National Identity
- Official name
- Republic of Bulgaria
- Official name (in Bulgarian)
- Република България
- Official name (in Bulgarian, Romanized)
- Republika Bŭlgariya
- Name etymology
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
Sources:- Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria ↗ - National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria
- The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Coat of arms
- National flag
Translated from the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria (2) The national flag of the Republic of Bulgaria is tricolour: white, green and red fields, placed horizontally from top to bottom. [...] (3) The national flag has a rectangular shape. The fields of the individual colours are equal in size and are arranged along the horizontal of the rectangle.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria The national flag of the Republic of Bulgaria is a national symbol that expresses the independence and sovereignty of the Bulgarian state.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from Bulgarian National Radio The symbolism of the Bulgarian flag is not precisely established and has a number of variations. The most general notion is that the three colours are connected with our national history and way of life. As a symbol of the spirit, peace and freedom, the white colour embodies the peacefulness and the other virtues of the Bulgarian people. The green colour symbolises freedom, the connection of the national flag with the flags of the fighters for national liberation (haiduks, chetniks and insurgents), the fertility of the Bulgarian land and attachment to kin and homeland. The red colour expresses manliness and courage. It is the most frequently encountered colour in heraldry and symbolises the blood shed in the struggle for freedom and independence.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from Bulgarian National Radio For the first time a combination of the three colours appears in the uniforms of the First Bulgarian Legion, formed by Rakovski in 1862. The first tricolour flag (red - white - green and with a crowned lion) was flown by the band of Filip Totyu in 1867.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from Bulgarian National Radio Ivan Paraskevov himself designed the tricolour of the flag, already established among the Bulgarian emigrants in Romania.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from Bulgarian National Radio Ivan Paraskevov entrusted the making and embroidering of the flag to his 14-year-old daughter Stiliyana, whose skilful hands created the symbol of the longed-for free Bulgaria. [...] Towards the end of April 1877 it was fully ready and remained in history under the name “Brăila” (“Brailsko”).
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from Bulgarian National Radio On 26 March 1879 the debates were interrupted and the deputies voted a new Art. 23: “The Bulgarian national flag is tricolour and consists of white, green and red colour, placed horizontally”. Thus the state flag of the Principality of Bulgaria was legalised, with colours arranged in the manner that the Bulgarian people had already adopted.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from Bulgarian National Radio But not a single change in Bulgarian society after the Liberation affected the colours and their arrangement in the national flag. The only addition was the placing of the state coat of arms in the upper left corner of the white field from 1947 until the end of 1990. The new Constitution of 1991 restored the flag of 1879.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerSources:- parliament.bg ↗ - the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria
- bnr.bg ↗ - Bulgarian National Radio
- National anthem
- Mila Rodino (Мила Родино)2:01
- Title (in Bulgarian)
- Мила Родино
- Title (in Bulgarian, Romanized)
- Mila Rodino
- Title (in English, translated)
- Dear Homeland
- Lyrics
Горда Стара планина, до ней Дунава синей, слънце Тракия огрява, над Пирина пламеней.
ChorusМила Родино, ти си земен рай, твойта хубост, твойта прелест, ах, те нямат край.
Мила Родино, ти си земен рай, твойта хубост, твойта прелест, ах, те нямат край.
Source: - Citizens
- Bulgarians
- Official name:Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria ↗ - National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria
- Official name, Citizens:The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- National flag:parliament.bg ↗ - the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria
- National flag:bnr.bg ↗ - Bulgarian National Radio
- National anthem:nationalanthems.info ↗
Geography
- Location
- Total area
- 110,879 km²
- Land area
- 108,489 km²
- Water area
- 2,390 km²
- Land borders
- 1,806 km(5 countries)
- Romania
- 605 km
- Greece
- 472 km
- Serbia
- 344 km
- Turkey (Türkiye)
- 223 km
- North Macedonia
- 162 km
Source:- The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Coastline
- 354 km
- Terrain
Mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast - Mean elevation
- 472 m
- Highest point
- 2,925 mMusala
- Lowest point
- 0 mBlack Sea
- Climate
Temperate cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers - Avg. temperature
- 11.4 °C
- Avg. daily range
- 6.7 to 16.2 °C
- Annual precipitation
- 766 mm
Temperature °CMeanDaily rangePrecipitation mmMonthly climate normals Month Avg. high, °C Mean, °C Avg. low, °C Precipitation, mm January 3.8 0.2 −3.3 55 February 6.2 2.1 −2 53 March 10.6 6 1.5 69 April 15.8 10.9 5.7 69 May 20.8 15.8 10.5 86 June 25 19.9 14.3 82 July 27.5 22.1 16.3 69 August 27.9 22.1 16.3 48 September 23 17.5 12.2 56 October 17.1 12.1 7.5 59 November 10.7 6.6 2.9 56 December 5.1 1.6 −1.7 64 Country-wide averages over 1991–2020.
