.72 billion current US$ +46.0%
2004 1.72 billion current US$ +0.2%
2005 1.61 billion current US$ -6.4%
2006 1.72 billion current US$ +6.4%
2007 1.69 billion current US$ -1.3%
2008 1.92 billion current US$ +13.3%
2009 1.59 billion current US$ -17.0%
2010 1.33 billion current US$ -16.3%
2011 1.48 billion current US$ +11.3%
2012 1.45 billion current US$ -2.3%
2013 1.67 billion current US$ +15.1%
2014 1.72 billion current US$ +3.1%
2015 1.52 billion current US$ -11.3%
2016 1.63 billion current US$ +6.9%
2017 2.08 billion current US$ +27.7%
2018 2.12 billion current US$ +2.0%
2019 2.14 billion current US$ +0.6%
2020 1.99 billion current US$ -7.0%
2021 2.01 billion current US$ +1.3%

Bulgaria compared with similar countries

  • Bulgaria's 2.01 billion current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 688.87 million current US$, 2.9× the median. (67 countries reporting)
  • Bulgaria's 2.01 billion current US$ is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2.43 billion current US$, 83% of the median. (49 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Bulgaria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2001 +1318.7% 58.24 million current US$ 826.20 million current US$

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 46.33 million current US$ 41.50 million current US$ 50.68 million current US$ 4
2000s 1.40 billion current US$ 58.24 million current US$ 1.92 billion current US$ 10
2010s 1.71 billion current US$ 1.33 billion current US$ 2.14 billion current US$ 10
2020s 2.00 billion current US$ 1.99 billion current US$ 2.01 billion current US$ 2

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 62 Vietnam 2.31 billion current US$ compare
  2. 63 Nicaragua 2.15 billion current US$ compare
  3. 64 Moldova 2.12 billion current US$ compare
  4. 66 Ghana 1.96 billion current US$ compare
  5. 67 Algeria 1.79 billion current US$ compare
  6. 68 Albania 1.72 billion current US$ compare

See the full ranking of 193 places →

More reference data data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is personal remittances and foreign aid received in Bulgaria?
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Bulgaria was 2.01 billion current US$ in 2021, according to World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 2.14 billion current US$ in 2019.
What is the lowest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 41.50 million current US$ in 1996.
How does Bulgaria rank for personal remittances and foreign aid received?
Bulgaria ranks 65th out of 193 countries with data for 2021.
Is personal remittances and foreign aid received rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is up 35.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
The figures come from World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Personal remittances and foreign aid received. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/personal-remittances-oda/bulgaria/

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About this data

Indicator
Personal remittances and foreign aid received
Unit
current US$
Source
World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
193 places, 6,518 data points, 1970–2021
Last refreshed

Remittances are financial transfers from non-residents to residents of a country, such as a worker abroad sending money to family and friends. Foreign aid is measured as official development assistance. Both are measured in current US$.