Demographics of Bulgaria

Bulgaria population pyramid in 2020

Population|  6,445,481 (31st of December, 2023) [1][2]
Fertility rate|  1.81 (2023)
Age structure
0–14 years|  14.4%
15–64 years|  63.8%
65 and over|  21.8% (2020)
Sex ratio
At birth| 1.06 male(s)/female
Under 15| 1.05 male(s)/female
15–64 years| 0.97 male(s)/female
65 and over| 0.68 male(s)/female
Nationality
Nationality| noun: Bulgarian(s) adjective: Bulgarian
Major ethnic| Bulgarian (84.8%)
Minor ethnic| Turkish/ Balkan Gagauz (8.8%)
Roma (4.9%)
Other and unknown (1.5%)
Language
Official| Bulgarian (85.2%)

The demography of the Republic of Bulgaria is monitored by the National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria. Demographic features of the population of Bulgaria include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and others.

Bulgaria has a Human Development Index of 0.799, ranking 70th in the world in 2022[3] and holds the 38th position in Newsweek's rankings of the world's best countries to live in, measuring health, education, political environment and economic dynamism.[4]

## Demographic history

[edit]

Census population and average annual growth rateYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1880 | 2,007,919| —
1887 | 3,154,375| +6.67%
1892 | 3,310,713| +0.97%
1900 | 3,744,283| +1.55%
1905 | 4,035,575| +1.51%
1910 | 4,337,513| +1.45%
1920 | 4,846,971| +1.12%
1926 | 5,478,741| +2.06%
1934 | 6,077,939| +1.31%
1946 | 7,029,349| +1.22%
1956 | 7,613,709| +0.80%
1965 | 8,227,866| +0.87%
1975 | 8,727,771| +0.59%
1985 | 8,948,649| +0.25%
1992 | 8,487,317| −0.75%
2001 | 7,928,901| −0.75%
2011 | 7,364,570| −0.74%
2021 | 6,519,789| −1.21%
Source: Demographic history of Bulgaria

Various estimates have put Bulgaria's medieval population at 1.1 million in 700 AD and 2.6 million in 1365.[5] At the 2011 census, the population inhabiting Bulgaria was 7,364,570 in total, but the 2021 Census calculated that the population had declined to 6.5 million.[6][7] The peak was in 1989, the year when the borders opened after a half of a century of communist regime, when the population numbered 9,009,018.

Historical population of Bulgaria, 1812 to 2023

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.

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Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.

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Note: Crude migration change (per 1000) is an extrapolation [8]

Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.

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## Vital statistics

[edit]

### Vital Statistics 1875 to 1915

[edit]

The total fertility rate is the number of children born per woman. It is based on fairly good data for the entire period. Sources: Our World in Data and Gapminder Foundation.[9]

Years | 1875 | 1876 | 1877 | 1878 | 1879 | 1880[9]

|
|
|
|
|
|

Total Fertility Rate in Bulgaria | 5.16 | 5.05 | 4.95 | 4.84 | 4.73 | 4.62
Years | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1886 | 1887 | 1888 | 1889 | 1890[9]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Total Fertility Rate in Bulgaria | 4.52 | 4.92 | 5.16 | 5.16 | 5.04 | 4.37 | 5.15 | 5.05 | 4.92 | 4.7
Years | 1891 | 1892 | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899 | 1900[9]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Total Fertility Rate in Bulgaria | 5.24 | 4.82 | 4.69 | 5.09 | 5.45 | 5.55 | 5.7 | 5.28 | 5.45 | 5.67
Years | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 | 1910[9]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Total Fertility Rate in Bulgaria | 5.7 | 5.73 | 5.76 | 5.8 | 5.83 | 5.77 | 5.72 | 5.66 | 5.6 | 5.55
Years | 1911 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915[9]

|
|
|
|
|

Total Fertility Rate in Bulgaria | 5.52 | 5.48 | 5.45 | 5.42 | 5.39

### Vital statistics 1900–1915

[edit]

[10][11][12]

| Average population  | Live births  | Deaths  | Natural change  | Crude birth rate (per 1000)  | Crude death rate (per 1000)  | Natural change (per 1000)

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1900  | 3,710,000  | 157,000  | 84,000  | 73,000  | 42.3  | 22.6  | 19.7
1901  | 3,740,000  | 141,000  | 87,000  | 54,000  | 37.7  | 23.3  | 14.4
1902  | 3,800,000  | 149,000  | 91,000  | 58,000  | 39.2  | 23.9  | 15.3
1903  | 3,850,000  | 159,000  | 88,000  | 71,000  | 41.3  | 22.9  | 18.4
1904  | 3,910,000  | 167,000  | 84,000  | 83,000  | 42.7  | 21.5  | 21.2
1905  | 4,000,000  | 174,000  | 87,000  | 87,000  | 43.5  | 21.8  | 21.8
1906  | 4,100,000  | 179,000  | 91,000  | 88,000  | 43.7  | 22.2  | 21.5
1907  | 4,150,000  | 180,000  | 92,000  | 88,000  | 43.4  | 22.2  | 21.2
1908  | 4,200,000  | 169,000  | 102,000  | 67,000  | 40.2  | 24.3  | 16.0
1909  | 4,280,000  | 173,000  | 113,000  | 60,000  | 40.4  | 26.4  | 14.0
1910  | 4,350,000  | 180,000  | 100,000  | 80,000  | 41.4  | 23.0  | 18.4
1911  | 4,400,000  | 176,000  | 94,000  | 82,000  | 40.0  | 21.4  | 18.6
1912  | 4,430,000  | 185,000  | 91,000  | 94,000  | 41.8  | 20.5  | 21.2
1913  | 4,200,000  | 108,000  | 122,000  | -14,000  | 25.7  | 29.0  | -3.3
1914  | 4,240,000  | 191,000  | 88,000  | 103,000  | 45.0  | 20.8  | 24.3
1915  | 4,280,000  | 172,000  | 85,000  | 87,000  | 40.2  | 19.9  | 20.3

### Vital statistics 1916–1940

[edit]

