Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade was 0.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade in Bulgaria, 1971–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade in Bulgaria is 0.2%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 108.1% on the previous year and up 102.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade in Bulgaria peaked at 6.8% in 1976 and was at its lowest, -17.5%, in 2007.
That places Bulgaria 82nd out of 225 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.
Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 5.9% | — |
| 1972 | 5.9% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 5.1% | -14.4% |
| 1974 | 4.6% | -9.2% |
| 1975 | 2.8% | -39.3% |
| 1976 | 6.8% | +144.1% |
| 1977 | 5.9% | -14.3% |
| 1978 | 5.6% | -4.1% |
| 1979 | 3.1% | -45.5% |
| 1980 | 2.8% | -6.9% |
| 1981 | 2.8% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 2.7% | -6.1% |
| 1983 | 3.3% | +22.7% |
| 1984 | 2.2% | -31.9% |
| 1985 | 3.6% | +61.9% |
| 1986 | -0.5% | -114.4% |
| 1987 | -0.6% | +24.8% |
| 1988 | -0.8% | +22.4% |
| 1989 | -0.6% | -22.4% |
| 1990 | -0.4% | -41.9% |
| 1991 | -0.3% | -18.2% |
| 1992 | -0.5% | +55.5% |
| 1993 | -0.9% | +100.2% |
| 1994 | -0.2% | -76.8% |
| 1995 | -0.1% | -61.5% |
| 1996 | -0.0% | -60.0% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | -1950.0% |
| 1998 | -8.4% | -1498.2% |
| 1999 | -7.9% | -5.5% |
| 2000 | -9.4% | +18.2% |
| 2001 | -10.8% | +14.9% |
| 2002 | -13.5% | +25.2% |
| 2003 | -13.0% | -3.6% |
| 2004 | -13.5% | +3.6% |
| 2005 | -14.6% | +8.4% |
| 2006 | -15.8% | +8.3% |
| 2007 | -17.5% | +10.9% |
| 2008 | -9.6% | -45.0% |
| 2009 | -11.4% | +18.6% |
| 2010 | -9.5% | -16.9% |
| 2011 | -7.5% | -21.5% |
| 2012 | -3.8% | -49.1% |
| 2013 | -6.2% | +63.8% |
| 2014 | -6.6% | +6.6% |
| 2015 | -4.8% | -27.4% |
| 2016 | -3.3% | -32.3% |
| 2017 | -1.7% | -48.1% |
| 2018 | -1.4% | -17.7% |
| 2019 | 0.1% | -110.0% |
| 2020 | -0.1% | -171.1% |
| 2021 | -0.8% | +714.2% |
| 2022 | -2.0% | +144.7% |
| 2023 | 0.2% | -108.1% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 0.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is -0.5%. (79 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 0.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.7%. (54 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +1950.0% | -0.0% | 0.6% |
| 1998 | -1498.2% | 0.6% | -8.4% |
| 2021 | -714.2% | -0.1% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.1% | 2.8% | 6.8% | 9 |
| 1980s | 1.5% | -0.8% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.8% | -8.4% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | -12.9% | -17.5% | -9.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | -4.5% | -9.5% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.7% | -2.0% | 0.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More agriculture & rural data for Bulgaria
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0715 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.5626 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.0125 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.7824 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 21.46 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0247 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 503.12 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9803 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade in Bulgaria?
- Is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade in Bulgaria was 0.2% in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 6.8% in 1976.
- What is the lowest is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was -17.5% in 2007.
- How does Bulgaria rank for is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade?
- Bulgaria ranks 82nd out of 225 countries with data for 2023.
- Is is agricultural land expanding? change over the prior decade rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 102.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Is agricultural land expanding? Change over the prior decade. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage change in surface area devoted to agriculture with respect to 10 years before. Negative values imply that surface area has decreased with respect to the previous decade. This data is used to assess which countries may have already peaked in their agricultural land use.