Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception was 1.72 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Bulgaria, 1960–2024
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 1.72 births per woman for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in 2024.
That represents a change of down 5.0% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Bulgaria peaked at 2.31 births per woman in 1960 and was at its lowest, 1.09 births per woman, in 1997.
Bulgaria ranks 125th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.19 births per woman | 2.02 births per woman | 2.31 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.17 births per woman | 2.03 births per woman | 2.29 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.99 births per woman | 1.9 births per woman | 2.05 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.38 births per woman | 1.09 births per woman | 1.82 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.38 births per woman | 1.21 births per woman | 1.66 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.63 births per woman | 1.5 births per woman | 1.79 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.78 births per woman | 1.72 births per woman | 1.81 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More population data for Bulgaria
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 146,527 people (2100)
- Population density 32.53 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.72 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 108,747 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.72 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate -0.6% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.75 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate vs. GDP per capita 1.75 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Bulgaria?
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Bulgaria was 1.72 births per woman in 2024, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 2.31 births per woman in 1960.
- What is the lowest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.09 births per woman in 1997.
- How does Bulgaria rank for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception?
- Bulgaria ranks 125th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total fertility rate, in a given year. The unmet need for contraception shows the estimated share of married fertile women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.