| Average population  | Live births  | Deaths  | Natural change  | Crude birth rate (per 1000)  | Crude death rate (per 1000)  | Natural change (per 1000)  | Total fertility rates[9]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1916  | 4,660,000  | 99,000  | 97,000  | 2,000  | 21.2  | 20.8  | 0.4  | 5.38
1917  | 4,690,000  | 81,000  | 99,000  | -18,000  | 17.3  | 21.1  | -3.8  | 5.37
1918  | 4,740,000  | 100,000  | 152,000  | -52,000  | 21.1  | 32.1  | -11.0  | 5.36
1919  | 4,790,000  | 157,000  | 97,000  | 60,000  | 32.8  | 20.3  | 12.5  | 5.35
1920  | 4,850,000  | 193,000  | 104,000  | 89,000  | 39.8  | 21.4  | 18.4  | 5.35
1921  | 4,890,000  | 197,000  | 106,000  | 91,000  | 40.3  | 21.7  | 18.6  | 5.27
1922  | 5,010,000  | 203,000  | 106,000  | 97,000  | 40.5  | 21.2  | 19.4  | 5.19
1923  | 5,090,000  | 192,000  | 108,000  | 84,000  | 37.7  | 21.2  | 16.5  | 5.11
1924  | 5,210,000  | 207,000  | 108,000  | 99,000  | 39.7  | 20.7  | 19.0  | 5.03
1925  | 5,310,000  | 196,000  | 102,000  | 94,000  | 36.9  | 19.2  | 17.7  | 4.94
1926  | 5,420,000  | 203,000  | 93,000  | 110,000  | 37.5  | 17.2  | 20.3  | 4.80
1927  | 5,510,000  | 183,000  | 112,000  | 71,000  | 33.2  | 20.3  | 12.9  | 4.65
1928  | 5,590,000  | 185,000  | 99,000  | 86,000  | 33.1  | 17.7  | 15.4  | 4.50
1929  | 5,670,000  | 173,000  | 103,000  | 70,000  | 30.5  | 18.2  | 12.3  | 4.36
1930  | 5,740,000  | 180,000  | 93,000  | 87,000  | 31.4  | 16.2  | 15.2  | 4.05
1931  | 5,800,000  | 171,000  | 98,000  | 73,000  | 29.5  | 16.9  | 12.6  | 3.80
1932  | 5,884,000  | 186,000  | 96,000  | 90,000  | 31.6  | 16.3  | 15.3  | 4.07
1933  | 5,961,000  | 174,000  | 93,000  | 81,000  | 29.2  | 15.6  | 13.6  | 3.76
1934  | 6,039,000  | 181,795  | 85,046  | 96,749  | 30.1  | 14.1  | 16.0  | 3.88
1935  | 6,102,000  | 160,951  | 89,086  | 71,865  | 26.4  | 14.6  | 11.8  | 3.39
1936  | 6,154,000  | 159,146  | 87,723  | 71,423  | 25.9  | 14.3  | 11.6  | 3.33
1937  | 6,196,000  | 150,771  | 84,674  | 66,097  | 24.3  | 13.7  | 10.7  | 3.12
1938  | 6,244,000  | 142,415  | 85,373  | 57,042  | 22.8  | 13.7  | 9.1  | 2.92
1939  | 6,292,000  | 138,883  | 84,150  | 54,733  | 22.1  | 13.4  | 8.7  | 2.81
1940  | 6,341,000  | 140,564  | 85,046  | 55,518  | 22.2  | 13.4  | 8.8  | 2.84

### Vital statistics 1941 to present

[edit]

Source: National Statistical Institute[13][14]

