Bulgaria People - 2024

Population

6,827,736 (2023 est.)

Nationality

noun: Bulgarian(s)

adjective: Bulgarian

Ethnic groups

Bulgarian 78.5%, Turkish 7.8%, Roma 4.1%, other 1.2%, unspecified 9.4% (2021 est.)

note: Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 9–11% of Bulgaria's population

Languages

Bulgarian (official) 77.3%, Turkish 7.9%, Romani 3.5%, other 1%, unspecified 10.4% (2021 est.)

major-language sample(s):
Светoвен Алманах, незаменимият източник за основна информация. (Bulgarian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Bulgarian audio sample:

Religions

Christian 64.7%, Muslim 9.8%, other 0.1%, none 4.7%, unspecified 20.7% (2021 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.03% (male 492,147/female 465,612)

15-64 years: 65.17% (male 2,263,479/female 2,185,969)

65 years and over: 20.81% (2023 est.) (male 570,425/female 850,104)

2023 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 57.3

youth dependency ratio: 22

elderly dependency ratio: 35.3

potential support ratio: 2.8 (2021 est.)

Median age

total: 44.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 43 years

female: 46.6 years

Population growth rate

-0.66% (2023 est.)

Birth rate

8 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

14.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate

-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations

Urbanization

urban population: 76.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: -0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.288 million SOFIA (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

26.4 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

male: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 72.6 years

female: 79.2 years

Total fertility rate

1.51 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.73 (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

N/A

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 99.5% of population

rural: 97.4% of population

total: 99% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population

rural: 2.6% of population

total: 1% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure

8.5% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density

4.2 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Hospital bed density

7.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

25% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 11.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 4.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 1.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 4.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 39% (2020 est.)

male: 40.9% (2020 est.)

female: 37.1% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.9% (2014)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

57.3% (2023 est.)

Education expenditures

4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.4%

male: 98.7%

female: 98.2% (2021)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2020)