Natural population growth in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Natural population growth was -0.5935 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
-0.5935
Change on year
up 21.3%
World rank
226th
of 236 countries
All-time high
1.17
in 1953
All-time low
-1.3
in 2021
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Natural population growth in Bulgaria, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for natural population growth in Bulgaria is -0.5935, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 21.3% on the previous year and down 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, natural population growth in Bulgaria peaked at 1.17 in 1953 and was at its lowest, -1.3, in 2021.
Bulgaria ranks 226th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Natural population growth in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.15 | — |
| 1951 | 1.07 | -7.6% |
| 1952 | 0.9668 | -9.4% |
| 1953 | 1.17 | +20.5% |
| 1954 | 1.1 | -5.5% |
| 1955 | 1.11 | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 1.01 | -8.6% |
| 1957 | 0.9774 | -3.4% |
| 1958 | 0.9911 | +1.4% |
| 1959 | 0.797 | -19.6% |
| 1960 | 0.9728 | +22.1% |
| 1961 | 0.9448 | -2.9% |
| 1962 | 0.8013 | -15.2% |
| 1963 | 0.8131 | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 0.8115 | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 0.7254 | -10.6% |
| 1966 | 0.6633 | -8.6% |
| 1967 | 0.6072 | -8.5% |
| 1968 | 0.8258 | +36.0% |
| 1969 | 0.7526 | -8.9% |
| 1970 | 0.7318 | -2.8% |
| 1971 | 0.6206 | -15.2% |
| 1972 | 0.5594 | -9.9% |
| 1973 | 0.6782 | +21.2% |
| 1974 | 0.7396 | +9.1% |
| 1975 | 0.6425 | -13.1% |
| 1976 | 0.6522 | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 0.5434 | -16.7% |
| 1978 | 0.5106 | -6.0% |
| 1979 | 0.466 | -8.7% |
| 1980 | 0.3486 | -25.2% |
| 1981 | 0.3321 | -4.7% |
| 1982 | 0.2697 | -18.8% |
| 1983 | 0.2339 | -13.3% |
| 1984 | 0.2297 | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 0.136 | -40.8% |
| 1986 | 0.1693 | +24.5% |
| 1987 | 0.0985 | -41.8% |
| 1988 | 0.107 | +8.6% |
| 1989 | 0.0695 | -35.0% |
| 1990 | -0.0309 | -144.5% |
| 1991 | -0.1637 | +429.8% |
| 1992 | -0.2249 | +37.4% |
| 1993 | -0.2997 | +33.3% |
| 1994 | -0.391 | +30.5% |
| 1995 | -0.5118 | +30.9% |
| 1996 | -0.5553 | +8.5% |
| 1997 | -0.7066 | +27.2% |
| 1998 | -0.6576 | -6.9% |
| 1999 | -0.5063 | -23.0% |
| 2000 | -0.5374 | +6.1% |
| 2001 | -0.5575 | +3.7% |
| 2002 | -0.5767 | +3.4% |
| 2003 | -0.5612 | -2.7% |
| 2004 | -0.5082 | -9.4% |
| 2005 | -0.5372 | +5.7% |
| 2006 | -0.5045 | -6.1% |
| 2007 | -0.4839 | -4.1% |
| 2008 | -0.4235 | -12.5% |
| 2009 | -0.3552 | -16.1% |
| 2010 | -0.4505 | +26.8% |
| 2011 | -0.4963 | +10.2% |
| 2012 | -0.5427 | +9.3% |
| 2013 | -0.5155 | -5.0% |
| 2014 | -0.5723 | +11.0% |
| 2015 | -0.6146 | +7.4% |
| 2016 | -0.594 | -3.4% |
| 2017 | -0.6453 | +8.6% |
| 2018 | -0.6567 | +1.8% |
| 2019 | -0.665 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | -0.9413 | +41.5% |
| 2021 | -1.3 | +38.3% |
| 2022 | -0.7539 | -42.1% |
| 2023 | -0.5935 | -21.3% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's -0.5935 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.1118. (85 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's -0.5935 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.0696, 8.5× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Natural 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | -429.8% | -0.0309 | -0.1637 |
| 1990 | -144.5% | 0.0695 | -0.0309 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.03 | 0.797 | 1.17 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.7918 | 0.6072 | 0.9728 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.6144 | 0.466 | 0.7396 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1994 | 0.0695 | 0.3486 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.4048 | -0.7066 | -0.0309 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.5045 | -0.5767 | -0.3552 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.5753 | -0.665 | -0.4505 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.8976 | -1.3 | -0.5935 | 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 natural population growth in Bulgaria?
- Natural population growth in Bulgaria was -0.5935 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest natural population growth recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 1.17 in 1953.
- What is the lowest natural population growth recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.3 in 2021.
- How does Bulgaria rank for natural population growth?
- Bulgaria ranks 226th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is natural population growth rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. 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 Natural population growth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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