| Average population (from 2002 population on December 31)  | Live births  | Deaths  | Natural change  | Crude birth rate (per 1000)  | Crude death rate (per 1000)  | Natural change (per 1000)  | Total fertility rates[fn 1]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1941  | 6,715,100  | 147,293  | 85,011  | 62,282  | 21.9  | 12.7  | 9.3  | 2.80
1942  | 6,771,100  | 153,272  | 88,082  | 65,190  | 22.6  | 13.0  | 9.6  | 2.91
1943  | 6,827,600  | 148,840  | 88,386  | 60,454  | 21.8  | 13.0  | 8.9  | 2.79
1944  | 6,884,600  | 151,013  | 94,082  | 56,931  | 22.0  | 13.7  | 8.3  | 2.83
1945  | 6,942,200  | 166,960  | 103,591  | 63,369  | 24.1  | 14.9  | 9.1  | 3.09
1946  | 7,000,200  | 179,226  | 95,799  | 83,427  | 25.6  | 13.7  | 11.9  | 3.29
1947  | 7,063,700  | 169,501  | 94,395  | 75,106  | 24.0  | 13.4  | 10.7  | 3.06
1948  | 7,130,100  | 175,771  | 89,927  | 85,844  | 24.7  | 12.6  | 12.0  | 3.16
1949  | 7,195,100  | 177,734  | 84,675  | 93,059  | 24.7  | 11.8  | 12.9  | 3.17
1950  | 7,251,000  | 182,571  | 74,134  | 108,437  | 25.2  | 10.2  | 15.0  | 2.94
1951  | 7,258,200  | 152,803  | 77,364  | 75,439  | 21.1  | 10.7  | 10.4  | 2.45
1952  | 7,274,900  | 154,014  | 84,254  | 69,760  | 21.2  | 11.6  | 9.6  | 2.44
1953  | 7,346,100  | 153,220  | 68,055  | 85,165  | 20.9  | 9.3  | 11.6  | 2.41
1954  | 7,423,300  | 149,902  | 68,384  | 81,518  | 20.2  | 9.2  | 11.0  | 2.36
1955  | 7,499,400  | 150,978  | 67,960  | 83,018  | 20.1  | 9.1  | 11.1  | 2.41
1956  | 7,575,800  | 147,910  | 71,153  | 76,757  | 19.5  | 9.4  | 10.1  | 2.36
1957  | 7,651,300  | 141,035  | 65,807  | 75,228  | 18.4  | 8.6  | 9.8  | 2.26
1958  | 7,727,600  | 138,294  | 60,734  | 77,560  | 17.9  | 7.9  | 10.0  | 2.23
1959  | 7,797,800  | 136,892  | 73,850  | 63,042  | 17.5  | 9.4  | 8.1  | 2.23
1960  | 7,867,374  | 140,082  | 63,665  | 76,417  | 17.7  | 8.1  | 9.7  | 2.31
1961  | 7,943,118  | 137,861  | 62,562  | 75,299  | 17.3  | 7.8  | 9.4  | 2.29
1962  | 8,012,946  | 134,148  | 69,640  | 64,508  | 16.7  | 8.7  | 8.0  | 2.24
1963  | 8,078,145  | 132,143  | 66,057  | 66,086  | 16.3  | 8.1  | 8.1  | 2.21
1964  | 8,144,340  | 130,958  | 64,479  | 66,479  | 16.0  | 7.9  | 8.2  | 2.19
1965  | 8,204,168  | 125,791  | 66,970  | 58,821  | 15.3  | 8.1  | 7.2  | 2.09
1966  | 8,258,057  | 123,039  | 68,366  | 54,673  | 14.9  | 8.3  | 6.6  | 2.03
1967  | 8,310,226  | 124,582  | 74,696  | 49,886  | 14.9  | 9.0  | 6.0  | 2.02
1968  | 8,369,603  | 141,460  | 72,176  | 69,284  | 16.8  | 8.6  | 8.2  | 2.27
1969  | 8,434,172  | 143,060  | 80,183  | 62,877  | 16.9  | 9.5  | 7.5  | 2.27
1970  | 8,489,574  | 138,745  | 77,095  | 61,650  | 16.3  | 9.1  | 7.2  | 2.17
1971  | 8,536,395  | 135,422  | 82,805  | 52,617  | 15.8  | 9.7  | 6.2  | 2.10
1972  | 8,576,200  | 131,316  | 84,174  | 47,142  | 15.3  | 9.8  | 5.5  | 2.03
1973  | 8,620,967  | 139,713  | 81,470  | 58,243  | 16.2  | 9.4  | 6.8  | 2.15
1974  | 8,678,745  | 149,196  | 85,239  | 63,957  | 17.1  | 9.8  | 7.3  | 2.29
1975  | 8,720,742  | 144,668  | 89,974  | 54,694  | 16.6  | 10.3  | 6.3  | 2.23
1976  | 8,758,599  | 144,929  | 88,348  | 56,581  | 16.5  | 10.1  | 6.5  | 2.24
1977  | 8,804,183  | 141,702  | 94,362  | 47,340  | 16.1  | 10.7  | 5.4  | 2.21
1978  | 8,814,032  | 136,442  | 92,445  | 43,997  | 15.5  | 10.5  | 5.0  | 2.15
1979  | 8,825,940  | 135,358  | 94,403  | 40,955  | 15.3  | 10.7  | 4.6  | 2.16
1980  | 8,861,535  | 128,190  | 97,950  | 30,240  | 14.4  | 11.0  | 3.4  | 2.05
1981  | 8,891,117  | 124,372  | 95,441  | 28,931  | 14.0  | 10.7  | 3.2  | 2.00
1982  | 8,917,457  | 124,166  | 100,293  | 23,873  | 13.9  | 11.2  | 2.7  | 2.01
1983  | 8,939,738  | 122,993  | 102,182  | 20,811  | 13.7  | 11.4  | 2.3  | 2.01
1984  | 8,960,679  | 122,303  | 101,419  | 20,884  | 13.6  | 11.3  | 2.3  | 2.01
1985  | 8,960,547  | 118,955  | 107,485  | 11,470  | 13.3  | 12.0  | 1.3  | 1.97
1986  | 8,958,171  | 120,078  | 104,039  | 16,039  | 13.4  | 11.6  | 1.8  | 2.02
1987  | 8,971,359  | 116,672  | 107,213  | 9,459  | 13.0  | 11.9  | 1.1  | 1.96
1988  | 8,981,446  | 117,440  | 107,385  | 10,055  | 13.1  | 11.9  | 1.1  | 1.97
1989  | 8,876,972  | 112,289  | 106,902  | 5,387  | 12.8  | 12.2  | 0.6  | 1.90
1990  | 8,718,289  | 105,180  | 108,608  | -3,428  | 12.1  | 12.5  | -0.4  | 1.82
1991  | 8,632,367  | 95,910  | 110,423  | -14,513  | 11.2  | 12.8  | -1.7  | 1.66
1992  | 8,540,164  | 89,134  | 107,998  | -18,864  | 10.5  | 12.7  | -2.2  | 1.55
1993  | 8,472,313  | 84,400  | 109,540  | -25,140  | 10.0  | 12.9  | -3.0  | 1.46
1994  | 8,443,591  | 79,442  | 111,827  | -32,385  | 9.4  | 13.3  | -3.8  | 1.37
1995  | 8,406,067  | 71,967  | 114,670  | -42,703  | 8.6  | 13.7  | -5.1  | 1.23
1996  | 8,362,826  | 72,188  | 117,056  | -44,868  | 8.7  | 14.0  | -5.4  | 1.23
1997  | 8,312,068  | 64,125  | 121,861  | -57,736  | 7.7  | 14.7  | -6.9  | 1.09
1998  | 8,256,786  | 65,361  | 118,190  | -52,829  | 7.9  | 14.4  | -6.4  | 1.11
1999  | 8,210,624  | 72,290  | 111,786  | -39,496  | 8.8  | 13.6  | -4.8  | 1.23
2000  | 8,170,172  | 73,679  | 115,087  | -41,408  | 9.0  | 14.1  | -5.1  | 1.27
2001  | 7,913,300  | 68,180  | 112,368  | -44,188  | 8.5  | 14.0  | -5.5  | 1.24
2002[15] | 7,845,841  | 66,499  | 112,617  | -46,118  | 8.5  | 14.4  | -5.9  | 1.21
2003  | 7,801,273  | 67,359  | 111,927  | -44,568  | 8.7  | 14.4  | -5.7  | 1.23
2004  | 7,761,049  | 69,886  | 110,110  | -40,224  | 9.1  | 14.3  | -5.2  | 1.29
2005  | 7,718,750  | 71,075  | 113,374  | -42,299  | 9.3  | 14.8  | -5.5  | 1.31
2006  | 7,679,290  | 73,978  | 113,438  | -39,460  | 9.7  | 14.9  | -5.2  | 1.38
2007  | 7,640,200  | 75,349  | 113,004  | -37,655  | 10.0  | 15.0  | -5.0  | 1.42
2008  | 7,606,600  | 77,712  | 110,523  | -32,811  | 10.4  | 14.8  | -4.4  | 1.48
2009  | 7,563,710  | 80,956  | 108,068  | -27,112  | 10.9  | 14.5  | -3.6  | 1.57
2010  | 7,504,868  | 75,513  | 110,165  | -34,652  | 10.0  | 14.6  | -4.6  | 1.49
2011  | 7,327,224  | 70,846  | 108,258  | -37,412  | 9.6  | 14.7  | -5.1  | 1.51
2012  | 7,284,552  | 69,121  | 109,281  | -40,160  | 9.5  | 15.0  | -5.5  | 1.50
2013  | 7,245,677  | 66,578  | 104,345  | -37,767  | 9.2  | 14.4  | -5.2  | 1.48
2014  | 7,202,198  | 67,585  | 108,952  | -41,367  | 9.4  | 15.1  | -5.7  | 1.52
2015[16] | 7,153,784  | 65,950  | 110,117  | -44,167  | 9.2  | 15.3  | -6.2  | 1.53
2016[17] | 7,101,859  | 64,984  | 107,580  | -42,596  | 9.1  | 15.1  | -6.0  | 1.54
2017[18] | 7,050,034  | 63,955  | 109,791  | -45,836  | 9.0  | 15.5  | -6.5  | 1.56
2018[19] | 7,000,039  | 62,197  | 108,526  | -46,329  | 8.9  | 15.4  | -6.6  | 1.56
2019[20] | 6,951,482  | 61,538  | 108,083  | -46,545  | 8.8  | 15.5  | -6.7  | 1.58
2020[21] | 6,916,548  | 59,086  | 124,735  | -65,649  | 8.5  | 18.0  | -9.5  | 1.56
2021[22] | 6,838,937  | 58,678  | 148,995  | -90,317  | 9.0  | 22.9  | -13.9  | 1.58
2022[23] | 6,447,710  | 56,596  | 118,814  | -62,218  | 8.8  | 18.4  | -9.6  | 1.78[24]
2023[25] | 6,445,481  | 57,197  | 101,006  | -43,809  | 8.9  | 15.7  | -6.8  | 1.81[26]

### Current vital statistics

[edit]

[27]

Period  | Live births  | Deaths  | Natural increase

|
|
|

January - June 2023 | 24,071  | 41,949  | -17,878
January - June 2024 | 23,686  | 46,278  | -22,592
Difference |  -385 (-1.6%)  |  +4,329 (+9.35%)  |  -4,714

## Birth rates and fertility

[edit]

### Historical birth and fertility rates

[edit]

The first reliable data about fertility and natural increase rates in the Bulgarian lands date back to the mid-1800s.

According to Turkish statistician Kemal Karpat, Non-Muslims, Bulgarians included, in the Ottoman Empire received a remarkable boost in fertility in the early 1830s. Their average growth rate climbed up to 2% per year, compared to zero among Muslims, who suffered from demographic stagnation.[28]

The same trend continued well after Bulgaria's Liberation from Ottoman rule in 1878.[29] Until the early 1890s, Muslim birth rates in Bulgaria hesitated in the low 20s, dwarfed by rates of + 40‰ among Orthodox Christians, while natural increase rates hovered around zero.[29] The ongoing Muslim demographic crisis and the heavy migration to Turkey were the two primary reasons for the rapid decrease in Bulgaria's Muslim and Turkish population between 1880 and 1910, from 28.7% in 1880 to 13.8% in 1910 for Muslims and from 26.2% to 10.7% for Turks.

Muslim birth and natural increase rates started climbing slowly from the late 1890s but only surpassed Orthodox ones in 1924. Nevertheless, it was not the Eastern Orthodox but rather Bulgaria's Roman Catholics that had the highest birth rate during the period, though usually offset by very high mortality rates.

