Energy imports and exports in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Energy imports and exports was 40.9% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Energy imports and exports in Bulgaria, 1990–2023
Source: IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of energy use.
Analysis
The most recent figure for energy imports and exports in Bulgaria is 40.9%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 7.8% on the previous year and up 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy imports and exports in Bulgaria peaked at 64.5% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 35.7%, in 2014.
That places Bulgaria 57th out of 142 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Energy imports and exports in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % of energy use | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 64.1% | — |
| 1991 | 64.5% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 58.0% | -10.1% |
| 1993 | 60.3% | +4.0% |
| 1994 | 56.8% | -5.8% |
| 1995 | 58.8% | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 57.4% | -2.3% |
| 1997 | 51.7% | -10.0% |
| 1998 | 50.5% | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 48.7% | -3.6% |
| 2000 | 46.9% | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 46.7% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 47.4% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 47.4% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 49.1% | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 48.1% | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 46.9% | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 52.0% | +10.9% |
| 2008 | 53.0% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 46.4% | -12.5% |
| 2010 | 40.9% | -11.9% |
| 2011 | 37.2% | -8.8% |
| 2012 | 37.4% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 39.1% | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 35.7% | -8.5% |
| 2015 | 37.1% | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 39.3% | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 40.3% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 37.4% | -7.2% |
| 2019 | 39.3% | +5.2% |
| 2020 | 38.9% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 36.9% | -5.2% |
| 2022 | 38.0% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 40.9% | +7.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 57.1% | 48.7% | 64.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.4% | 46.4% | 53.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.4% | 35.7% | 40.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.7% | 36.9% | 40.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More energy & mining data for Bulgaria
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fuel imports 12.3% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 9.8% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 15.6% (2024)
- Gas production 0.0968 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 14.32 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0.0968 terawatt-hours (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy imports and exports in Bulgaria?
- Energy imports and exports in Bulgaria was 40.9% in 2023, according to IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy imports and exports recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 64.5% in 1991.
- What is the lowest energy imports and exports recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.7% in 2014.
- How does Bulgaria rank for energy imports and exports?
- Bulgaria ranks 57th out of 142 countries with data for 2023.
- Is energy imports and exports rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser, IEA, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy imports and exports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Energy trade, measured as the percentage of energy use. Positive values indicate a country or region is a net importer of energy. Negative numbers indicate a country or region is a net exporter.