Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region was 15.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Bulgaria, 1981–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Bulgaria is 15.3%, measured 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 within region in Bulgaria peaked at 25.3% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1989.
That places Bulgaria 95th out of 203 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region 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 5.7%, 2.7× the median. (71 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 within region 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
- 92 Kiribati 16.1% compare
- 93 Botswana 15.5% compare
- 94 Trinidad and Tobago 15.5% compare
- 96 North Macedonia 15.2% compare
- 97 Burkina Faso 14.9% compare
- 98 Tuvalu 13.9% 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 within region in Bulgaria?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region 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 within region recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 25.3% in 1995.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region 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 within region?
- Bulgaria ranks 95th out of 203 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region 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 within region (% of total merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to other low- and middle-income economies in the same World Bank region 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. No figures are shown for high-income economies, because they are a separate category in the World Bank classification of economies.