Average Number of Births & Deaths, Average Birth Rate, Death Rate and Rate of Natural Increase in the Principality of Bulgaria by Period and Confession[29][30][31]

1891–1894 Averages by Confession  Confession | Live births per year | Birth rate | Deaths per year | Death rate | Rate of natural increase

|
|
|
|
|

Number | ‰ | Number | ‰ | ‰
Eastern Orthodox | 104,749 | 40.1 | 78,165 | 30.0 | 10.1
Muslims | 14,972 | 23.3 | 13,924 | 21.8 | 1.5
Jews | 1,038 | 36.6 | 684 | 24.1 | 12.5
Roman Catholics | 911 | 40.3 | 901 | 39.8 | 0.5
Armenian Gregorians | 210 | 31.6 | 173 | 26.2 | 5.4
Protestants | 49 | 20.5 | 35 | 14.7 | 5.8
TOTAL | 121,929 | 36.7 | 93,883 | 28.4 | 8.3

1899–1902 Averages by Confession  Live births per year  | Birth rate | Deaths per year | Death rate | Rate of natural increase

|
|
|
|

Number | ‰ | Number | ‰ | ‰
125,151 | 41.4 | 70,608 | 23.4 | 18.0
20,071 | 31.2 | 15,786 | 24.5 | 6.7
1,295 | 38.5 | 551 | 16.4 |  22.1
1,163 | 40.7 | 818 |  28.6 | 12.1
383 | 27.7 | 298 | 21.6 |  6.1
119 | 26.3 | 70 | 15.5 | 10.8
148,182 | 39.6 | 88,081 | 23.5 | 16.1

1904–1907 Averages by Confession  Live births per year  | Birth rate | Deaths per year | Death rate | Rate of natural increase

|
|
|
|

Number | ‰ | Number | ‰ | ‰
148,076 | 44.2 | 72,816 | 21.8 | 22.4
23,122 | 38.3 | 14,041 | 23.3 | 15.0
1,288 | 34.2 | 518 | 13.7 | 20.5
1,321 | 44.5 | 785 | 26.4 | 18.1
358 | 28.3 | 279 | 22.1 | 6.2
182 | 32.2 | 85 | 15.1 | 17.1
174,347 | 43.2 | 88,524 | 21.9 | 21.3

1909–1912 Averages by Confession  Confession | Live births per year | Birth rate | Deaths per year | Death rate | Rate of natural increase

|
|
|
|
|

Number | ‰ | Number | ‰ | ‰
Eastern Orthodox | 151,155 | 41.5 | 82,006 | 23.0 | 18.5
Muslims | 23,896 | 39.7 | 15,892 | 26.4 | 13.3
Jews | 1,234 | 30.8 | 532 | 13.3 | 17.5
Roman Catholics | 1,361 | 42.4 | 857 | 26.7 | 15.7
Armenian Gregorians | 298 | 24.1 | 241 | 19.6 | 4.5
Protestants | 194 | 30.1 | 108 | 17.3 | 12.8
TOTAL | 178,138 | 41.1 | 99,636 | 23.0 | 18.1

1919–1922 Averages by Confession  Live births per year  | Birth rate | Deaths per year | Death rate | Rate of natural increase

|
|
|
|

Number | ‰ | Number | ‰ | ‰
159,843 | 39.3 | 85,295 | 21.0 | 18.3
24,346 | 35.2 | 16,079 | 23.3 | 11.9
1,158 | 26.7 | 536 | 12.4 |  14.3
1,372 | 40.2 | 830 | 24.4 | 15.8
298 | 27.5 | 251 | 23.1 | 4.4
198 | 35.3 | 92 | 16.4 | 18.9
187,233 | 38.8 | 103,083 | 21.3 | 17.5

1925–1928 Averages by Confession  Live births per year  | Birth rate | Deaths per year | Death rate | Rate of natural increase

|
|
|
|

Number | ‰ | Number | ‰ | ‰
156,839 | 34.3 | 82,220 | 18.0 | 16.3
31,575 | 40.0 | 17,458 | 22.1 | 17.9
1,032 | 22.2 | 515 | 11.1 | 11.1
1,566 | 38.8 | 878 | 21.7 | 17.1
646 | 25.5 | 434 | 17.1 | 8.4
221 | 32.8 | 108 | 16.0 | 16.8
191,890 | 35.0 | 101,613 | 18.5 | 16.5

In the 1930s and 1940s, ethnic Bulgarians completed stage 2 of their demographic transition, and crude birth rate among them fell to a mere 23.3‰ by 1946, or twice as low as the birth rate of Bulgaria's two largest minorities, Turks (40.9‰) and Roma (47.2‰).[32] At the same time, due to higher mortality, the rate of natural increase among Bulgarian Turks was almost identical to that among ethnic Bulgarians (12.1‰ vs. 11.1‰), while the rate among the Romani was twice as high (23.1‰).[32]

### Present-day

[edit]

A total of 64,984 live births were recorded in Bulgaria in 2016, giving the country a crude birth rate of 9.1‰.[33]

Bulgaria has a low total fertility rate of 1.58 children per woman (according to the 2021 Census). This is up significantly from the late 1990s, but still below replacement and not enough to prevent further population decline, especially with emigration. Provinces with large Roma populations (for example Sliven, Montana and Yambol) tend to have higher fertility rates (and higher death rates) compared to other areas, whereas Turkish fertility is similar to the Bulgarian majority.[34] The average number of (live births) children in 2021 was 1.47 for all women (aged 12 or more), ranging from 0.04 children for women between the ages of 12-19 to 1.92 children per women between the ages of 70-79. The distribution by ethnicity shows that only among women who identify themselves as belonging to the Roma ethnic group, the average number of children is sufficient for simple reproduction - 2.25 children, mainly because of the significantly younger age structure and low educational level of this group, followed by the Turkish ethnic group with 1.79 children and 1.41 children for women who self-identified as belonging to the Bulgarian ethnic.[35] The distribution of the average number of live births by religion changes from 1.83 children for Muslim women and 1.82 children for Protestant women, followed by 'other Christian' (1.63), Eastern Orthodox (1.43), Catholic (1.36), Jewish (1.27) and Armenian Apostolic (1.26). Women without religion had an average number of 1.40 children.

Births and deaths, Bulgaria 1900-2015

* Birth rate in 2014

* Fertility rate in 2013

* Fertility rate in 2014

* Bulgaria's deaths and births (2005–2009).

Fertility rate (1980–2010) Total fertility rate and crude birth rate by province in 2010 and from 2016 to 2023 (NSI)[36][37] Province  | TFR (2010) | TFR (2016) | TFR (2017) | TFR (2018) | TFR (2019) | TFR (2020) | TFR (2021) | TFR (2022) | TFR (2023)

