Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) was 540.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
540.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
Change on year
up 17,900.0%
World rank
19th
of 174 countries
All-time high
984.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
in 1981
All-time low
1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
in 1993
Years of data
54
1960–2025
Arms imports in Bulgaria, 1960–2025
Source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in SIPRI trend indicator values.
Analysis
The most recent figure for arms imports in Bulgaria is 540.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 17,900.0% on the previous year and up 13,400.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arms imports in Bulgaria peaked at 984.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 1981 and was at its lowest, 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, in 1993.
Bulgaria ranks 19th of 174 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | SIPRI trend indicator values | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 482.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | — |
| 1961 | 522.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +8.3% |
| 1962 | 493.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -5.6% |
| 1963 | 553.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +12.2% |
| 1964 | 326.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -41.0% |
| 1965 | 372.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +14.1% |
| 1966 | 218.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -41.4% |
| 1967 | 329.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +50.9% |
| 1968 | 256.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -22.2% |
| 1969 | 533.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +108.2% |
| 1970 | 771.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +44.7% |
| 1971 | 407.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -47.2% |
| 1972 | 460.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +13.0% |
| 1973 | 274.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -40.4% |
| 1974 | 302.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +10.2% |
| 1975 | 390.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +29.1% |
| 1976 | 368.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -5.6% |
| 1977 | 492.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +33.7% |
| 1978 | 876.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +78.0% |
| 1979 | 323.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -63.1% |
| 1980 | 580.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +79.6% |
| 1981 | 984.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +69.7% |
| 1982 | 610.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -38.0% |
| 1983 | 754.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +23.6% |
| 1984 | 945.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +25.3% |
| 1985 | 619.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -34.5% |
| 1986 | 932.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +50.6% |
| 1987 | 449.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -51.8% |
| 1988 | 253.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -43.7% |
| 1989 | 314.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +24.1% |
| 1990 | 755.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +140.4% |
| 1991 | 339.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -55.1% |
| 1992 | 42.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -87.6% |
| 1993 | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -97.6% |
| 1994 | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 122.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +12100.0% |
| 1999 | 7.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -94.3% |
| 2003 | 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -71.4% |
| 2004 | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +550.0% |
| 2005 | 132.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +915.4% |
| 2006 | 22.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -83.3% |
| 2007 | 48.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +118.2% |
| 2008 | 117.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +143.8% |
| 2009 | 119.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 8.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -93.3% |
| 2011 | 29.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +262.5% |
| 2012 | 5.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -82.8% |
| 2015 | 4.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -20.0% |
| 2019 | 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -50.0% |
| 2020 | 44.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +2100.0% |
| 2021 | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -97.7% |
| 2022 | 3.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +200.0% |
| 2025 | 540.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +17900.0% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 540.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is above the median for high income countries, which is 141.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 3.8× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 540.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 135.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 4.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | +17900.0% | 3.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 540.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 1996 | +12100.0% | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 122.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 2020 | +2100.0% | 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 44.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 2005 | +915.4% | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 132.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 2004 | +550.0% | 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 13.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 408.40 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 218.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 553.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1970s | 466.30 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 274.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 876.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1980s | 644.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 253.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 984.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1990s | 158.50 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 755.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 8 |
| 2000s | 64.71 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 132.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 7 |
| 2010s | 9.60 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 2.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 29.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 5 |
| 2020s | 147.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 540.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 16 United Kingdom 609.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 17 Greece 574.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 18 Italy 566.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 20 Israel 537.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 21 Belarus 466.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 22 Azerbaijan 463.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
More public sector data for Bulgaria
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.464 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2022)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 200 % change on previous year (2022)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 3.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arms imports in Bulgaria?
- Arms imports in Bulgaria was 540.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2025, according to Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest arms imports recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 984.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 1981.
- What is the lowest arms imports recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 1993.
- How does Bulgaria rank for arms imports?
- Bulgaria ranks 19th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is arms imports rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13,400.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Arms transfers (imports) cover the volume of transfers of major arms through sales and gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships. Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs). A '0' indicates that the volume of deliveries is between 0 and 0.5 million SIPRI TIV.