Bulgaria

Europe & Central Asia·High incomeEU

Population: 6.45M; 110th of 217
GDP: $112B; 69th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $17,412; 80th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 75.7; 98th of 217
Human development: 0.795; 67th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Bulgaria

Türkiye

Romania

Russian Federation

Kazakhstan

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

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

Area: 110,879 km²
Resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Borders: Greece; Macedonia; Romania; Serbia; Turkey

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian79.5%▼ 1.9pt
Muslim10.3%
Unaffiliated10%▲ 1.6pt

Religious diversity: 4.05 / 10 · moderate · 76th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

BGR

TUR

ROU

RUS

GDP

current US$

$112B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$3.5B–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

89.3%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

2.1%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

22.5%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

6.45M–––

Population density

people per km²

59.6–––

Urban population

% of total

76.7%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

1.8–––

Net migration

people

524–––

Population under 15

% of total

14.5%–––

Population 65+

% of total

22%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

7.7%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

4.7%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

28.4K–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

5,494.5–––

Electricity generation

TWh

37.1–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0.1%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.48–––

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.26–––

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

6.19–––

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

2.51–––

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

4.85–––

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

5.47–––

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

29.7%–––

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

2.45–––

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

40%–––

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

57.2%–––

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

40.3%–––

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

18.7%–––

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

58.4%–––

Luck matters more than work

1–10

4.74–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

4.05–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

10%–––

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

–––

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

1.97–––

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

1.97–––

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

1.81–––

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

2.73–––

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

7.99–––

National pride

mean, 1–4

3.34–––

Would fight for country

% yes

69.5%–––

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

2.35–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

–––

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

1.8%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#69/214

$112B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#80/214

$17,4122024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#64/203

$37,502latest

GDP growth

annual %

#121/214

2.8%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#75/207

$15,3202024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#158/213

6.5%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#54/201

$3.5B2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#36/205

89.3%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#150/206

2.1%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#115/208

22.5%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#76/187

4.3%latest

Gini index

0–100

#106/168

38.2latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#62/168

1.1%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#110/217

6.45Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#143/216

59.6latest

Urban population

% of total

#72/215

76.7%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#98/217

75.7latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#119/217

1.8latest

Net migration

people

#75/217

5242024

Population under 15

% of total

#192/217

14.5%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#17/217

22%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#49/196

5latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#49/196

6.1latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#70/192

7.7%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#10/195

4.9latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#38/160

98.4%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#74/199

4.7%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#21/194

84.1%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#48/139

95.7%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#103/210

80.4%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#96/214

117.92023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#34/208

372023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#26/215

50.7K2024

Access to electricity

% of population

#21/215

100%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#58/198

28.4K2024

Electricity per capita

kWh

#53/202

5,494.52024

Electricity generation

TWh

#65/202

37.12024

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#101/202

31.1%2024

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#52/202

27.1%2024

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#131/204

31.62024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#136/204

4.72024

Share of global CO₂

#73/204

0.1%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#129/193

6.92023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#54/172

0.6882022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#47/172

0.6132022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#72/178

432022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#90/193

-0.1582022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#104/193

-0.2712022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#92/193

-0.1072022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#84/193

0.2462022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#22/172

0.9242022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

#41/104

0.482006

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

#91/105

0.262006

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

#80/113

6.192017

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

#68/112

2.512017

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

#28/114

4.852017

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

#43/114

5.472017

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

#6/114

1.272017

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

#19/111

1.642017

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

#62/113

29.7%2017

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

#49/109

2.452017

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

#6/112

40%2017

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

#2/112

57.2%2017

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

#62/114

40.3%2017

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

#83/114

18.7%2017

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

#54/110

58.4%2017

Luck matters more than work

1–10

#45/109

4.742006

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#76/193

4.052020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#60/193

10%2020

Trust & Institutions

Who people trust, and how much faith they place in government, press, and courts

theme overview →

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

#64/114

17.5%2017

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

#89/112

1.972017

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

#99/113

1.972017

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

#106/110

1.812017

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

#31/111

2.732017

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

#77/104

7.992017

National pride

mean, 1–4

#85/114

3.342017

Would fight for country

% yes

#62/113

69.5%2017

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

#53/114

2.352017

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#67/189

0.7952021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#52/170

0.212021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#88/164

5.72025

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

#99/113

6.442017

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

#95/114

6.22017

Global Peace Index

1–5

#30/158

1.642023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#66/161

1.8%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.