Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Europe & in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Europe & was 15.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Europe & in Bulgaria, 1981–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 15.3% for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in europe & in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and down 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in europe & in Bulgaria peaked at 25.3% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1989.
Bulgaria ranks 20th of 204 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Europe & in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 2.9% | — |
| 1982 | 3.2% | +11.6% |
| 1983 | 5.7% | +76.4% |
| 1984 | 7.2% | +26.8% |
| 1985 | 5.1% | -30.0% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | -53.0% |
| 1987 | 0.5% | -78.8% |
| 1988 | 0.8% | +59.9% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | -77.9% |
| 1990 | 1.7% | +826.1% |
| 1991 | 7.2% | +337.1% |
| 1992 | 8.8% | +21.4% |
| 1993 | 1.9% | -78.7% |
| 1994 | 15.3% | +717.5% |
| 1995 | 25.3% | +65.6% |
| 1996 | 23.2% | -8.2% |
| 1997 | 23.4% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 19.9% | -15.1% |
| 1999 | 17.3% | -13.3% |
| 2000 | 18.6% | +7.8% |
| 2001 | 15.6% | -16.4% |
| 2002 | 16.1% | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 15.0% | -6.6% |
| 2004 | 15.9% | +5.9% |
| 2005 | 17.0% | +6.7% |
| 2006 | 20.3% | +19.6% |
| 2007 | 22.4% | +10.3% |
| 2008 | 19.9% | -11.3% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | -15.0% |
| 2010 | 18.8% | +11.0% |
| 2011 | 17.8% | -5.1% |
| 2012 | 18.1% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 17.0% | -6.3% |
| 2014 | 16.3% | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 15.3% | -6.4% |
| 2016 | 14.0% | -8.0% |
| 2017 | 15.1% | +7.8% |
| 2018 | 14.0% | -7.5% |
| 2019 | 14.1% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 13.1% | -7.3% |
| 2021 | 13.1% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 15.2% | +16.1% |
| 2023 | 15.3% | +0.3% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 15.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.2%, 13.1× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 15.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6.9%, 2.2× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Europe & 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +826.1% | 0.2% | 1.7% |
| 1994 | +717.5% | 1.9% | 15.3% |
| 1991 | +337.1% | 1.7% | 7.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.1% | 0.2% | 7.2% | 9 |
| 1990s | 14.4% | 1.7% | 25.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.8% | 15.0% | 22.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.1% | 14.0% | 18.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.2% | 13.1% | 15.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 17 Albania 19.5% compare
- 18 Azerbaijan 19.4% compare
- 19 Serbia 18.9% compare
- 21 North Macedonia 15.2% compare
- 22 Lithuania 13.6% compare
- 23 Kazakhstan 13.2% compare
More private sector data for Bulgaria
- Merchandise trade 83.5% (2025)
- Food imports 13.2% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 60.0% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 60.89 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 15.2% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 53.4% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 48.32 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 7,511 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3695 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 0.8979 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in europe & in Bulgaria?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in europe & in Bulgaria was 15.3% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in europe & recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 25.3% in 1995.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in europe & recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1989.
- How does Bulgaria rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in europe &?
- Bulgaria ranks 20th out of 204 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in europe & rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Europe & Central Asia (% of total merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies in Europe and Central Asia are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to low- and middle-income economies in the Europe and Central Asia region according to World Bank classification of economies. Data are as a percentage of total merchandise exports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.