Bulgaria
Bulgaria ranks #6 globally in hospital beds. At 7.8%, it outperforms most of the world. Think you know what else Bulgaria excels at?
Bulgaria is a country in Europe with a population of 6.74M and an area of 110,879 km². Life expectancy is 75.7 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
University Enrollment Rate
79.9%Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Human Development Index
0.84The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
41.5KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
GDP Per Capita
$34.1KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
CO2 Per Capita
4.68How many tonnes of CO2 the average person produces per year.
Life Expectancy
75.7 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
🍻Spirits Consumption
4.75How many liters of spirits the average adult (15+) drinks per year.
❤️Smoking Rate
39.5%The percentage of people aged 15 and older who use tobacco products.
🌱Protected Land (%)
44.3%The percentage of land area designated as protected natural reserves or parks.
👥Death Rate
14.18The number of deaths per 1,000 people each year.
⚡Nuclear Electricity Share
40.3%Percent of electricity generated from nuclear from CIA World Factbook.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Ranks #5 globally in spirits consumption
Spirits Consumption: 4.75
How many liters of spirits the average adult (15+) drinks per year.
Our World in Data 2023Ranks #5 globally in smoking rate
Smoking Rate: 39.5%
The percentage of people aged 15 and older who use tobacco products.
World Bank 2023Ranks #6 globally in protected land (%)
Protected Land (%): 44.3%
The percentage of land area designated as protected natural reserves or parks.
World Bank 2023Ranks #6 globally in death rate
Death Rate: 14.18
The number of deaths per 1,000 people each year.
World Bank 2023Ranks #6 globally in hospital beds (per 1,000)
Hospital Beds (per 1,000): 7.80
The number of hospital beds available per 1,000 people.
World Bank 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Bulgaria Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
Above avgGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
Above avgHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Human Development Index
Above avgThe Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Internet Users
Above avgThe percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Bulgaria
The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century, the Ottoman Turks overran the country. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878, and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004, the EU in 2007, and the Schengen Area for air and sea travel in 2024.
- Location
- Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
- Climate
- temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
- Terrain
- mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
- Natural Resources
- bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
- Natural Hazards
- earthquakes; landslides
- Size Comparison
- almost identical in size to Virginia; slightly larger than Tennessee
- Languages
- Bulgarian (official) 77.3%, Turkish 7.9%, Romani 3.5%, other 1%, unspecified 10.4% (2021 est.)
- Religions
- Christian 64.7%, Muslim 9.8%, other 0.1%, none 4.7%, unspecified 20.7% (2021 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Bulgarian 78.5%, Turkish 7.8%, Roma 4.1%, other 1.2%, unspecified 9.4% (2021 est.)
- Major Cities
- 1.288 million SOFIA (capital) (2023)
- Government Type
- parliamentary republic
- Capital
- Sofia
- Capital Coordinates
- 42 41 N, 23 19 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Republic of Bulgaria
- Name Origin
- named after the Bulgar tribes who settled the lower Balkan region in the 7th century A.D.; the tribal name may come from the Turkic word bulga, or "mixed," referring to the blend of Turkic and Slavic ethnicities in the tribes
- Independence
- 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
- National Symbols
- lion
- National Anthem
- "Mila Rodino" (Dear Homeland)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 10 (7 cultural, 3 natural)
- Overview
- upper-middle-income EU economy; currency pegged to the euro, with eurozone accession pending; declining energy prices helping lower inflation rate; EU structural funds contributing to investment recovery; skilled labor shortage driven by emigration and aging population
- Industries
- electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, automotive parts, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel; outsourcing centers
- Agricultural Products
- wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, barley, milk, rapeseed, grapes, potatoes, triticale, tomatoes (2023)
- Export Partners
- Germany 14%, Romania 11%, Italy 8%, Greece 6%, Turkey 5% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- refined petroleum, garments, refined copper, wheat, natural gas (2023)
- Import Partners
- Germany 12%, Turkey 8%, Romania 8%, Russia 7%, Italy 6% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- crude petroleum, copper ore, cars, packaged medicine, electricity (2023)
- Military Forces
- Bulgarian Armed Forces (aka Bulgarian Army): Land Forces, Air Force, Navy Ministry of Interior: General Directorate National Police (GDNP), General Directorate Border Police (GDBP), Special Unit for Combating Terrorism (SOBT) (2025)
- Military Service
- 18 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 35.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); nuclear: 40.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 7.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 4.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- 4 national terrestrial TV stations with 1 state-owned and 3 privately owned; a vast array of TV stations are available from cable and satellite TV providers; state-owned national radio broadcasts over 3 networks; large number of private radio stations, especially in urban areas
- Space Program
- has a long history of space-related activities going back to the 1960s; develops, produces, and operates satellites; researches, develops, and produces other space technologies, including those related to astrophysics, remote sensing, data exploitation, optics, and electronics; has specialized in producing scientific instruments for space research; has more than 20 research institutes; Cooperating State of the ESA since 2015; works with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of the ESA, EU, individual ESA and EU member states, India, Japan, Russia, and the US (2025)
Deep Dive
70 of 91 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
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Share something surprising about Bulgaria!
Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bulgaria
Bulgaria has a population of 6.74M, ranking #108 globally by population.
Bulgaria is located in Europe. It has an area of 110,879 km².
Life expectancy in Bulgaria is 75.7 years, ranking #96 globally.
Bulgaria's GDP per capita (PPP) is 41.5K, ranking #61 globally.
Bulgaria ranks particularly high in University Enrollment Rate (#28), Human Development Index (#55), GDP Per Capita (PPP) (#61).
Bulgaria has an HDI of 0.845, ranking #55 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
Bulgaria has a population density of 59.4 people per km², ranking #144 globally.
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