Sources:- The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Weather
- Loading
- Land use2023
- Arable32.1%Perm. crops1.3%Pasture12.7%Forest36.2%Other17.7%
- Arable land
- 3,486,550 hectares (32.1%)
- Permanent crops
- 136,030 hectares (1.3%)
- Permanent meadows & pastures
- 1,380,410 hectares (12.7%)
- Forest
- 3,933,800 hectares (36.2%)
- Other land
- 1,919,210 hectares (17.7%)
Source: - Natural hazards2026
- Earthquakes6.2High#51/191River floods5.1High#97/191Epidemics3.9Medium#129/191Drought3.2Low#94/191Coastal floods2.9Low#108/191Tsunamis0.0Very lowTropical cyclones0.0Very low
Scores out of 10, ranks out of 191 countries.
Source:- INFORM Risk Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
- Location, Land borders, Coastline, Terrain, Mean elevation, Highest point, Lowest point, Climate, Major rivers:The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Climate:Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Land use:FAOSTAT Land Use domain ↗ - FAO
- Natural hazards:INFORM Risk Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
Demographics
- Population change2026
- −0.70% per year−46,900 people/yearWorld Rank214thof 237
- Birth rate
- 8.9 per 1,000 population
- Death rate
- 15.3 per 1,000 population
- Net migration rate
- −0.9 per 1,000 population
- 2026
- 45.0 yearsWorld Rank23rdof 237
- Age structure2026
- 0-14 years14.3%15-64 years63.2%65 years +22.5%
- Share aged 65 and over
- 22.5%
- Share aged under 18
- 17.5%
- Total dependency ratio
- 58
- Youth dependency ratio
- 23
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 36
- Sex ratio
- 0.94 male / female
MaleAgeFemalePopulation by age group, % of total population Age Male Female 80+ 1.7% 3.5% 70-79 4.4% 6.6% 60-69 5.9% 6.8% 50-59 7.5% 7.4% 40-49 7.6% 7.2% 30-39 6.4% 6.0% 20-29 4.8% 4.6% 10-19 5.3% 5.0% 0-9 4.8% 4.5% - 2026
- 0.36 below the replacement level for Bulgaria ()1.74 births per womanreplacement 2.10123World Rank131stof 237
- 0.84 daughters per woman0.16 below replacement, long-run each generation smaller than the lastreplacement 1.000.511.5
- 2026
- −6.4 per 1,000 populationfor every 1,000 people, 6.4 more deaths than births a year
- 2026
- −0.9 per 1,000 population
- Urbanization2026
- 74.4% live in cities4,960,551 urban residents
- Largest cities2025
- Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, BurgasRankCity or TownPopulation (2025 estimate)1Sofia1,213,1342Plovdiv333,9943Varna322,6834Burgas189,0865Stara Zagora120,9766Ruse120,2827Pleven88,0588Sliven77,8329Dobrich68,57310Shumen66,399Source:
- National Statistical Institute, Bulgaria (2025 estimate), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution
- A fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations.
