What is key features of liberal democracy in Bulgaria?

Key features of liberal democracy in Bulgaria was 0.499 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Bulgaria?

The highest recorded value was 0.623 in 2004.

What is the lowest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Bulgaria?

The lowest recorded value was 0.029 in 1808.

How does Bulgaria rank for key features of liberal democracy?

Bulgaria ranks 67th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is key features of liberal democracy rising or falling in Bulgaria?

Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. 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 Key features of liberal democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Key features of liberal democracy in Bulgaria

Name: Key features of liberal democracy in Bulgaria
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Bulgaria: Key features of liberal democracy was 0.499 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.499

Change on year

down 6.4%

World rank

67th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.623

in 2004

All-time low

0.029

in 1808

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Key features of liberal democracy in Bulgaria, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Bulgaria recorded 0.499 for key features of liberal democracy in 2025.

That represents a change of down 6.4% on the previous year and down 11.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, key features of liberal democracy in Bulgaria peaked at 0.623 in 2004 and was at its lowest, 0.029, in 1808.

That places Bulgaria 67th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Key features of liberal democracy in Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Key features of liberal democracy in Bulgaria, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.03	—
1790	0.03	+0.0%
1791	0.03	+0.0%
1792	0.03	+0.0%
1793	0.03	+0.0%
1794	0.03	+0.0%
1795	0.03	+0.0%
1796	0.03	+0.0%
1797	0.03	+0.0%
1798	0.03	+0.0%
1799	0.03	+0.0%
1800	0.03	+0.0%
1801	0.03	+0.0%
1802	0.03	+0.0%
1803	0.03	+0.0%
1804	0.03	+0.0%
1805	0.03	+0.0%
1806	0.03	+0.0%
1807	0.03	+0.0%
1808	0.029	-3.3%
1809	0.029	+0.0%
1810	0.029	+0.0%
1811	0.029	+0.0%
1812	0.029	+0.0%
1813	0.029	+0.0%
1814	0.029	+0.0%
1815	0.029	+0.0%
1816	0.029	+0.0%
1817	0.029	+0.0%
1818	0.029	+0.0%
1819	0.029	+0.0%
1820	0.029	+0.0%
1821	0.029	+0.0%
1822	0.029	+0.0%
1823	0.029	+0.0%
1824	0.029	+0.0%
1825	0.029	+0.0%
1826	0.029	+0.0%
1827	0.029	+0.0%
1828	0.029	+0.0%
1829	0.029	+0.0%
1830	0.029	+0.0%
1831	0.029	+0.0%
1832	0.029	+0.0%
1833	0.029	+0.0%
1834	0.029	+0.0%
1835	0.029	+0.0%
1836	0.029	+0.0%
1837	0.029	+0.0%
1838	0.029	+0.0%
1839	0.039	+34.5%
1840	0.044	+12.8%
1841	0.044	+0.0%
1842	0.044	+0.0%
1843	0.044	+0.0%
1844	0.044	+0.0%
1845	0.044	+0.0%
1846	0.044	+0.0%
1847	0.044	+0.0%
1848	0.044	+0.0%
1849	0.044	+0.0%
1850	0.044	+0.0%
1851	0.044	+0.0%
1852	0.044	+0.0%
1853	0.044	+0.0%
1854	0.044	+0.0%
1855	0.044	+0.0%
1856	0.044	+0.0%
1857	0.045	+2.3%
1858	0.045	+0.0%
1859	0.045	+0.0%
1860	0.046	+2.2%
1861	0.046	+0.0%
1862	0.046	+0.0%
1863	0.046	+0.0%
1864	0.046	+0.0%
1865	0.046	+0.0%
1866	0.046	+0.0%
1867	0.046	+0.0%
1868	0.055	+19.6%
1869	0.055	+0.0%
1870	0.055	+0.0%
1871	0.055	+0.0%
1872	0.055	+0.0%
1873	0.055	+0.0%
1874	0.055	+0.0%
1875	0.055	+0.0%
1876	0.073	+32.7%
1877	0.058	-20.5%
1878	0.091	+56.9%
1879	0.18	+97.8%
1880	0.189	+5.0%
1881	0.116	-38.6%
1882	0.104	-10.3%
1883	0.106	+1.9%
1884	0.129	+21.7%
1885	0.131	+1.6%
1886	0.151	+15.3%
1887	0.123	-18.5%
1888	0.11	-10.6%
1889	0.11	+0.0%
1890	0.11	+0.0%
1891	0.109	-0.9%
1892	0.109	+0.0%
1893	0.11	+0.9%
1894	0.109	-0.9%
1895	0.185	+69.7%
1896	0.185	+0.0%
1897	0.186	+0.5%
1898	0.186	+0.0%
1899	0.183	-1.6%
1900	0.175	-4.4%
1901	0.178	+1.7%
1902	0.18	+1.1%
1903	0.179	-0.6%
1904	0.177	-1.1%
1905	0.177	+0.0%
1906	0.178	+0.6%
1907	0.178	+0.0%
1908	0.18	+1.1%
1909	0.184	+2.2%
1910	0.184	+0.0%
1911	0.184	+0.0%
1912	0.182	-1.1%
1913	0.179	-1.6%
1914	0.176	-1.7%
1915	0.175	-0.6%
1916	0.175	+0.0%
1917	0.175	+0.0%
1918	0.172	-1.7%
1919	0.173	+0.6%
1920	0.172	-0.6%
1921	0.172	+0.0%
1922	0.172	+0.0%
1923	0.128	-25.6%
1924	0.139	+8.6%
1925	0.159	+14.4%
1926	0.167	+5.0%
1927	0.167	+0.0%
1928	0.169	+1.2%
1929	0.169	+0.0%
1930	0.173	+2.4%
1931	0.178	+2.9%
1932	0.178	+0.0%
1933	0.179	+0.6%
1934	0.102	-43.0%
1935	0.084	-17.6%
1936	0.084	+0.0%
1937	0.084	+0.0%
1938	0.119	+41.7%
1939	0.103	-13.4%
1940	0.13	+26.2%
1941	0.134	+3.1%
1942	0.132	-1.5%
1943	0.137	+3.8%
1944	0.118	-13.9%
1945	0.04	-66.1%
1946	0.061	+52.5%
1947	0.051	-16.4%
1948	0.058	+13.7%
1949	0.055	-5.2%
1950	0.054	-1.8%
1951	0.054	+0.0%
1952	0.054	+0.0%
1953	0.055	+1.9%
1954	0.056	+1.8%
1955	0.055	-1.8%
1956	0.055	+0.0%
1957	0.056	+1.8%
1958	0.055	-1.8%
1959	0.055	+0.0%
1960	0.056	+1.8%
1961	0.055	-1.8%
1962	0.056	+1.8%
1963	0.056	+0.0%
1964	0.056	+0.0%
1965	0.056	+0.0%
1966	0.056	+0.0%
1967	0.056	+0.0%
1968	0.056	+0.0%
1969	0.056	+0.0%
1970	0.058	+3.6%
1971	0.058	+0.0%
1972	0.058	+0.0%
1973	0.058	+0.0%
1974	0.058	+0.0%
1975	0.058	+0.0%
1976	0.058	+0.0%
1977	0.057	-1.7%
1978	0.057	+0.0%
1979	0.057	+0.0%
1980	0.057	+0.0%
1981	0.057	+0.0%
1982	0.057	+0.0%
1983	0.057	+0.0%
1984	0.058	+1.8%
1985	0.058	+0.0%
1986	0.058	+0.0%
1987	0.058	+0.0%
1988	0.058	+0.0%
1989	0.06	+3.4%
1990	0.454	+656.7%
1991	0.508	+11.9%
1992	0.598	+17.7%
1993	0.593	-0.8%
1994	0.593	+0.0%
1995	0.588	-0.8%
1996	0.597	+1.5%
1997	0.609	+2.0%
1998	0.609	+0.0%
1999	0.616	+1.1%
2000	0.617	+0.2%
2001	0.595	-3.6%
2002	0.619	+4.0%
2003	0.621	+0.3%
2004	0.623	+0.3%
2005	0.604	-3.0%
2006	0.61	+1.0%
2007	0.611	+0.2%
2008	0.617	+1.0%
2009	0.587	-4.9%
2010	0.568	-3.2%
2011	0.565	-0.5%
2012	0.561	-0.7%
2013	0.542	-3.4%
2014	0.561	+3.5%
2015	0.566	+0.9%
2016	0.561	-0.9%
2017	0.521	-7.1%
2018	0.508	-2.5%
2019	0.506	-0.4%
2020	0.501	-1.0%
2021	0.549	+9.6%
2022	0.602	+9.7%
2023	0.58	-3.7%
2024	0.533	-8.1%
2025	0.499	-6.4%

