Human Rights Index in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Human Rights Index was 0.849 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Human Rights Index in Bulgaria, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, human rights index in Bulgaria stood at 0.849.
The figure is down 3.0% on the previous year and down 1.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, human rights index in Bulgaria peaked at 0.903 in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.13, in 1949.
Bulgaria ranks 57th of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.176 | 0.176 | 0.176 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.176 | 0.176 | 0.176 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.175 | 0.168 | 0.176 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.168 | 0.168 | 0.168 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.168 | 0.168 | 0.168 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.1851 | 0.173 | 0.294 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.317 | 0.317 | 0.317 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.3196 | 0.317 | 0.326 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.3464 | 0.342 | 0.349 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.3861 | 0.21 | 0.627 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.3998 | 0.353 | 0.627 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.4719 | 0.327 | 0.596 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.5956 | 0.592 | 0.598 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.5682 | 0.559 | 0.592 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.5189 | 0.462 | 0.562 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.4465 | 0.386 | 0.538 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.2628 | 0.13 | 0.384 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.148 | 0.142 | 0.156 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.1622 | 0.159 | 0.165 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1734 | 0.17 | 0.176 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1902 | 0.186 | 0.2 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8755 | 0.853 | 0.885 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8966 | 0.889 | 0.903 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8644 | 0.842 | 0.898 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8688 | 0.847 | 0.896 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 54 Slovakia 0.857 compare
- 54 Solomon Islands 0.857 compare
- 54 South Africa 0.857 compare
- 58 Guyana 0.847 compare
- 59 Botswana 0.845 compare
- 60 United Kingdom 0.844 compare
More social development data for Bulgaria
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 105,596 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 533 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Key features of democracy 0.599 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.754 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.833 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.599 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.397 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.499 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is human rights index in Bulgaria?
- Human rights index in Bulgaria was 0.849 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest human rights index recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 0.903 in 2008.
- What is the lowest human rights index recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.13 in 1949.
- How does Bulgaria rank for human rights index?
- Bulgaria ranks 57th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is human rights index rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Human Rights Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which people are free from government torture, political killings, and forced labor, they have property rights, and enjoy the freedoms of movement, religion, expression, and association.