- Ethnic groups2021
- Roma are likely undercounted and may be 9-11% of the population.Bulgarian78.5%Turkish7.8%Roma4.1%Other1.2%Unspecified9.4%
- Religions2021
- Christian64.7%Muslim9.8%Other0.1%None4.7%Unspecified20.7%
- Languages
- Bulgarian (Български)
- Population, Population change, Median age, Age structure, Total fertility rate, Net reproduction rate, Natural change, Net migration rate:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Urbanization:UN World Urbanization Prospects ↗
- Largest cities:National Statistical Institute, Bulgaria (2025 estimate), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution, Ethnic groups, Religions:The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
Government & Administration
- Form of state
- RepublicThe President is elected by direct popular vote for five years; the Constitution itself declares Bulgaria "a republic with a parliamentary system of government" (Art. 1).Sources:
- Конституция на Република България (Обн., ДВ, бр. 56 от 13.07.1991 г.), consolidated text to ДВ бр. 66 от 6.08.2024 г. ↗, Art. 1
- Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, English edition, Art. 1
- System of government
- Semi-presidentialAlthough often described as parliamentary, Bulgaria is classified as semi-presidential because it combines a directly elected President with a Council of Ministers that needs the National Assembly's confidence; the Assembly elects the Prime Minister-designate and can end the Council's term by a no-confidence vote.Sources:
- Конституция на Република България (Обн., ДВ, бр. 56 от 13.07.1991 г.), consolidated text to ДВ бр. 66 от 6.08.2024 г. ↗
- Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, English edition
- Territorial organisation
- Unitary
- Official websites
- Government
- President
- Parliament (in Bulgarian)
- Capital
- Sofia1.2 million people(2025)
- National holidays
- 18 days in 2026
- ThuJan 1New Year's Day
- FriJan 2Non-working day
- TueMar 3Liberation Day
- FriApr 10Good Friday
- SatApr 11Holy Saturday
- SunApr 12Easter
- MonApr 13Easter
- FriMay 1Labor Day and International Workers' Solidarity Day
- WedMay 6Saint George's Day, Day of the Bulgarian Army
- SunMay 24Day of Slavonic Alphabet, Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture
- MonMay 25Day of Slavonic Alphabet, Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture (observed)
- SunSep 6Unification Day
- MonSep 7Unification Day (observed)
- TueSep 22Independence Day
- ThuDec 24Christmas Eve
- FriDec 25Christmas Day
- SatDec 26Christmas Day
- MonDec 28Christmas Day (observed)
Nationwide public holidays only, excluding regional, bank and government-only days.
- Time
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Entry requirements
- Official visa and entry information
- Calling code
- +359
- Internet TLD
- .bg
- ISO 3166-1 codes
- BG, BGR
- Infrastructure
- Passengers carried
- 723,825 by the country's airlines(2023)
- Heliports
- 8
- Aircraft departures
- 7,027 by the country's airlines(2023)
- Air freight
- 0.6 million tonne-km(2023)
- Aircraft registration prefix
- LZ
Sources:- The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Flag carrier
- Bulgaria AirPrivately owned (Chimimport)
- Passenger rail
- BDZ Passengers
- 2025
- 40 / 100World Rank84thof 182Confidence interval
Corruption index score by year Year Score Lower bound Upper bound 2012 41 35 47 2013 41 36 46 2014 43 38 48 2015 41 37 45 2016 41 38 45 2017 43 39 47 2018 42 38 46 2019 43 38.5 47.5 2020 44 41.9 46.1 2021 42 40.1 43.9 2022 43 41.3 44.7 2023 45 43.1 46.9 2024 43 39.8 46.2 2025 40 36.8 43.2 Source:- Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 ↗ - Transparency International, CC BY 4.0
- Form of state, System of government, Territorial organisation:Конституция на Република България (Обн., ДВ, бр. 56 от 13.07.1991 г.), consolidated text to ДВ бр. 66 от 6.08.2024 г. ↗ - Plovdiv District Court
- Form of state, System of government, Territorial organisation:Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, English edition - Supreme Judicial Council of Bulgaria
- National holidays:Open World Holidays Framework (vacanza/holidays) ↗
- Infrastructure:The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Infrastructure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Corruption Perceptions Index:Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 ↗ - Transparency International, CC BY 4.0
Economy
- High income
- GDP growth (real)2026
- +2.6% per yearWorld Rank111thof 195
- GDP per capita (PPP)2026
- GDP per capita (nominal)
- $23,000 (57th in the world)
Source:- 2025
