Bulgaria: Taxes on goods and services (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Bulgaria's taxes on goods and services (current LCU) rose 11.2% on 2023 (from 13.48 billion to 14.98 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +50.4% and a typical year strayed about 152.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 824% in 1997 and the biggest yearly fall was 15.8% in 2009. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 923.84 million a year. A straight line explains 91% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Bulgaria had the 69th highest value of the 91 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Bulgaria in the 2024 ranking

• Singapore — 66th of 91: 29.12 billion
• Namibia — 67th of 91: 22.56 billion
• Belarus — 68th of 91: 22.33 billion
• Slovak Republic — 70th of 91: 14.5 billion
• United Arab Emirates — 71st of 91: 13.12 billion
• Tajikistan — 72nd of 91: 12.49 billion

What this measures

General taxes on goods and services are taxes levied on the production, leasing, delivery, sale, purchase or other change of ownership of a wide range of goods and the provision of a wide range of services. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

All 35 values

Taxes on goods and services (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Albania — 326.9 billion (2024)
• Armenia — 1.2 trillion (2024)
• Austria — 56.3 billion (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 10.97 billion (2024)
• Belarus — 22.33 billion (2024)
• Belgium — 56.36 billion (2024)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 8.76 billion (2024)
• Croatia — 14.17 billion (2023)
• Cyprus — 4.14 billion (2024)
• Czechia — 841.77 billion (2024)

More public sector data for Bulgaria

• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 540 million (2025)
• Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 33 million (2024)
• Military expenditure (current USD) — 2.59 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 4.49 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 2.01% (2025)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 1.9 billion (2024)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP) — 1.81% (2024)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) — -2.76 billion (2024)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (% of GDP) — -2.63% (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Bulgaria's taxes on goods and services (current LCU)?

14.98 billion in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1990?

It is up 756,053% from 1.98 million in 1990 (30.04% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 14.98 billion in 2024 and the lowest 1.98 million in 1990.

How does Bulgaria rank?

69th highest of 91 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in taxes on goods and services (current LCU) unusual for Bulgaria?

In 2024, Bulgaria's taxes on goods and services (current LCU) rose 11.2% on 2023 (from 13.48 billion to 14.98 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +50.4% and a typical year strayed about 152.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.TAX.GSRV.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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