Bulgaria — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Bulgaria, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Bulgaria was -0.13% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 0.96% in 1961. The lowest was -2.17% in 2002 (about 17.2× the latest value).
Bulgaria ranks 181 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 83%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 0.30%, so Bulgaria sits below it. It peaked in 1961 and has fallen 113% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 90%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 43 of 58 economies; Slovak Republic (-0.15%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 1700% in 1986. That is 85% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 182nd of 216 in 1961 → 183rd of 216 in 1970 → 185th of 216 in 1980 → 214th of 216 in 1990 → 205th of 217 in 2000 → 207th of 217 in 2010 → 204th of 217 in 2020 → 181st of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | -0.13% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | -0.08% | +0.2 pp |
| 2023 | -0.29% | +0.4 pp |
| 2022 | -0.65% | +0.0 pp |
| 2021 | -0.66% | +0.3 pp |
| 2020 | -1% | +0.4 pp |
| 2019 | -1.41% | -0.0 pp |
| 2018 | -1.37% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | -1.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 2016 | -1.3% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | -1.27% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | -1.21% | +0.8 pp |
| 2013 | -2.02% | -1.4 pp |
| 2012 | -0.58% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | -0.64% | +0.0 pp |
| 2010 | -0.66% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | -0.64% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | -0.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 2007 | -0.74% | +0.0 pp |
| 2006 | -0.76% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | -0.75% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | -0.75% | +0.0 pp |
| 2003 | -0.79% | +1.4 pp |
| 2002 | -2.17% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | -1.99% | -1.5 pp |
| 2000 | -0.49% | +0.1 pp |
| 1999 | -0.56% | +0.1 pp |
| 1998 | -0.67% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | -0.61% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | -0.52% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | -0.45% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | -0.34% | +0.5 pp |
| 1993 | -0.8% | +0.3 pp |
| 1992 | -1.07% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | -0.99% | +0.8 pp |
| 1990 | -1.8% | -0.6 pp |
| 1989 | -1.17% | -1.3 pp |
| 1988 | 0.11% | -0.0 pp |
| 1987 | 0.15% | +0.2 pp |
| 1986 | -0.03% | -0.0 pp |
| 1985 | -0% | -0.2 pp |
| 1984 | 0.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 0.25% | -0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 0.3% | -0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 0.33% | -0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 0.4% | +0.3 pp |
| 1979 | 0.14% | +0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 0.11% | -0.4 pp |
| 1977 | 0.52% | +0.1 pp |
| 1976 | 0.43% | -0.0 pp |
| 1975 | 0.48% | -0.2 pp |
| 1974 | 0.67% | +0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 0.52% | +0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 0.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 0.55% | -0.1 pp |
| 1970 | 0.65% | -0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 0.77% | +0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 0.71% | +0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 0.63% | -0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 0.65% | -0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 0.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 0.82% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 0.81% | -0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 0.88% | -0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 0.96% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Bulgaria’s Population growth in 1962?
0.88% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Bulgaria’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -113.2% in total.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: -0.13%; 2024: -0.08%; 2023: -0.29%; 2022: -0.65%; 2021: -0.66%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.