- Services63.3% of GDPIndustry21.2% of GDPAgriculture2.5% of GDP
- Households
- +58.5%
- Government
- +20.8%
- Investment
- +21.7%
- Exports
- +50.7%
- Imports
- −51.8%
The shape of the economyGDP by end useSource:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Inflation2026
- 4.9%up 1.4 percentage points1.4pp from 2025
- Labor force2024
- 3.3 million (48% of population)World Rank106thof 187
- Labor force participation2024
- 56.3% of people aged 15+
- Unemployment2024
- 4.2%
- Youth unemployment2024
- 12.5% ages 15 to 24
- Labor productivity2024
- $36.1 per hour worked at PPP
- Labor cost2025
- €12.00 per hour$13.53 (USD), $28.87 (PPP)
- Budget balance2026
- 5.4% of GDP deficit
- Current account
- 8% of GDP, $11.8 billion deficit
Source: - Debt2024
- Government debt24.1% of GDPHousehold debt25.9% of GDPCompany debt54% of GDPInterest on debt0.5% of GDPCentral government debt23.6% of GDP
- Trade2025
- Goods$47.9 billion72%
- Services$18.6 billion28%
- Total exports
- $66.6 billion
- Change from 2024
- up 3.2 percent on the previous year3.2%
Sources:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- 2024
- +0.80World Rank33rdof 145
- Projected GDP growth
- +1.7% a year over the next 10 years
Source:- Atlas of Economic Complexity ↗ - Harvard Growth Lab
- Agricultural products2024
- Sunflower seed, Wheat, Barley, and 3 more
- 1Sunflower seed25.8×
- 2Wheat7.3×
- 3Barley6.3×
- 4Rape or colza seed1.5×
- 5Maize (corn)1.1×
- 6Raw milk of cattle0.7×
ProductSource:- FAOSTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Gold reserves2025
- 42.9 tonnesWorth $6 billion, 13% of total official reserves by value
- Industries
- electricity, gas, water
- food, beverages, tobacco
- machinery and equipment, automotive parts, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
- outsourcing centers
Source:- The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Income level, GDP by sector, Trade, Gold reserves:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- GDP (nominal), GDP growth (real), GDP per capita (PPP), Inflation, Budget balance:IMF World Economic Outlook ↗
- Labor force, Labor force participation, Unemployment, Youth unemployment, Labor productivity, Labor cost:ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
- Debt:IMF Global Debt Database ↗
- Debt:IMF Public Finances in Modern History ↗
- Trade, Industries:The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Economic Complexity Index:Atlas of Economic Complexity ↗ - Harvard Growth Lab
- Agricultural products:FAOSTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
Cost of Living
- Cost of living index
- Loading
- Monthly costs (excluding rent)
- Loading
- Rent
- Loading
- Buying an apartment
- Loading
- Average gross salary2025
- €1,392 per month$1,573 (USD), $3,358 (PPP)
- Median
- €1,066 per month($1,205)
- Men
- €1,448 per month($1,636)
- Women
- €1,331 per month($1,504)
Source:- ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
- 2025
- €551 per month, gross$623 (USD), $1,329 (PPP)
- Share of the average gross salary
- 40%
Source:- ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
- Average gross salary, Minimum wage:ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
Society
- 2023
- 0.845Very highWorld Rank55thof 193BulgariaWorld
Human Development Index by year Year Bulgaria World 1990 0.706 0.608 1991 0.706 0.611 1992 0.709 0.614 1993 0.711 0.617 1994 0.713 0.620 1995 0.709 0.625 1996 0.718 0.631 1997 0.713 0.636 1998 0.723 0.641 1999 0.728 0.646 2000 0.733 0.651 2001 0.742 0.657 2002 0.753 0.662 2003 0.762 0.669 2004 0.769 0.675 2005 0.775 0.681 2006 0.779 0.688 2007 0.785 0.694 2008 0.791 0.698 2009 0.793 0.701 2010 0.799 0.707 2011 0.803 0.713 2012 0.807 0.717 2013 0.815 0.721 2014 0.819 0.726 2015 0.824 0.731 2016 0.827 0.735 2017 0.829 0.739 2018 0.832 0.741 2019 0.835 0.745 2020 0.826 0.742 2021 0.817 0.742 2022 0.835 0.752 2023 0.845 0.756 Source:- Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- 2023
- 39.5
- Mean years of schooling2023
- 11.5 years
- Expected for a child today
- 15.3 years
Source:- Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- Literacy2011latest available
- 98.3% of adults
- Education expenditure2022
- 4.5% of GDP
- Share of government spending
- 12%
Source:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Internet users2023
- 80.4% of the population
- Households with Internet access
- 88.5%
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Mobile subscriptions2023
- 8 million
- Fixed telephone lines
- 619,365
- Fixed broadband
- 37 subscriptions per 100 people
Counts subscriptions, not people.