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Northwest Region | 1.53 | 1.72  | 1.72  | 1.75  | 1.77  | 1.75  | 1.73  | 1.92  | 1.94
Vidin | 1.50 | 1.45  | 1.58  | 1.68  | 1.65  | 1.45  | 1.64  | 1.83  | 1.92
Vratsa | 1.46 | 1.77  | 1.68  | 1.81  | 1.83  | 1.85  | 1.76  | 1.84  | 1.92
Lovech | 1.58 | 1.66  | 1.79  | 1.89  | 1.84  | 1.91  | 1.88  | 2.11  | 2.06
Montana | 1.52 | 1.74  | 1.65  | 1.67  | 1.62  | 1.63  | 1.73  | 1.87  | 1.91
Pleven | 1.56 | 1.80  | 1.79  | 1.71  | 1.81  | 1.76  | 1.66  | 1.93  | 1.92
North Central Region | 1.32 | 1.45  | 1.45  | 1.45  | 1.43  | 1.37  | 1.43  | 1.73  | 1.79
Veliko Tarnovo | 1.19 | 1.40  | 1.43  | 1.34  | 1.27  | 1.25  | 1.35  | 1.69  | 1.74
Gabrovo | 1.43 | 1.41  | 1.49  | 1.58  | 1.69  | 1.46  | 1.43  | 1.86  | 1.79
Razgrad | 1.37 | 1.49  | 1.48  | 1.65  | 1.60  | 1.50  | 1.53  | 1.70  | 1.77
Ruse | 1.34 | 1.40  | 1.37  | 1.41  | 1.30  | 1.34  | 1.40  | 1.60  | 1.71
Silistra | 1.49 | 1.77  | 1.71  | 1.55  | 1.76  | 1.58  | 1.60  | 2.01  | 2.08
Northeast Region | 1.53 | 1.50  | 1.48  | 1.49  | 1.52  | 1.45  | 1.46  | 1.75  | 1.76
Varna | 1.57 | 1.45  | 1.44  | 1.44  | 1.47  | 1.49  | 1.49  | 1.68  | 1.64
Dobrich | 1.44 | 1.53  | 1.51  | 1.44  | 1.56  | 1.44  | 1.37  | 1.78  | 1.94
Targovishte | 1.67 | 1.59  | 1.57  | 1.63  | 1.61  | 1.41  | 1.46  | 1.91  | 1.93
Shumen | 1.42 | 1.54  | 1.45  | 1.53  | 1.51  | 1.35  | 1.39  | 1.92  | 1.87
Southeast Region | 1.67 | 1.82  | 1.88  | 1.84  | 1.87  | 1.82  | 1.82  | 2.01  | 2.14
Burgas | 1.54 | 1.63  | 1.65  | 1.61  | 1.69  | 1.59  | 1.57  | 1.76  | 1.88
Sliven | 1.95 | 2.24  | 2.34  | 2.27  | 2.35  | 2.24  | 2.29  | 2.57  | 2.60
Stara Zagora | 1.64 | 1.73  | 1.80  | 1.76  | 1.72  | 1.73  | 1.73  | 1.84  | 2.05
Yambol | 1.70 | 1.98  | 2,00  | 2.13  | 2.06  | 2.08  | 2.07  | 2.35  | 2.43
Southwest Region | 1.42 | 1.36  | 1.38  | 1.38  | 1.42  | 1.44  | 1.47  | 1.59  | 1.62
Blagoevgrad | 1.46 | 1.46  | 1.45  | 1.50  | 1.62  | 1.61  | 1.62  | 1.63  | 1.77
Kyustendil | 1.33 | 1.63  | 1.75  | 1.76  | 1.95  | 1.77  | 1.76  | 1.82  | 1.81
Pernik | 1.35 | 1.62  | 1.66  | 1.73  | 1.68  | 1.54  | 1.67  | 1.53  | 1.47
Sofia | 1.45 | 1.74  | 1.73  | 1.80  | 1.91  | 1.90  | 1.92  | 1.90  | 1.98
Sofia (city)  | 1.39 | 1.27  | 1.29  | 1.26  | 1.28  | 1.33  | 1.36  | 1.51  | 1.53
South Central Region | 1.50 | 1.61  | 1.65  | 1.65  | 1.66  | 1.59  | 1.59  | 1.82  | 1.88
Kardzhali | 1.49 | 1.64  | 1.66  | 1.70  | 1.74  | 1.49  | 1.31  | 1.78  | 1.89
Pazardzhik | 1.58 | 1.72  | 1.75  | 1.85  | 1.81  | 1.70  | 1.57  | 2.02  | 2.22
Plovdiv | 1.49 | 1.56  | 1.60  | 1.61  | 1.60  | 1.58  | 1.63  | 1.82  | 1.84
Smolyan | 1.33 | 1.45  | 1.47  | 1.40  | 1.49  | 1.49  | 1.48  | 1.33  | 1.45
Haskovo | 1.53 | 1.70  | 1.75  | 1.62  | 1.71  | 1.59  | 1.63  | 1.82  | 1.83
Bulgaria | 1.49 | 1.54  | 1.56  | 1.56  | 1.58  | 1.56  |  1.58 |  1.78 |  1.81

### Regional differences

[edit]

As of 2022, the municipality of Tvarditsa has the highest crude birth rate in the country, at 18.4‰, followed by the municipalities of Yablanitsa (17.9‰) and Nikolaevo Municipality (17.2‰). All these municipalities have relatively large Romani populations.

Top 20 municipalities with the highest birth rate (2021)[38][39]

Municipality | Birth rate (‰)
Tvarditsa Municipality, Sliven Province | 18.4
Yablanitsa Municipality, Lovech Province | 17.9
Nikolaevo Municipality, Stara Zagora Province | 17.2
Kaynardzha Municipality, Silistra Province | 16.1
Ugarchin Municipality, Lovech Province | 15.1
Kotel Municipality, Sliven Province | 14.6
Nikola Kozlevo Municipality, Shumen Province | 14.6
Lukovit Municipality, Lovech Province | 13.6
Dolna Banya Municipality, Sofia Province | 13.0
Bratya Daskalovi Municipality, Stara Zagora Province | 12.5
Straldzha Municipality, Yambol Province | 12.5
Gurkovo Municipality, Stara Zagora Province | 12.4
Sadovo Municipality, Plovdiv Province | 12.4
Nova Zagora Municipality, Sliven Province | 12.3
Strazhitsa Municipality, Veliko Tarnovo Province | 12.2
Suhindol Municipality, Veliko Tarnovo Province | 12.2
Ruzhintsi Municipality, Vidin Province | 12.1
Rakovski Municipality, Plovdiv Province | 12.1
Devnya Municipality, Varna Province | 12.0
Dimovo Municipality, Vidin Province | 12.0
Top 20 municipalities with the lowest birth rate (2017)[40]
Nedelino Municipality, Smolyan Province | 5.7
Hisarya Municipality, Plovdiv Province | 5.6
Kocherinovo Municipality, Kyustendil Province | 5.6
Devin Municipality, Smolyan Province | 5.5
Gramada Municipality, Vidin Province | 5.5
Svoge Municipality, Sofia Province | 5.5
Godech Municipality, Sofia Province | 5.4
Apriltsi Municipality, Lovech Province | 5.3
Novo Selo Municipality, Vidin Province | 5.0
Chepelare Municipality, Smolyan Province | 4.9
Zemen Municipality, Pernik Province | 4.9
Hitrino Municipality, Shumen Province | 4.8
Chiprovtsi Municipality, Montana Province | 4.7
Borovo Municipality, Ruse Province | 4.5
Belene Municipality, Pleven Province | 4.4
Tryavna Municipality, Gabrovo Province | 4.2
Boynitsa Municipality, Vidin Province | 4.0
Nevestino Municipality, Kyustendil Province | 3.8
Banite Municipality, Smolyan Province | 3.2
Georgi Damyanovo Municipality, Montana Province | 3.1

On the other hand, the municipalities of Georgi Damyanovo, Banite and Nevestino have incredibly low birth rates. These municipalities are almost exclusively inhabited by ethnic Bulgarians.

### Teenage pregnancy

[edit]

Bulgaria has one of the highest share of teenage pregnancy in Europe. Nevertheless, this number declined rapidly between 1995 and 2010, until it stabilized at around 10%.

