Population in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Population was 6.80 million people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
6.80 million people
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
110th
of 236 countries
All-time high
8.99 million people
in 1988
All-time low
6.80 million people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population in Bulgaria, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 6.80 million people for population in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Bulgaria peaked at 8.99 million people in 1988 and was at its lowest, 6.80 million people, in 2023.
Bulgaria ranks 110th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Population in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 7.25 million people | — |
| 1951 | 7.31 million people | +0.9% |
| 1952 | 7.36 million people | +0.6% |
| 1953 | 7.42 million people | +0.7% |
| 1954 | 7.48 million people | +0.8% |
| 1955 | 7.53 million people | +0.8% |
| 1956 | 7.59 million people | +0.7% |
| 1957 | 7.65 million people | +0.8% |
| 1958 | 7.72 million people | +1.0% |
| 1959 | 7.79 million people | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 7.86 million people | +0.9% |
| 1961 | 7.94 million people | +1.0% |
| 1962 | 8.01 million people | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 8.07 million people | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 8.14 million people | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 8.20 million people | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 8.26 million people | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 8.31 million people | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 8.37 million people | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 8.44 million people | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 8.49 million people | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 8.54 million people | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 8.58 million people | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 8.62 million people | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 8.68 million people | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 8.72 million people | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 8.76 million people | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 8.80 million people | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 8.81 million people | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 8.82 million people | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 8.86 million people | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 8.89 million people | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 8.91 million people | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 8.93 million people | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 8.95 million people | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 8.96 million people | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 8.96 million people | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 8.98 million people | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 8.99 million people | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 8.94 million people | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 8.82 million people | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 8.70 million people | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 8.56 million people | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 8.47 million people | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 8.42 million people | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 8.36 million people | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 8.29 million people | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 8.22 million people | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 8.14 million people | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 8.07 million people | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 8.00 million people | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 7.93 million people | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 7.86 million people | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 7.80 million people | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 7.75 million people | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 7.70 million people | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 7.64 million people | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 7.59 million people | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 7.54 million people | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 7.49 million people | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 7.44 million people | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 7.38 million people | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 7.32 million people | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 7.26 million people | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 7.22 million people | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 7.18 million people | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 7.13 million people | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 7.08 million people | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 7.02 million people | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 6.98 million people | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 6.93 million people | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 6.88 million people | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 6.83 million people | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 6.80 million people | -0.4% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 6.80 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.98 million people, 2.3× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 6.80 million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6.36 million people, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 7.51 million people | 7.25 million people | 7.79 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 8.16 million people | 7.86 million people | 8.44 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.68 million people | 8.49 million people | 8.82 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.94 million people | 8.86 million people | 8.99 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.40 million people | 8.07 million people | 8.82 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.73 million people | 7.49 million people | 8.00 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.20 million people | 6.98 million people | 7.44 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.86 million people | 6.80 million people | 6.93 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More population data for Bulgaria
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.18 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.7245 % change on previous year (2100)
- 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)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.921 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.8803 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in Bulgaria?
- Population in Bulgaria was 6.80 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 8.99 million people in 1988.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.80 million people in 2023.
- How does Bulgaria rank for population?
- Bulgaria ranks 110th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.