Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal was 11.4 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
11.4 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
127th
of 179 countries
All-time high
11.44 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal
in 2021
All-time low
2.14 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal
in 1980
Years of data
43
1980–2022
Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in Bulgaria, 1980–2022
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (AQUASTAT), World Bank, and OECD (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 11.4 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal for water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in 2022.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 33.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in Bulgaria peaked at 11.44 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.14 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal, in 1980.
Bulgaria ranks 127th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.14 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | — |
| 1981 | 2.25 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.0% |
| 1982 | 2.31 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 2.39 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 2.47 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 2.54 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 2.75 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +8.3% |
| 1987 | 3.04 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +10.4% |
| 1988 | 3.51 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +15.7% |
| 1989 | 3.55 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 5.06 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +42.7% |
| 1991 | 4.73 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -6.6% |
| 1992 | 4.47 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -5.4% |
| 1993 | 4.5 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 4.68 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +4.0% |
| 1995 | 4.92 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.1% |
| 1996 | 5.29 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +7.5% |
| 1997 | 4.64 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -12.2% |
| 1998 | 4.93 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +6.2% |
| 1999 | 4.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -6.2% |
| 2000 | 4.95 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +7.1% |
| 2001 | 5.41 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +9.2% |
| 2002 | 5.07 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -6.3% |
| 2003 | 5.4 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +6.5% |
| 2004 | 5.82 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +7.8% |
| 2005 | 6.3 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +8.4% |
| 2006 | 6.82 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +8.1% |
| 2007 | 7.36 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +8.0% |
| 2008 | 7.54 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 7.65 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 7.98 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 7.6 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -4.7% |
| 2012 | 8.56 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +12.6% |
| 2013 | 8.9 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 9.13 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 9.02 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 9.19 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 9.5 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 10.14 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +6.7% |
| 2019 | 10.53 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 11.13 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.7% |
| 2021 | 11.44 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 11.4 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -0.3% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 11.4 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal is below the median for high income countries, which is 108.49 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal, 11% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 11.4 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 59.2 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal, 19% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal 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 | +42.7% | 3.55 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 5.06 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.69 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 2.14 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 3.55 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.78 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 4.47 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 5.29 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.23 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 4.95 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 7.65 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.05 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 7.6 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10.53 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.32 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 11.13 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 11.44 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 3 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 124 Morocco 11.95 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 125 Cape Verde 11.6 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 126 Nicaragua 11.5 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 128 Ecuador 10.98 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 129 Moldova 10.79 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 130 Yemen 10.32 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
More environment data for Bulgaria
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.39 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.573 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.18 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -6.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.7509 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in Bulgaria?
- Water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in Bulgaria was 11.4 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2022, according to Food and Agriculture Organization (AQUASTAT), World Bank, and OECD (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 11.44 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2021.
- What is the lowest water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.14 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 1980.
- How does Bulgaria rank for water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal?
- Bulgaria ranks 127th out of 179 countries with data for 2022.
- Is water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization (AQUASTAT), World Bank, and OECD (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 43 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Water productivity is calculated as total gross domestic product (GDP), measured in constant 2015 US$ divided by annual total water withdrawal.