Share of population living in the capital city in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Share of population living in the capital city was 15.6% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in the capital city in Bulgaria, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in the capital city in Bulgaria is 15.6%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 15.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in the capital city in Bulgaria peaked at 15.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 6.5%, in 1950.
Bulgaria ranks 95th of 170 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in the capital city in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6.5% | — |
| 1955 | 7.2% | +11.4% |
| 1960 | 7.7% | +7.5% |
| 1965 | 8.3% | +7.6% |
| 1970 | 8.7% | +5.1% |
| 1975 | 9.2% | +5.9% |
| 1980 | 10.0% | +8.2% |
| 1985 | 11.1% | +10.8% |
| 1990 | 11.3% | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 11.4% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 11.5% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 12.2% | +6.1% |
| 2010 | 13.5% | +10.7% |
| 2015 | 14.5% | +7.1% |
| 2020 | 15.6% | +7.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.8% | 6.5% | 7.2% | 2 |
| 1960s | 8.0% | 7.7% | 8.3% | 2 |
| 1970s | 9.0% | 8.7% | 9.2% | 2 |
| 1980s | 10.6% | 10.0% | 11.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 11.4% | 11.3% | 11.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 11.8% | 11.5% | 12.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 14.0% | 13.5% | 14.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 15.6% | 15.6% | 15.6% | 1 |
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 share of population living in the capital city in Bulgaria?
- Share of population living in the capital city in Bulgaria was 15.6% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in the capital city recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 15.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in the capital city recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.5% in 1950.
- How does Bulgaria rank for share of population living in the capital city?
- Bulgaria ranks 95th out of 170 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in the capital city rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in the capital city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the total population living in the country's capital city. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.