Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe & in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe & was 15.5% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe & in Bulgaria, 1981–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 15.5% for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & in 2023.
The figure is down 5.7% on the previous year and up 31.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & in Bulgaria peaked at 16.8% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1985.
Bulgaria ranks 17th of 206 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 imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe & in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 0.3% | — |
| 1982 | 0.7% | +92.3% |
| 1983 | 0.8% | +15.3% |
| 1984 | 0.9% | +22.9% |
| 1985 | 0.3% | -72.3% |
| 1986 | 0.5% | +87.6% |
| 1987 | 0.4% | -10.5% |
| 1988 | 0.7% | +64.6% |
| 1989 | 0.8% | +8.4% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -57.8% |
| 1991 | 3.7% | +1017.6% |
| 1992 | 8.3% | +124.3% |
| 1993 | 11.3% | +35.8% |
| 1994 | 12.8% | +13.4% |
| 1995 | 10.3% | -19.6% |
| 1996 | 6.4% | -38.2% |
| 1997 | 7.4% | +16.3% |
| 1998 | 8.5% | +15.0% |
| 1999 | 7.0% | -17.9% |
| 2000 | 7.4% | +6.0% |
| 2001 | 8.0% | +7.7% |
| 2002 | 9.6% | +20.4% |
| 2003 | 12.5% | +31.0% |
| 2004 | 12.5% | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 12.9% | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 13.5% | +4.6% |
| 2007 | 16.8% | +24.9% |
| 2008 | 16.7% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 14.1% | -15.3% |
| 2010 | 13.4% | -5.4% |
| 2011 | 12.6% | -6.0% |
| 2012 | 10.5% | -16.2% |
| 2013 | 11.8% | +12.1% |
| 2014 | 11.5% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 11.3% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 11.6% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 12.5% | +7.6% |
| 2018 | 12.2% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 12.4% | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 14.0% | +12.8% |
| 2021 | 14.4% | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 16.5% | +14.1% |
| 2023 | 15.5% | -5.7% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 15.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.4%, 10.7× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 15.5% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 4.2%, 3.7× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +1017.6% | 0.3% | 3.7% |
| 1992 | +124.3% | 3.7% | 8.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.9% | 9 |
| 1990s | 7.6% | 0.3% | 12.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.4% | 7.4% | 16.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.0% | 10.5% | 13.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.1% | 14.0% | 16.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 14 Albania 17.1% compare
- 15 Afghanistan 17.0% compare
- 16 Kyrgyzstan 16.2% compare
- 18 North Macedonia 15.4% compare
- 19 Iran, Islamic Republic of 13.0% compare
- 20 Sierra Leone 12.3% 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 imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & in Bulgaria?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & in Bulgaria was 15.5% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 16.8% in 2007.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1985.
- How does Bulgaria rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe &?
- Bulgaria ranks 17th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in europe & rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.6%. 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 imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe & Central Asia (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in Europe and Central Asia are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the Europe and Central Asia region according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.