Number of teenage mothers in Bulgaria in the period 1990-2023[41]

Year | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2017 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023
All live births in Bulgaria | 105,180 | 71,967 | 73,679 | 69,886 | 75,513 | 65,950 | 63,955 | 59,086 | 58,678 | 56,596 | 57,197
Mothers aged under twenty | 22,518 | 16,278 | 12,787 | 10,625 | 8,411 | 6,274 | 6,038 | 5,970 | 5,861 | 5,769 | 5,820
Share of teenage mothers |  21.4% | 22.6% |  17.4% |  15.2% |  11.1% |  9.5% |  9.4% |  10.1% |  10.0% |  10.2% |  10.2%

The ten municipalities with the largest absolute number of teenage mothers for 2022 are: Sliven (371), Sofia (345), Plovdiv (196), Pazardzhik (130), Yambol (123), Nova Zagora (121), Burgas (108), Pleven (110), Tvarditsa (98), Stara Zagora, Varna (83) and Haskovo (81).[41]

Top ten municipalities with the highest share of mothers aged under twenty (2022)[41]

Municipality | All live births | Births to mothers aged under twenty | % of all live births
Gurkovo Municipality | 54 | 25 | 46.3%
Simeonovgrad Municipality | 78 | 33 | 43.3%
Ugarchin Municipality | 75 | 32 | 42.7%
Yablanitsa Municipality | 99 | 40 | 40.4%
Tvarditsa Municipality | 243 | 98 | 40.4%
Kaynardzha Municipality | 63 | 25 | 39.7%
Straldzha Municipality | 127 | 47 | 37.0%
Maglizh Municipality | 101 | 36 | 35.6%
Sredets Municipality | 118 | 41 | 34.7%
Nova Zagora Municipality | 371 | 121 | 32.6%

## Life expectancy at birth

[edit]

Life expectancy in Bulgaria since 1900 Life expectancy in Bulgaria since 1960 by gender

Total population:  74.83 years
Male:  71.37 years
Female:  78.39 years (2016-2018 est.)[42]

Average life expectancy at age 0 of the total population.[43]

Period  | Life expectancy in
Years

|

1950–1955  | 62.33
1955–1960  |  66.78
1960–1965  |  70.28
1965–1970  |  70.91
1970–1975  |  71.07
1975–1980  |  71.10
1980–1985  |  71.24
1985–1990  |  71.39
1990–1995  |  71.11
1995–2000  |  70.97
2000–2005  |  72.19
2005–2010  |  73.13
2010–2015  |  74.25
2016–2018  |  74.83

Kardzhali Province and Sofia City have the highest life expectancy with 76.6 years for both sexes. The lowest life expectancy is recorded in the Northwestern provinces like Montana (72.7 years), Vratsa (72.8 years) and Vidin (72.9 years).[44]

## Infant mortality rate

[edit]

Total:  5.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2018)[42]
Male:  6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018)
Female:  5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018)

## Projections

[edit]

The following forecast for the future population is an official estimate of the National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria.[45]

Year | Population

|

2025 | 6,263,384
2030 | 6,007,657
2035 | 5,801,261
2040 | 5,637,361
2045 | 5,505,143
2050 | 5,391,291
2055 | 5,287,150
2060 | 5,189,165
2065 | 5,099,550
2070 | 5,025,580
2075 | 4,971,948
2080 | 4,937,302

## Demographic statistics

[edit]

Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review.[46]

* One birth every 8 minutes
* One death every 5 minutes
* One net migrant every 111 minutes
* Net loss of one person every 11 minutes

Demographic statistics according to the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.[47]

Population

6,519,789 (Sept 2021 cens)
6,919,180 (July 2021 est.)
7,057,504 (July 2018 est.)

Ethnic groups

Bulgarian 76.9%, Turkish/Balkan Gagauz 8%, Romani 4.4%, other 0.7% (including Russian, Armenian, and Vlach), other (unknown) 10% (2011 est.)
note: Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 9–11% of Bulgaria's population

Languages

Bulgarian (official) 76.8%, Balkan Gagauz 8.2%, Romani 3.8%, other 0.7%, unspecified 10.5% (2011 est.)

Religions

Eastern Orthodox 59.4%, Muslim 7.8%, other (including Catholic, Protestant, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox, and Jewish) 1.7%, none 3.7%, unspecified 27.4% (2011 est.)

Age structure

Population pyramid of Bulgaria by age and sex in 1950

0-14 years: 14.52% (male 520,190 /female 491,506)
15-24 years: 9,4% (male 340,306 /female 312,241
25-54 years:42.87% (male 1,538,593 /female 1,448,080)
55-64: 13.15% (male 433,943 /female 482,784)
65 years and over: 20.06% (male 562,513 /female 835,065) (2020 est.)

0-14 years: 14.6% (male 530,219 /female 500,398)
15-24 years: 9.43% (male 346,588 /female 318,645)
25-54 years: 43.12% (male 1,565,770 /female 1,477,719)
55-64 years: 13.3% (male 442,083 /female 496,888)
65 years and over: 19.54% (male 557,237 /female 821,957) (2018 est.)

Median age

total: 43.7 years. Country comparison to the world: 20
male: 41.9 years
female: 45.6 years (2020 est.)
total: 43 years. Country comparison to the world: 22nd
male: 41.2 years
female: 44.9 years (2018 est.)

Birth rate

8.15 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 218th
8.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 215th
Population pyramid of Bulgaria in 2017

Death rate

14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 3rd
14.5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 4th

Total fertility rate

1.49 children born/woman (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world:204th
1.47 children born/woman (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 201st

Net migration rate

-0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) Country compy to the world:115

Population growth rate

-0.67% (2021 est.) Country comparison to the world: 229th

Mother's mean age at first birth

27.1 years (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 56.6 (2020 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 23 (2020 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 33.6 (2020 est.)
potential support ratio: 3 (2020 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 75.7% of total population (2020)

.rate of urbanization: -0.22% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

potential support ratio: 3.3 (2015 est.)
Bias among ethnic groups in Bulgaria

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.3 years. Country comparison to the world: 122th
male: 72.08 years
female: 78.73 years (2021 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

total population: 98.4%
male: 98.7%
female: 98.1% (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 14 years (2016)

Unemployment, youth ages 15–24

total: 12.7%. Country comparison to the world: 108th
male: 13.2%
female: 13.9% (2018 est.)

### Sex ratio

[edit]

Of the total 7,364,570 as of 2011, 3,586,571 are males and 3,777,999 are females, or there are 1,053 women for every 1,000 men.

## Demographic policies

[edit]

The progressive decrease of the Bulgarian population is hindering economic growth and welfare improvement, and the management measures taken to mitigate the negative consequences do not address the essence of the problem. The Government Program for the period 2017 - 2021 is the first one that aims at overturning the trend. The program also identifies the priority means for achieving this goal: measures to increase the birth rate, reduce youth emigration, and build up regulatory and institutional capacity to implement a modern immigration policy tailored to the needs of the Bulgarian business.[48][49]

## Ethnic groups

[edit]

Population of Bulgaria according to ethnic group 1900–1956 Ethnic group  | census 1900  | census 1905  | census 1910  | census 1920  | census 1926  | census 1934  | census 1946  | census 1956