Bulgaria compared with similar countries

Bulgaria's 0.499 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.689, 72% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
Bulgaria's 0.499 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.591, 84% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.03	0.03	0.03	1
1790s	0.03	0.03	0.03	10
1800s	0.0298	0.029	0.03	10
1810s	0.029	0.029	0.029	10
1820s	0.029	0.029	0.029	10
1830s	0.03	0.029	0.039	10
1840s	0.044	0.044	0.044	10
1850s	0.0443	0.044	0.045	10
1860s	0.0478	0.046	0.055	10
1870s	0.0732	0.055	0.18	10
1880s	0.1269	0.104	0.189	10
1890s	0.1472	0.109	0.186	10
1900s	0.1786	0.175	0.184	10
1910s	0.1775	0.172	0.184	10
1920s	0.1614	0.128	0.172	10
1930s	0.1284	0.084	0.179	10
1940s	0.0916	0.04	0.137	10
1950s	0.0549	0.054	0.056	10
1960s	0.0559	0.055	0.056	10
1970s	0.0577	0.057	0.058	10
1980s	0.0578	0.057	0.06	10
1990s	0.5765	0.454	0.616	10
2000s	0.6104	0.587	0.623	10
2010s	0.5459	0.506	0.568	10
2020s	0.544	0.499	0.602	6

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

64 Dominican Republic 0.505 compare
64 Nepal 0.505 compare
66 Montenegro 0.5 compare
68 Senegal 0.484 compare
69 Romania 0.464 compare
70 Malawi 0.462 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Bulgaria

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 105,596 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 533 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 533 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0164 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is key features of liberal democracy in Bulgaria?: Key features of liberal democracy in Bulgaria was 0.499 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Bulgaria?: The highest recorded value was 0.623 in 2004.
What is the lowest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Bulgaria?: The lowest recorded value was 0.029 in 1808.
How does Bulgaria rank for key features of liberal democracy?: Bulgaria ranks 67th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is key features of liberal democracy rising or falling in Bulgaria?: Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. 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 Key features of liberal democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Key features of liberal democracy in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 08 October 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/key-features-of-liberal-democracy/bulgaria/

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About this data

Indicator: Key features of liberal democracy
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 28,671 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, individual and minority rights, equality before the law, and executive constraints.