Natural population growth rate in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Natural population growth rate was -0.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Natural population growth rate in Bulgaria, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for natural population growth rate in Bulgaria is -0.6%, 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 rate in Bulgaria peaked at 1.2% 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 rate in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.2% | — |
| 1951 | 1.1% | -7.6% |
| 1952 | 1.0% | -9.4% |
| 1953 | 1.2% | +20.5% |
| 1954 | 1.1% | -5.5% |
| 1955 | 1.1% | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 1.0% | -8.6% |
| 1957 | 1.0% | -3.4% |
| 1958 | 1.0% | +1.4% |
| 1959 | 0.8% | -19.6% |
| 1960 | 1.0% | +22.1% |
| 1961 | 0.9% | -2.9% |
| 1962 | 0.8% | -15.2% |
| 1963 | 0.8% | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 0.8% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 0.7% | -10.6% |
| 1966 | 0.7% | -8.6% |
| 1967 | 0.6% | -8.5% |
| 1968 | 0.8% | +36.0% |
| 1969 | 0.8% | -8.9% |
| 1970 | 0.7% | -2.8% |
| 1971 | 0.6% | -15.2% |
| 1972 | 0.6% | -9.9% |
| 1973 | 0.7% | +21.2% |
| 1974 | 0.7% | +9.1% |
| 1975 | 0.6% | -13.1% |
| 1976 | 0.7% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 0.5% | -16.7% |
| 1978 | 0.5% | -6.0% |
| 1979 | 0.5% | -8.7% |
| 1980 | 0.3% | -25.2% |
| 1981 | 0.3% | -4.7% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | -18.8% |
| 1983 | 0.2% | -13.3% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 0.1% | -40.8% |
| 1986 | 0.2% | +24.5% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | -41.8% |
| 1988 | 0.1% | +8.6% |
| 1989 | 0.1% | -35.0% |
| 1990 | -0.0% | -144.5% |
| 1991 | -0.2% | +429.8% |
| 1992 | -0.2% | +37.4% |
| 1993 | -0.3% | +33.3% |
| 1994 | -0.4% | +30.5% |
| 1995 | -0.5% | +30.9% |
| 1996 | -0.6% | +8.5% |
| 1997 | -0.7% | +27.2% |
| 1998 | -0.7% | -6.9% |
| 1999 | -0.5% | -23.0% |
| 2000 | -0.5% | +6.1% |
| 2001 | -0.6% | +3.7% |
| 2002 | -0.6% | +3.4% |
| 2003 | -0.6% | -2.7% |
| 2004 | -0.5% | -9.4% |
| 2005 | -0.5% | +5.7% |
| 2006 | -0.5% | -6.1% |
| 2007 | -0.5% | -4.1% |
| 2008 | -0.4% | -12.5% |
| 2009 | -0.4% | -16.1% |
| 2010 | -0.5% | +26.8% |
| 2011 | -0.5% | +10.2% |
| 2012 | -0.5% | +9.3% |
| 2013 | -0.5% | -5.0% |
| 2014 | -0.6% | +11.0% |
| 2015 | -0.6% | +7.4% |
| 2016 | -0.6% | -3.4% |
| 2017 | -0.6% | +8.6% |
| 2018 | -0.7% | +1.8% |
| 2019 | -0.7% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | -0.9% | +41.5% |
| 2021 | -1.3% | +38.3% |
| 2022 | -0.8% | -42.1% |
| 2023 | -0.6% | -21.3% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's -0.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.1%. (85 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's -0.6% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is -0.1%, 8.5× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Natural population growth rate 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% | -0.0% | -0.2% |
| 1990 | -144.5% | 0.1% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.4% | -0.7% | -0.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.5% | -0.6% | -0.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.6% | -0.7% | -0.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.9% | -1.3% | -0.6% | 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)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Population density 32.53 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 146,527 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is natural population growth rate in Bulgaria?
- Natural population growth rate in Bulgaria was -0.6% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest natural population growth rate recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 1.2% in 1953.
- What is the lowest natural population growth rate recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.3% in 2021.
- How does Bulgaria rank for natural population growth rate?
- Bulgaria ranks 226th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is natural population growth rate 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 UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Natural population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Births minus deaths, as a share of the population. This is the part of population change that comes only from births and deaths, ignoring migration.