Government spending by function as a share of GDP in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Government spending by function as a share of GDP was 13.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Government spending by function as a share of GDP in Bulgaria, 2007–2023
Source: OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 13.8% for government spending by function as a share of gdp in 2023. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.3% on the previous year and up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending by function as a share of gdp in Bulgaria peaked at 13.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 10.1%, in 2007.
Bulgaria ranks 21st of 37 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.
Government spending by function as a share of GDP in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 10.1% | — |
| 2008 | 10.7% | +5.3% |
| 2009 | 12.9% | +20.9% |
| 2010 | 12.9% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 12.1% | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 12.3% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 13.5% | +9.7% |
| 2014 | 13.3% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 13.0% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 12.3% | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 12.3% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 12.0% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 11.5% | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 13.0% | +13.0% |
| 2021 | 12.9% | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 13.2% | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 13.8% | +4.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11.2% | 10.1% | 12.9% | 3 |
| 2010s | 12.5% | 11.5% | 13.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.2% | 12.9% | 13.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More economy & growth data for Bulgaria
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.48 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.58 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 15.05 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.87 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 17,685 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 10.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.7718 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 15,689 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 2.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 0.4465 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending by function as a share of gdp in Bulgaria?
- Government spending by function as a share of gdp in Bulgaria was 13.8% in 2023, according to OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest government spending by function as a share of gdp recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 13.8% in 2023.
- What is the lowest government spending by function as a share of gdp recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.1% in 2007.
- How does Bulgaria rank for government spending by function as a share of gdp?
- Bulgaria ranks 21st out of 37 countries with data for 2023.
- Is government spending by function as a share of gdp rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending by function as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
General government expenditure on social protection. This data is divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.