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Credit-card ownership2024
- 13% of adults
- Debit-card ownership
- 81%
- Account at a bank or mobile-money provider
- 85%
- Made or received a digital payment
- 78%
Source:- Global Findex Database ↗ - World Bank
- Refugees hosted2025
- 102,596 people
- Asylum seekers
- 2,850
- Stateless persons
- 833
- Internally displaced persons
- 46All due to disasters
- Refugees from Bulgaria abroad
- 501
Sources:- Refugee Data Finder ↗ - UN Refugee Agency
- Global Internal Displacement Database ↗ - Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
- Inbound tourists2022
- Official tourism site5.6 million arrivalsdown 29% against 201929% below 2019World Rank42ndof 139
- Per resident
- 8.1 arrivals per 10 residents
- Same-day visitors
- 5.3 million arrivals
- $4.7 billion(2024)
- Domestic trips
- 4.1 million overnight trips by residents
- Residents' trips abroad
- 5.7 million overnight trips
- $2.4 billion(2024)
- Hotel beds
- 294,183
- Average hotel stay
- 4.2 nights
Overnight arrivals by year2010 to 2022A tourist stays at least one night. Arrivals count trips, not people.
Source:- UN Tourism Data Dashboard ↗ - UN Tourism
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- 10 sites7 cultural3 natural
Site Type Boyana Church Cultural Madara Rider Cultural Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak Cultural Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo Cultural Rila Monastery Cultural Ancient City of Nessebar Cultural Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari Cultural Srebarna Nature Reserve Natural Pirin National Park Natural Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians Natural Source:- The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Human Development Index, Mean years of schooling:Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- Income inequality (Gini), Education expenditure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Literacy:UIS Data Browser ↗ - UNESCO Institute for Statistics
- Internet users, Mobile subscriptions:ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Credit-card ownership:Global Findex Database ↗ - World Bank
- Refugees hosted:Refugee Data Finder ↗ - UN Refugee Agency
- Refugees hosted:Global Internal Displacement Database ↗ - Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
- Inbound tourists:UN Tourism Data Dashboard ↗ - UN Tourism
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites:The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
Crime & Safety
- Travel advisory (US)
- Loading
- Active humanitarian crisisAug 2026
- None - no active crisis
- Homicide rate2024
- Low by global standards1.2 per 100,000 peopleWorld Rank73rdof 115
- Crime rates
- 7 offence categories
Offence Per 100,000 Count Year Homicide (victims) 1.2 79 2024 Serious assault 56.7 3,856 2023 Sexual violence 9.2 624 2023 Kidnapping 1.3 89 2023 Burglary 63.6 4,340 2022 Theft 413.9 28,250 2022 Vehicle theft 22.0 1,504 2022 A low figure can also mean weak recording.
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Prison population2023
- 81.3 per 100,000 people
- Persons held
- 5,526
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Active humanitarian crisis:INFORM Severity Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
- Homicide rate, Crime rates, Prison population:UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Health
- Life expectancy2026
- 76.1 years
- Health expenditure2023
- 7.9% of GDP$1,258 per person
- Physicians2022
- 4.33 per 1,000 population
- Hospital beds2023
- 8.2 per 1,000 population
- Infant mortality2026
- 4.6 per 1,000 live births
- Maternal mortality2023
- 6 per 100,000 live births
- Alcohol consumption2022
- 11.5 litres of pure alcohol per adult per year
- Tobacco use2020
- 39.4% of adults
- Men
- 42.8%
- Women
- 36%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Alcohol and Tobacco Spending2023
- 4.8% of household spendingWorld Rank19thof 105
- World median
- 3.1%
Source:- The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Road traffic deaths2019
- 9.2 per 100,000 population
- Life expectancy, Infant mortality:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Health expenditure, Physicians, Hospital beds, Road traffic deaths:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Maternal mortality:Maternal mortality estimates ↗ - UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group
- Alcohol consumption, Tobacco use:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Alcohol and Tobacco Spending:The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
Environment
- CO₂ emissions2024
- 34.2 Mt per yeardown 7.5 percent on the previous year7.5% from 2023
- CO₂ per capita
- 5.1 t per personWorld Rank57thof 207
- Share of global CO₂
- 0.09%
- Methane (CH₄)
- 7.37 Mt CO₂-eq
- Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
- 3.81 Mt CO₂-eq
- Fluorinated gases
- 1.3 Mt CO₂-eq
- All greenhouse gases
- 46.7 Mt CO₂-eq
Source:- Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- 2024
- 19.1 µg/m³ of PM2.51.4 years of life expectancy lost against the WHO guidelineMost polluted64thof 236
- WHO guideline
- 5 µg/m³
- National standard
- 10 µg/m³
- Life expectancy gain if the national standard were met
- 0.9 years
Source:- Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues
- air pollution from industrial emissions
- rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents
- deforestation
- forest damage from air pollution and acid rain
- soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes
