Annual population growth in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Annual population growth was -30,057 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
-30,057
Change on year
up 41.5%
World rank
224th
of 236 countries
All-time high
75,373
in 1961
All-time low
-136,707
in 1992
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual population growth in Bulgaria, 1951–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded -30,057 for annual population growth in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 41.5% on the previous year and up 42.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual population growth in Bulgaria peaked at 75,373 in 1961 and was at its lowest, -136,707, in 1992.
That places Bulgaria 224th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual population growth in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 65,917 | — |
| 1952 | 47,532 | -27.9% |
| 1953 | 53,964 | +13.5% |
| 1954 | 60,344 | +11.8% |
| 1955 | 57,391 | -4.9% |
| 1956 | 53,508 | -6.8% |
| 1957 | 62,378 | +16.6% |
| 1958 | 75,350 | +20.8% |
| 1959 | 69,283 | -8.1% |
| 1960 | 68,759 | -0.8% |
| 1961 | 75,373 | +9.6% |
| 1962 | 70,020 | -7.1% |
| 1963 | 65,403 | -6.6% |
| 1964 | 66,343 | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 62,343 | -6.0% |
| 1966 | 56,370 | -9.6% |
| 1967 | 52,340 | -7.1% |
| 1968 | 59,518 | +13.7% |
| 1969 | 64,628 | +8.6% |
| 1970 | 55,549 | -14.0% |
| 1971 | 48,078 | -13.4% |
| 1972 | 41,012 | -14.7% |
| 1973 | 44,887 | +9.4% |
| 1974 | 57,951 | +29.1% |
| 1975 | 40,395 | -30.3% |
| 1976 | 36,288 | -10.2% |
| 1977 | 45,257 | +24.7% |
| 1978 | 9,052 | -80.0% |
| 1979 | 11,252 | +24.3% |
| 1980 | 34,545 | +207.0% |
| 1981 | 28,264 | -18.2% |
| 1982 | 24,935 | -11.8% |
| 1983 | 20,590 | -17.4% |
| 1984 | 19,280 | -6.4% |
| 1985 | 6,247 | -67.6% |
| 1986 | 4,618 | -26.1% |
| 1987 | 12,733 | +175.7% |
| 1988 | 9,515 | -25.3% |
| 1989 | -49,335 | -618.5% |
| 1990 | -114,020 | +131.1% |
| 1991 | -126,568 | +11.0% |
| 1992 | -136,707 | +8.0% |
| 1993 | -92,558 | -32.3% |
| 1994 | -49,609 | -46.4% |
| 1995 | -59,348 | +19.6% |
| 1996 | -66,174 | +11.5% |
| 1997 | -74,301 | +12.3% |
| 1998 | -78,908 | +6.2% |
| 1999 | -70,729 | -10.4% |
| 2000 | -66,945 | -5.3% |
| 2001 | -72,064 | +7.6% |
| 2002 | -66,506 | -7.7% |
| 2003 | -57,544 | -13.5% |
| 2004 | -54,975 | -4.5% |
| 2005 | -54,383 | -1.1% |
| 2006 | -54,755 | +0.7% |
| 2007 | -53,396 | -2.5% |
| 2008 | -51,307 | -3.9% |
| 2009 | -47,573 | -7.3% |
| 2010 | -50,422 | +6.0% |
| 2011 | -57,571 | +14.2% |
| 2012 | -63,003 | +9.4% |
| 2013 | -52,415 | -16.8% |
| 2014 | -41,155 | -21.5% |
| 2015 | -45,935 | +11.6% |
| 2016 | -50,079 | +9.0% |
| 2017 | -51,794 | +3.4% |
| 2018 | -50,897 | -1.7% |
| 2019 | -49,279 | -3.2% |
| 2020 | -41,810 | -15.2% |
| 2021 | -56,434 | +35.0% |
| 2022 | -51,360 | -9.0% |
| 2023 | -30,057 | -41.5% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's -30,057 is below the median for high income countries, which is 3,163. (85 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's -30,057 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15,382. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual population growth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | -618.5% | 9,515 | -49,335 |
| 1980 | +207.0% | 11,252 | 34,545 |
| 1987 | +175.7% | 4,618 | 12,733 |
| 1990 | -131.1% | -49,335 | -114,020 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 60,630 | 47,532 | 75,350 | 9 |
| 1960s | 64,110 | 52,340 | 75,373 | 10 |
| 1970s | 38,972 | 9,052 | 57,951 | 10 |
| 1980s | 11,139 | -49,335 | 34,545 | 10 |
| 1990s | -86,892 | -136,707 | -49,609 | 10 |
| 2000s | -57,945 | -72,064 | -47,573 | 10 |
| 2010s | -51,255 | -63,003 | -41,155 | 10 |
| 2020s | -44,915 | -56,434 | -30,057 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More population data for Bulgaria
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.7245 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.34 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.7245 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.18 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,187 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.8803 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.921 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.733 (2100)
- Population density 32.53 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 146,527 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual population growth in Bulgaria?
- Annual population growth in Bulgaria was -30,057 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual population growth recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 75,373 in 1961.
- What is the lowest annual population growth recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was -136,707 in 1992.
- How does Bulgaria rank for annual population growth?
- Bulgaria ranks 224th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual population growth rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Annual population growth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 73 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).