Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required was 5.0% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Bulgaria, 2003–2022
Source: Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of people at risk.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 5.0% for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 19 years on record.
The figure is down 24.2% on the previous year and down 43.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Bulgaria peaked at 17.8% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 2022.
Bulgaria ranks 84th of 134 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.
Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % of people at risk | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 17.8% | — |
| 2004 | 16.9% | -5.1% |
| 2005 | 14.6% | -13.6% |
| 2006 | 9.7% | -33.6% |
| 2007 | 8.7% | -10.3% |
| 2008 | 5.8% | -33.3% |
| 2009 | 7.1% | +22.4% |
| 2010 | 7.9% | +11.3% |
| 2011 | 6.9% | -12.7% |
| 2012 | 8.8% | +27.5% |
| 2013 | 7.9% | -10.2% |
| 2014 | 7.7% | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 9.1% | +18.2% |
| 2016 | 10.9% | +19.8% |
| 2017 | 10.2% | -6.4% |
| 2018 | 9.4% | -7.8% |
| 2019 | 7.1% | -24.5% |
| 2020 | 6.6% | -7.0% |
| 2022 | 5.0% | -24.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11.5% | 5.8% | 17.8% | 7 |
| 2010s | 8.6% | 6.9% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8% | 5.0% | 6.6% | 2 |
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 share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Bulgaria?
- Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required in Bulgaria was 5.0% in 2022, according to Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 17.8% in 2003.
- What is the lowest share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 2022.
- How does Bulgaria rank for share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required?
- Bulgaria ranks 84th out of 134 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Harvard Medical School Program in Global Surgery and Social Change (PGSSC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population at risk of catastrophic spending when surgical care is required. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Catastrophic expenditure is defined as direct out-of-pocket payments for surgical and anaesthesia care exceeding 10% of total income.