Source:- The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- International agreements
- 19 of 20 landmark treaties in forceParty to 149 multilateral environmental agreements
Treaty Standing Joined Climate Paris Agreement in force 2016 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in force 1995 Kyoto Protocol in force 2005 Ozone layer Montreal Protocol in force 1991 Vienna Convention (Ozone Layer) in force 1991 Biodiversity Convention on Biological Diversity in force 1996 CITES in force 1991 Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn) in force 1999 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in force 2003 Nagoya Protocol in force 2016 Land and heritage Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in force 1976 World Heritage Convention in force 1975 UN Convention to Combat Desertification in force 2001 Chemicals and waste Basel Convention in force 1996 Rotterdam Convention (PIC) in force 2004 Stockholm Convention (POPs) in force 2005 Minamata Convention on Mercury in force 2017 Oceans UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in force 1996 High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) signed 2023, not ratified MARPOL 73/78 in force 1985 Source:- International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
- CO₂ emissions:Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- Air pollution:Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues:The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- International agreements:International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
Food & Water
- No access to safe drinking water2022
- 0.6% of the population
- Renewable water2022
- 21 billion m³ per year
- Per person
- 3,120 m³ per year
- Dependency ratio
- 1% originates outside the country
- Annual water withdrawal
- 5.4 billion m³ per year
- Withdrawn for agriculture
- 13%
- Water stress
- 40% of available freshwater withdrawn
Source:- AQUASTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Undernourishment2022
- <2.5% of the population
- Obesity2024
- 20.3% of adults
- Men
- 23.3%
- Women
- 17.3%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Underweight children2014
- 1.7% of children under five
- No access to safe drinking water, Renewable water:AQUASTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Undernourishment:Food security indicators (FAOSTAT) ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Obesity:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Underweight children:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
Energy
- Energy consumption2024
- Per capita
- 101.4 GJ per person
- Share of world total
- 0.11%
- Supply
- Deficitproduces 52% of what it consumes, 2024
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Electricity2024
- Balanced trade, imports 5.9 TWh and exports 6.9 TWh in 202439 TWh generated per year
- Generation
- 39 TWh per year
- Consumption
- 35 TWh per year
- Imports
- 5.9 TWh per year
- Exports
- 6.9 TWh per year
- Net
- +1 TWh per year
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Oil, gas & coal
- Deficitproduces 5.7% of what it consumes, 2024Oil reserves202515 million barrelsWorld Rank82ndof 99Imports2018119,761 b/d
Oil imports and exports count crude oil only.
- Energy consumption, Electricity, Oil, gas & coal:International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Oil, gas & coal:Worldwide Oil and Gas Survey ↗ - Oil & Gas Journal
Defense
- Military expenditure2024
- 2.1% of GDP$2.3 billion, 5.5% of government spending
- Military personnel2025
- approximately 28,000active duty Armed Forces
In 2021, Bulgaria released a 10-year defense plan which called for an active military strength of 43,000.
Source:- The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Military service2025
- Voluntarymen and women 18+
In 2020, Bulgaria announced a program to allow every citizen up to the age of 40 to join the armed forces for 6 months of military service in the voluntary reserve.
Source:- The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Space program2025
- Space Research and Technology Institute - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (SRTI-BAS; formed in 1987 but originated from the Central Laboratory for Space Research and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency, which was established in 1969)
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
- 1960s-1990s
- Participated in the Soviet Interkosmos program, which included the first Bulgarian in space (1979), first domestically produced scientific satellite launched on a Soviet rocket (1981), and participation in the Soviet VEGA project (1985)
- 2017
- First communications satellite (BulgariaSat-1) built and launched by US
- 2019
- First domestically built data/educational cube satellite (EnduroSat-1) launched by US
- 2023
- Signed the US-led Artemis Accords outlining principles for cooperation in space exploration
- 2025
- Domestically produced, multispectral remote sensing satellite (Balkan-1) launched by US as part of EU's Copernicus Earth observation program
Key milestones
Source:- The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Nuclear weapons2026
- None - no nuclear arsenal
- Military expenditure:SIPRI Military Expenditure Database ↗ - Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
- Military expenditure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Military personnel, Military service, Space program:The World Factbook: Bulgaria - CIA
- Nuclear weapons:Status of World Nuclear Forces ↗ - Federation of American Scientists