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %
Bulgarians[50] | 2,888,219  | 77.1  | 3,203,810  | 79.4  | 3,518,756  | 81.1  | 4,036,056  | 83.3  | 4,557,706  | 83.2  | 5,204,217  | 85.6  | 5,903,580  | 84.0  | 6,506,541  | 85.5
Turks[50] | 531,240  | 14.2  | 488,010  | 12.1  | 465,641  | 10.7  | 520,339  | 10.7  | 577,552  | 10.5  | 591,193  | 9.7  | 675,500  | 9.6  | 656,025  | 8.6
Roma[50] | 89,549  | 2.4  | 99,004  | 2.5  | 122,296  | 2.8  | 98,451  | 2.0  | 134,844  | 2.5  | 149,385  | 2.5  | 170,011  | 2.4  | 197,8651 | 2.6
Romanians | 71,063  | 1.9  | 75,773  | 1.9  | 79,429  | 1.8  | 57,312  | 1.2  | 69,080  | 1.2  | 16,504  | 0.3  | 2,459  | 0.0  | 3,749  | 0.0
Greeks | 66,635  | 1.8  | 63,487  | 1.6  | 43,275  | 1.0  | 42,074  | 0.9  | 10,564  | 0.2  | 9,601  | 0.2  | 3,623  | 0.0  | 7,437  | 0.1
Jews | 33,661  | 0.9  | 37,663  | 0.9  | 40,133  | 0.9  | 43,209  | 0.9  | 46,558  | 0.8  | 48,565  | 0.8  | 44,209  | 0.6  | 6,027  | 0.1
Tatars | 18,884  | 0.5  | 17,942  | 0.4  | 18,228  | 0.4  | 4,905  | 0.1  | 6,191  | 0.1  |  |  | 8,133  | 0.1  | 5,993  | 0.1
Armenians | 14,581  | 0.4  | 14,178  | 0.4  | 12,932  | 0.3  | 11,509  | 0.2  | 27,332  | 0.5  | 25,963  | 0.4  | 21,637  | 0.3  | 21,954  | 0.3
Gagauzes |  |  | 10,175  | 0.3  | 9,329  | 0.2  | 3,669  | 0.1  | 4,362  | 0.1  |  |  |  |  |  |
Sarakatsani3 |  |  | 6,128  | 0.2  | 7,251  | 0.2  | 3,075  | 0.1  | 2,866  | 0.0  |  |  |  |  | 2,085  | 0.0
Russians | 1,685  | 0.0  | 3,275  | 0.2  | 2,505  | 0.2  | 9,080  | 0.2  | 19,706  | 0.4  | 11,928  | 0.2  | 13,200  | 0.2  | 10,551  | 0.1
Macedonians[51] |  | \-  |  | \-  |  | \-  |  | \-  |  | \-  |  | \-  | 169,5442 | 2.4  | 187,7892 | 2.5
Others  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15,602  | 0.2  | 13,199  | 0.2
Undeclared  | 0  | \-  | 0  | \-  | 0  | \-  | 0  | \-  | 0  | \-  | 0  | \-  | 0  | \-  | 0  | \-
Total  | 3,744,283  | 4,035,575  | 4,337,513  | 4,846,971  | 5,528,741  | 6,077,939  | 7,029,349  | 7,613,709

1 According to x files of the state, the number of the Romani was reduced by 25,000 in 1956.[52]

2 In the 1946 and the 1956 census, the population of Pirin Macedonia was forced to list as ethnic Macedonians by the Communist government in preparation of a planned federation between the People's Republic of Bulgaria and Socialist Yugoslavia, with "United Macedonia" as the connecting piece. The deal fell through, and the policy was eventually reversed in 1958.[53][54]

3 Note that the distinction between Sarakatsani and Greeks, and between Vlachs and both Aromanians and Romanians, is fluid. Sarakatsani were counted as Greeks in the 1900, 1920, 1926, 1934, and 1965 censuses.

Distribution of Turks according to the 2001 census Distribution of the ethnic groups by municipalities according to the 2011 census within those who answered the question (6,680,000) Ethnic structure of the entire population (7,364,570) by most detailed cadastral division according to the 2011 census Population of Bulgaria according to ethnic group 1965-2001 Ethnic group  | census 1965  | census 1975  | census 19851 | census 1992[55] | census 2001[56]

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|

Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %
Bulgarians[50] | 7,231,243  | 87.9  | 7,930,024  | 90.9  |  |  | 7,271,185  | 85.7  | 6,655,210  | 83.9
Turks[50] | 780,928  | 9.5  | 730,728  | 8.4  |  |  | 800,052  | 9.4  | 746,664  | 9.4
Roma[50] | 148,8742 | 1.8  | 18,3232 | 0.2  |  |  | 313,396  | 3.7  | 370,908  | 4.7
Armenians | 20,282  | 0.2  | 14,526  | 0.2  |  |  | 13,677  | 0.2  | 10,832  | 0.1
Russians | 10,815  | 0.1  |  |  |  |  | 17,139  | 0.2  | 15,595  | 0.2
"Vlachs"(Aromanians and Romanians) |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5,159  | 0.1  | 10,566  | 0.1
Sarakatsani3 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5,144  | 0.1  | 4,107  | 0.1
Ukrainians |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,864  | 0.0  | 2,489  | 0.0
Macedonians | 9,632  | 0.1  |  |  |  |  | 10,803  | 0.1  | 5,071  | 0.1
Greeks | 8,241  | 0.1  |  |  |  |  | 4,930  | 0.1  | 3,408  | 0.0
Jews | 5,108  | 0.1  | 3,076  |  |  |  | 3,461  | 0.0  | 1,363  | 0.0
Romanians |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,491  | 0.0  | 1,088  | 0.0
Tatars | 6,430  | 0.1  | 5,963  | 0.1  |  |  | 4,515  | 0.1  | 1,803  | 0.0
Gagauzes |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,478  | 0.0  | 540  | 0.0
Others  |  |  | 25,131  | 0.3  |  |  | 23,542  | 0.3  | 12,342  | 0.2
Undeclared  | 0  |  | 0  |  |  |  | 8,481  | 0.1  | 62,108  | 0.8
Unshown  | 0  |  | 0  |  |  |  | 0  |  | 24,807  | 0.3
Total  | 8,227,966  | 8,727,771  | 8,948,649  | 8,487,317  | 7,932,984

1No data collected about ethnic group in 1985 census.

2 There are strong indications that the number of ethnic Romani in the 1965 and 1975 census was manipulated.

3 Note that the distinction between Sarakatsani and Greeks, and between Vlachs and both Aromanians and Romanians, is fluid. Sarakatsani were counted as Greeks in the 1900, 1920, 1926, 1934, and 1965 censuses.

Population of Bulgaria according to ethnic group 2011-2021 Ethnic group  | census 2011[50] | census 2021[57][58]

|
|

Number  | %  | (%)1 | Number  | %  | (%)1
Bulgarians[50] | 5,664,624  | 76.92  | (85.47) | 5,118,494  | 78.51  | (85.70)
Turks[50] | 588,318  | 7.99  | (8.88) | 508,378  | 7.80  | (8.51)
Roma[50] | 325,343  | 4.42  | (4.91) | 266,720  | 4.09  | (4.47)
Russians | 9,978  | 0.14  | (0.15) | 14,218  | 0.22  | (0.24)
Armenians | 6,552  | 0.09  | (0.10) | 5,306  | 0.08  | (0.09)
"Vlachs"  | 3,684  | 0.05  | (0.06) | 1,643  | 0.03  | (0.03)
Sarakatsani | 2,556  | 0.03  | (0.04) | 2,071  | 0.03  | (0.03)
Ukrainians | 1,789  | 0.02  | (0.03) | 3,239  | 0.05  | (0.05)
Macedonians | 1,654  | 0.02  | (0.02) | 1,143  | 0.02  | (0.02)
Greeks | 1,379  | 0.02  | (0.02) | 1,625  | 0.02  | (0.02)
Jews | 1,162  | 0.02  | (0.02) | 1,153  | 0.02  | (0.02)
Romanians | 891  | 0.01  | (0.01) | 683  | 0.01  | (0.01)
Tatars |  |  |  | 1,129  | 0.2  | (0.02)
Gagauzes | 40  | 0.0  | (0.00) |  |  |
Others  | 19,659  | 0.27  | (0.30) | 46,7962 | 0.62  | (0.78)
Undeclared  | 736,981  | 10.00  | \-  | 79,513  | 1.22  | \-
No return/Data borrowed
from administrative sources  | \-  | \-  | \-  | 467,678  | 7.1  | \-
Total  | 7,364,570  | 6,519,789
1 Percentages in parentheses are calculated only based on the number of people who answered the ethnicity question (6,680,980 for 2011 and 6,052,111 for 2021) and do not cover people whose data has been collected from administrative databases.
2Includes, among other things, 2,894 Englishmen, 865 Italians, 824 Poles, etc. etc.

