Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP was 60.3% in 2014. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2014)
60.3%
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
50th
of 193 countries
All-time high
148.7%
in 1929
All-time low
1.0%
in 1951
Years of data
93
1892–2014
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Bulgaria, 1892–2014
Source: Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 60.3% for value of imported goods as a share of gdp in 2014.
The figure is down 1.4% on the previous year and up 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Bulgaria peaked at 148.7% in 1929 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 1951.
Bulgaria ranks 50th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1892 | 76.4% | — |
| 1899 | 68.3% | -10.6% |
| 1905 | 107.0% | +56.6% |
| 1911 | 120.1% | +12.2% |
| 1921 | 103.4% | -13.9% |
| 1924 | 135.0% | +30.6% |
| 1925 | 145.7% | +7.9% |
| 1926 | 127.5% | -12.5% |
| 1927 | 115.6% | -9.3% |
| 1928 | 125.7% | +8.7% |
| 1929 | 148.7% | +18.2% |
| 1930 | 93.6% | -37.0% |
| 1931 | 103.5% | +10.6% |
| 1932 | 58.5% | -43.5% |
| 1933 | 79.1% | +35.0% |
| 1934 | 64.2% | -18.8% |
| 1935 | 81.3% | +26.7% |
| 1936 | 78.8% | -3.1% |
| 1937 | 99.2% | +25.9% |
| 1938 | 96.7% | -2.5% |
| 1939 | 88.1% | -8.9% |
| 1940 | 104.9% | +19.1% |
| 1941 | 115.0% | +9.7% |
| 1942 | 106.0% | -7.9% |
| 1943 | 93.4% | -11.9% |
| 1944 | 25.9% | -72.3% |
| 1948 | 32.9% | +26.8% |
| 1949 | 5.2% | -84.1% |
| 1950 | 2.6% | -49.9% |
| 1951 | 1.0% | -63.4% |
| 1952 | 20.9% | +2075.4% |
| 1953 | 23.5% | +12.3% |
| 1954 | 24.1% | +2.7% |
| 1955 | 29.2% | +21.1% |
| 1956 | 30.0% | +2.7% |
| 1957 | 33.0% | +10.2% |
| 1958 | 23.9% | -27.5% |
| 1959 | 31.3% | +30.6% |
| 1960 | 32.0% | +2.3% |
| 1961 | 32.1% | +0.3% |
| 1962 | 24.7% | -23.0% |
| 1963 | 26.8% | +8.7% |
| 1964 | 26.8% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 29.2% | +9.1% |
| 1966 | 32.4% | +10.8% |
| 1967 | 31.7% | -1.9% |
| 1968 | 34.0% | +7.1% |
| 1969 | 29.6% | -12.8% |
| 1970 | 27.6% | -6.7% |
| 1971 | 33.2% | +20.4% |
| 1972 | 34.5% | +3.7% |
| 1973 | 33.7% | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 36.6% | +8.6% |
| 1975 | 41.6% | +13.4% |
| 1976 | 40.7% | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 45.0% | +10.5% |
| 1978 | 47.5% | +5.7% |
| 1979 | 47.8% | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 35.4% | -26.0% |
| 1981 | 42.6% | +20.4% |
| 1982 | 47.5% | +11.4% |
| 1983 | 60.5% | +27.4% |
| 1984 | 62.8% | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 68.6% | +9.2% |
| 1986 | 60.7% | -11.5% |
| 1987 | 42.4% | -30.2% |
| 1988 | 51.6% | +21.8% |
| 1989 | 49.1% | -4.9% |
| 1990 | 42.1% | -14.4% |
| 1991 | 34.6% | -17.7% |
| 1992 | 42.0% | +21.3% |
| 1993 | 41.4% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 48.7% | +17.6% |
| 1995 | 41.9% | -14.1% |
| 1996 | 48.4% | +15.6% |
| 1997 | 40.0% | -17.4% |
| 1998 | 34.5% | -13.7% |
| 1999 | 38.7% | +12.2% |
| 2000 | 48.4% | +25.1% |
| 2001 | 50.8% | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 47.9% | -5.8% |
| 2003 | 50.7% | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 55.2% | +8.8% |
| 2005 | 61.0% | +10.6% |
| 2006 | 62.8% | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 67.2% | +7.0% |
| 2008 | 67.7% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 45.5% | -32.9% |
| 2010 | 50.5% | +11.0% |
| 2011 | 56.6% | +12.1% |
| 2012 | 60.4% | +6.8% |
| 2013 | 61.1% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 60.3% | -1.4% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 60.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 38.0%, 1.6× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 60.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 39.4%, 1.5× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Value of imported goods as a share of GDP 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | +2075.4% | 1.0% | 20.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 72.4% | 68.3% | 76.4% | 2 |
| 1900s | 107.0% | 107.0% | 107.0% | 1 |
| 1910s | 120.1% | 120.1% | 120.1% | 1 |
| 1920s | 128.8% | 103.4% | 148.7% | 7 |
| 1930s | 84.3% | 58.5% | 103.5% | 10 |
| 1940s | 69.0% | 5.2% | 115.0% | 7 |
| 1950s | 21.9% | 1.0% | 33.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 29.9% | 24.7% | 34.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 38.8% | 27.6% | 47.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 52.1% | 35.4% | 68.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 41.2% | 34.5% | 48.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.7% | 45.5% | 67.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.8% | 50.5% | 61.1% | 5 |
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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 1.51 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0116 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 234.99 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 4.88 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 60.06 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0373 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 759.02 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 7.89 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Bulgaria?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Bulgaria was 60.3% in 2014, according to Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 148.7% in 1929.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 1951.
- How does Bulgaria rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- Bulgaria ranks 50th out of 193 countries with data for 2014.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Value of imported goods as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 93 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimates correspond to merchandise import-to-GDP ratios for countries and regions. All ratios are taken at current prices. See source for more details.