Bulgaria Demographics

Population of Bulgaria (2026)

View live population, charts & trends: Population of Bulgaria

Bulgaria Population
6,667,660
see live
Yearly Change
−0.70%
Global Share
0.08%
Global Rank
110

Median Age

The median age in Bulgaria is 45.0 years (2026).

Fertility in Bulgaria

A Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 represents the Replacement-Level Fertility : the average number of children per woman needed for each generation to exactly replace itself without needing international immigration. A value below 2.1 will cause the native population to decline


Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
1.74
(Live Births per Woman, 2026)

Life Expectancy in Bulgaria

See also: Countries in the world ranked by Life Expectancy

Both Sexes
76.1
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes combined)
Females
79.7
(life expectancy at birth, females)
Males
72.7
(life expectancy at birth, males)


Infant Mortality Rate and Deaths of Children under 5 Years Old in Bulgaria


Infant Mortality
4.6
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
Deaths under age 5
5.5
(per 1,000 live births)


Bulgaria Urban Population

Currently, 74.4% of the population of Bulgaria is urban (4,960,551 people in 2026)


Population Density

The 2026 population density in Bulgaria is 61 people per km² (159 people per mi2), calculated on a total land area of 108,489 km² (41,888 sq. miles).

Largest Cities and Towns in Bulgaria

The 30 largest of 71 cities and towns, ranked by population estimates for December 31, 2025 (by National Statistical Institute, Bulgaria).

RankCity or TownPopulation
1Sofia1,213,134
2Plovdiv333,994
3Varna322,683
4Burgas189,086
5Stara Zagora120,976
6Ruse120,282
7Pleven88,058
8Sliven77,832
9Dobrich68,573
10Shumen66,399
11Pernik65,317
12Blagoevgrad64,171
13Haskovo62,923
14Veliko Tarnovo60,067
15Yambol58,997
16Pazardzhik53,693
17Vratsa47,874
18Asenovgrad45,271
19Gabrovo43,229
20Kardzhali42,250
21Kazanlak41,260
22Montana34,614
23Kyustendil34,063
24Vidin33,127
25Targovishte32,524
26Dimitrovgrad29,835
27Razgrad27,517
28Lovech26,693
29Silistra26,470
30Dupnitsa26,108
See all 71 cities and towns in Bulgaria

See also

Sources

Definitions

Population Pyramid

A Population pyramid (also called "Age-Sex Pyramid") is a graphical representation of the age and sex of a population.

Types:

  • Expansive - pyramid with a wide base (larger percentage of people in younger age groups, indicating high birth rates and high fertility rates) and narrow top (high death rate and lower life expectancies). It suggests a growing population. Example: Nigeria Population Pyramid
  • Constrictive - pyramid with a narrow base (lower percentage of younger people, indicating declining birth rates with each succeeding age group getting smaller than the previous one). Example: United States
  • Stationary - with a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group. The population is stable, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Stages:

Population pyramid stages

Dependency Ratio

There are three types of age dependency ratio: Youth, Elderly, and Total. All three ratios are commonly multiplied by 100.

Youth Dependency Ratio

Definition: population ages 0-15 divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 0-15] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Elderly dependency ratio

Definition: population ages 65-plus divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 65-plus] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Total dependency ratio

Definition: sum of the youth and old-age ratios.

Formula: (([Population ages 0-15] + [Population ages 65-plus]) ÷ [Population ages 16-64] ) × 100

NOTE: Dependency Ratio does not take into account labor force participation rates by age group. Some portion of the population counted as "working age" may actually be unemployed or not in the labor force whereas some portion of the "dependent" population may be employed and not necessarily economically dependent.