Bulgaria vs North Macedonia
Bulgaria vs North Macedonia: Armed forces, share of workers
Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 1.18% of the labour force in Bulgaria and 2% of the labour force in North Macedonia, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in North Macedonia, by 0.82 percentage points, or 1.69 times that in Bulgaria.
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- North Macedonia has been higher since 2015, when it overtook Bulgaria.
- In 2020, Bulgaria ranked 55 and North Macedonia ranked 28 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.
Every year
% of the labour force · IISS
| Year | Bulgaria | North Macedonia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1.18 | 2 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 1.15 | 1.94 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 1.16 | 1.94 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 0.96 | 1.92 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 0.99 | 1.86 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 1.45 | 1.84 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 1.44 | 0.94 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 1.42 | 0.93 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 1.41 | 0.94 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 1.42 | 0.94 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 1.91 | 0.96 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 1.87 | 0.93 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 2.11 | 2.2 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 2.14 | 2.22 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 2.19 | 2.26 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 2.56 | 2.26 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 2.52 | 2.02 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 2.55 | 2.42 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 3.01 | 2.4 | 1 |
| 2001 | 3.19 | 3.13 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 3.31 | 2.87 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 3.32 | 2.91 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 3.95 | 3.41 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 3.93 | 2.83 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 4.03 | 2.2 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 3.97 | 2.21 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 2.33 | 1.23 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 1.52 | 1.21 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 2.87 | 1.19 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 3.08 | – | 1.03 |
| 1990 | 3.7 | – | 1.11 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 168 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Bulgaria vs North Macedonia
Health
- Life expectancyBulgaria: 75.6 years in 2023North Macedonia: 77.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBulgaria: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024North Macedonia: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBulgaria: 4.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023North Macedonia: 4.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterBulgaria: 95.7% in 2022North Macedonia: 80.5% in 2022
- DepressionBulgaria: 2.54% in 2017North Macedonia: 2.33% in 2017
- Suicide rateBulgaria: 9.5 per 100,000 people in 2017North Macedonia: 6.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBulgaria: 6.8 million people in 2023North Macedonia: 1.83 million people in 2023
- Population growthBulgaria: -0.52% a year in 2023North Macedonia: -0.47% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBulgaria: 1.75 births per woman in 2023North Macedonia: 1.47 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBulgaria: 74.2% in 2025North Macedonia: 62.9% in 2025
- Median ageBulgaria: 44.3 years in 2023North Macedonia: 40.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBulgaria: 21.8% in 2023North Macedonia: 17.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateBulgaria: 0.8 per 1,000 people in 2023North Macedonia: -3.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personBulgaria: $10,450 in 2025North Macedonia: $6,873 in 2025
- GDP growthBulgaria: 3.1% a year in 2025North Macedonia: 3.5% a year in 2025
- InflationBulgaria: 3.5% a year in 2025North Macedonia: 4.1% a year in 2025
- Government debtBulgaria: 29.9% of GDP in 2025North Macedonia: 52.6% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBulgaria: 2.01% of GDP in 2025North Macedonia: 1.97% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBulgaria: $2.4B in 2025North Macedonia: $346M in 2025
- Military spending per personBulgaria: $384 in 2025North Macedonia: $206 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBulgaria: 5.2% of government spending in 2025North Macedonia: 5.1% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBulgaria: 37,000 people in 2020North Macedonia: 16,000 people in 2020
- National powerBulgaria: 0.09% of world capability in 2022North Macedonia: 0.02% of world capability in 2022
- Arms importsBulgaria: 540 million TIV in 2025North Macedonia: 9 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBulgaria: 33 million TIV in 2024North Macedonia: 59 million TIV in 2023