Number of live births in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Number of live births was 58,678 births in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
58,678 births
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
25th
of 34 countries
All-time high
182,571 births
in 1950
All-time low
58,678 births
in 2021
Years of data
75
1947–2021
Number of live births in Bulgaria, 1947–2021
Source: Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 58,678 births for number of live births in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 17.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of live births in Bulgaria peaked at 182,571 births in 1950 and was at its lowest, 58,678 births, in 2021.
Bulgaria ranks 25th of 34 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 75 years of available data.
Number of live births in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 170,162 births | — |
| 1948 | 175,771 births | +3.3% |
| 1949 | 177,734 births | +1.1% |
| 1950 | 182,571 births | +2.7% |
| 1951 | 152,803 births | -16.3% |
| 1952 | 154,014 births | +0.8% |
| 1953 | 153,220 births | -0.5% |
| 1954 | 149,902 births | -2.2% |
| 1955 | 150,978 births | +0.7% |
| 1956 | 147,910 births | -2.0% |
| 1957 | 141,035 births | -4.6% |
| 1958 | 138,294 births | -1.9% |
| 1959 | 136,892 births | -1.0% |
| 1960 | 140,082 births | +2.3% |
| 1961 | 137,861 births | -1.6% |
| 1962 | 134,148 births | -2.7% |
| 1963 | 132,143 births | -1.5% |
| 1964 | 130,958 births | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 125,791 births | -3.9% |
| 1966 | 123,039 births | -2.2% |
| 1967 | 124,582 births | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 141,460 births | +13.5% |
| 1969 | 143,060 births | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 138,745 births | -3.0% |
| 1971 | 135,422 births | -2.4% |
| 1972 | 131,316 births | -3.0% |
| 1973 | 139,713 births | +6.4% |
| 1974 | 149,196 births | +6.8% |
| 1975 | 144,668 births | -3.0% |
| 1976 | 144,929 births | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 141,702 births | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 136,442 births | -3.7% |
| 1979 | 135,358 births | -0.8% |
| 1980 | 128,190 births | -5.3% |
| 1981 | 124,372 births | -3.0% |
| 1982 | 124,166 births | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 122,993 births | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 122,303 births | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 118,955 births | -2.7% |
| 1986 | 120,078 births | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 116,673 births | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 117,440 births | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 112,289 births | -4.4% |
| 1990 | 105,182 births | -6.3% |
| 1991 | 95,910 births | -8.8% |
| 1992 | 89,134 births | -7.1% |
| 1993 | 84,400 births | -5.3% |
| 1994 | 79,442 births | -5.9% |
| 1995 | 71,967 births | -9.4% |
| 1996 | 72,188 births | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 64,125 births | -11.2% |
| 1998 | 65,361 births | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 72,291 births | +10.6% |
| 2000 | 73,679 births | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 68,180 births | -7.5% |
| 2002 | 66,499 births | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 67,359 births | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 69,886 births | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 71,075 births | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 73,978 births | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 75,349 births | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 77,712 births | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 80,956 births | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 75,513 births | -6.7% |
| 2011 | 70,846 births | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 69,121 births | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 66,578 births | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 67,585 births | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 65,950 births | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 64,984 births | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 63,955 births | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 62,197 births | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 61,538 births | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 59,086 births | -4.0% |
| 2021 | 58,678 births | -0.7% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 58,678 births is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 89,018 births, 66% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 58,678 births is below the median for high income countries, which is 98,451 births, 60% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 174,556 births | 170,162 births | 177,734 births | 3 |
| 1950s | 150,762 births | 136,892 births | 182,571 births | 10 |
| 1960s | 133,312 births | 123,039 births | 143,060 births | 10 |
| 1970s | 139,749 births | 131,316 births | 149,196 births | 10 |
| 1980s | 120,746 births | 112,289 births | 128,190 births | 10 |
| 1990s | 80,000 births | 64,125 births | 105,182 births | 10 |
| 2000s | 72,467 births | 66,499 births | 80,956 births | 10 |
| 2010s | 66,827 births | 61,538 births | 75,513 births | 10 |
| 2020s | 58,882 births | 58,678 births | 59,086 births | 2 |
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 number of live births in Bulgaria?
- Number of live births in Bulgaria was 58,678 births in 2021, according to Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of live births recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 182,571 births in 1950.
- What is the lowest number of live births recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 58,678 births in 2021.
- How does Bulgaria rank for number of live births?
- Bulgaria ranks 25th out of 34 countries with data for 2021.
- Is number of live births rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Human Fertility Database (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of live births. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of live births recorded in a given year.