Bulgaria — Population
Population, Total for Bulgaria, 1960–2025.
Population for Bulgaria was 6.43 million in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 8.98 million in 1988. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.31% per year.
Bulgaria ranks 111 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 51%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 6.01 million, so Bulgaria sits above it. It peaked in 1988 and has fallen 28% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 8%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 28 of 58 economies; Denmark (6.01 million) is just below it. That is 3% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 56th of 216 in 1960 → 61st of 216 in 1970 → 65th of 216 in 1980 → 75th of 217 in 1990 → 88th of 217 in 2000 → 98th of 217 in 2010 → 110th of 217 in 2020 → 111th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,433,302 | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 6,441,421 | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 6,446,596 | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 6,465,097 | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 6,507,301 | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 6,550,696 | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 6,616,726 | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 6,710,798 | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 6,803,468 | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 6,894,139 | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 6,984,225 | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 7,073,572 | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 7,160,005 | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 7,305,888 | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 7,348,328 | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 7,395,599 | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 7,444,443 | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 7,492,561 | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 7,545,338 | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 7,601,022 | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 7,658,972 | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 7,716,860 | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 7,775,327 | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 7,837,161 | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 8,009,142 | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 8,170,172 | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 8,210,624 | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 8,256,786 | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 8,312,068 | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 8,362,826 | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 8,406,067 | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 8,443,591 | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 8,472,313 | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 8,540,164 | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 8,632,367 | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 8,718,289 | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 8,876,972 | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 8,981,446 | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 8,971,359 | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 8,958,171 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 8,960,547 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 8,960,679 | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 8,939,738 | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 8,917,457 | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 8,891,117 | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 8,861,535 | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 8,825,940 | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 8,814,032 | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 8,804,183 | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 8,758,599 | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 8,720,742 | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 8,678,745 | +0.7% |
| 1973 | 8,620,967 | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 8,576,200 | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 8,536,395 | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 8,489,574 | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 8,434,172 | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 8,369,603 | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 8,310,226 | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 8,258,057 | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 8,204,168 | +0.7% |
| 1964 | 8,144,340 | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 8,078,145 | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 8,012,946 | +0.9% |
| 1961 | 7,943,118 | +1.0% |
| 1960 | 7,867,374 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Bulgaria’s Population in 1961?
7,943,118 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are Bulgaria’s Population figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — people — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is Bulgaria’s Population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -18.2% in total — about 0.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.TOTL. 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: 6,433,302; 2024: 6,441,421; 2023: 6,446,596; 2022: 6,465,097; 2021: 6,507,301. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.TOTL — Population, Total. 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.