The following table shows the ethnic composition of all Provinces of Bulgaria according to the 2021 census:

Ethnic Affiliation in Bulgaria by Province in 2021[57][59] Province | Bulgarian  | Turkish  | Romani  | Other  | Undeclared  | Unknown1, 2 | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %
Blagoevgrad Province | 236,951 | 81.9 | 14,028 | 4.8 | 12,138 | 4.2 | 11,197 | 3.8 | 3,768 | 1.3 | 13,965 | 4.8 | 292,227 | 100.0
Burgas Province | 280,388 | 73.7 | 47,286 | 12.4 | 14,893 | 3.9 | 5,992 | 1.6 | 5,805 | 1.5 | 25,922 | 6.8 | 380,286 | 100.0
Dobrich Province | 109,041 | 72.6 | 18,835 | 12.5 | 10,118 | 6.8 | 2,035 | 1.4 | 1,304 | 1.3 | 8,813 | 5.9 | 150,146 | 100.0
Gabrovo Province | 89,394 | 90.9 | 4,723 | 4.8 | 792 | 0.8 | 735 | 0.7 | 1,068 | 1.1 | 1,675 | 1.9 | 98,387 | 100.0
Haskovo Province | 154,088 | 72.8 | 25,555 | 12.1 | 12,572 | 5.9 | 1,764 | 0.8 | 2,254 | 1.1 | 15,332 | 7.2 | 211,565 | 100.0
Kardzhali Province | 37,383 | 26.5 | 83,280 | 59.0 | 1,354 | 1.0 | 2,130 | 1.5 | 4,909 | 3.5 | 12,121 | 8.6 | 141,177 | 100.0
Kyustendil Province | 101,735 | 91.0 | 56 | 0.0 | 6,555 | 5.9 | 329 | 0.3 | 509 | 0.5 | 2,552 | 2.3 | 111,736 | 100.0
Lovech Province | 103,484 | 88.9 | 2,789 | 2.4 | 4,999 | 4.3 | 407 | 0.3 | 2,202 | 1.9 | 2,513 | 2.2 | 116,394 | 100.0
Montana Province | 99,539 | 83.0 | 136 | 0.1 | 13,130 | 10.9 | 381 | 0.3 | 984 | 0.8 | 5,780 | 4.8 | 119,950 | 100.0
Pazardzhik Province | 184,677 | 80.4 | 6,782 | 3.0 | 14,320 | 6.2 | 4,686 | 2.0 | 2,189 | 1.0 | 17,160 | 7.5 | 229,814 | 100.0
Pernik Province | 107,459 | 94.1 | 128 | 0.1 | 3,554 | 3.1 | 388 | 0.3 | 718 | 0.6 | 1,925 | 1.7 | 114,162 | 100.0
Pleven Province | 200,197 | 88.5 | 5,367 | 2.4 | 6,999 | 3.1 | 937 | 0.4 | 1,829 | 0.8 | 10,791 | 4.8 | 226,120 | 100.0
Plovdiv Province | 513,249 | 80.9 | 39,585 | 6.2 | 26,296 | 4.1 | 5,004 | 0.8 | 8,134 | 1.3 | 42,229 | 6.7 | 634,497 | 100.0
Razgrad Province | 38,873 | 37.7 | 49,318 | 47.8 | 5,806 | 5.6 | 1,957 | 1.9 | 1,915 | 1.9 | 5,363 | 5.2 | 103,223 | 100.0
Ruse Province | 148,845 | 76.9 | 23,958 | 12.4 | 7,041 | 3.6 | 2,060 | 1.1 | 2,315 | 1.2 | 9,264 | 4.8 | 193,483 | 100.0
Shumen Province | 81,907 | 54.1 | 44,263 | 29.2 | 11,268 | 7.4 | 2,118 | 1.4 | 1,872 | 1.2 | 10,037 | 6.6 | 151,465 | 100.0
Silistra Province | 51,579 | 52.8 | 34,392 | 35.7 | 5,244 | 5.4 | 694 | 0.7 | 793 | 0.8 | 5,068 | 5.2 | 97,770 | 100.0
Sliven Province | 115,607 | 66.9 | 13,217 | 7.7 | 23,918 | 13.9 | 1,861 | 1.1 | 1,691 | 1.0 | 16,396 | 9.5 | 172,690 | 100.0
Smolyan Province | 86,818 | 90.2 | 3,049 | 3.2 | 483 | 0.5 | 3,589 | 3.7 | 1,609 | 1.7 | 736 | 0.73 | 96,284 | 100.0
Sofia City | 1,058,553 | 83.1 | 5,881 | 0.5 | 13,960 | 1.1 | 13,766 | 1.1 | 16,086 | 1.2 | 166,044 | 13.0 | 1,274,290 | 100.0
Sofia Province | 204,662 | 88.2 | 342 | 0.1 | 11,380 | 4.9 | 742 | 0.3 | 1,459 | 0.6 | 13,404 | 5.8 | 231,989 | 100.0
Stara Zagora Province | 239,770 | 80.9 | 12,170 | 4.1 | 18,158 | 6.1 | 2,465 | 0.8 | 2,929 | 1.0 | 21,015 | 7.1 | 296,507 | 100.0
Targovishte Province | 46,455 | 47.3 | 34,279 | 34.9 | 5,980 | 6.1 | 2,828 | 2.9 | 2,091 | 2.1 | 6,061 | 6.2 | 98,144 | 100.0
Varna Province | 352,886 | 81.6 | 25,678 | 5.9 | 9,634 | 2.2 | 7,664 | 1.8 | 6,187 | 1.4 | 30,149 | 7.0 | 432,198 | 100.0
Veliko Tarnovo Province | 178,491 | 86.1 | 11,348 | 5.5 | 3,655 | 1.8 | 1,652 | 0.8 | 2,314 | 1.1 | 9,911 | 4.8 | 207,371 | 100.0
Vidin Province | 68,143 | 90.4 | 65 | 0.0 | 5,055 | 6.7 | 345 | 0.5 | 306 | 0.4 | 1,494 | 2.0 | 75,408 | 100.0
Vratsa Province | 137,587 | 90.0 | 424 | 0.3 | 10,132 | 6.6 | 444 | 0.3 | 1,629 | 1.1 | 2,587 | 1.7 | 152,813 | 100.0
Yambol Province | 90,733 | 82.7 | 994 | 0.9 | 7,116 | 6.5 | 836 | 0.8 | 643 | 0.6 | 9,371 | 8.5 | 109,693 | 100.0
Republic of Bulgaria | 5,118,494 | 78.5 | 508,378 | 7.8 | 266,720 | 4.1 | 79,006 | 1.2 | 79,513 | 1.2 | 467,678 | 7.2 | 6,519,789 | 100.0

1 The category pertains to citizens whose data has been collected from administrative databases.
2 The online stage of the 2021 Census was subjected to repeated DDoS attacks.[60] As a result, much fewer citizens than expected, especially in major urban areas, were able to take the online census, and the number of hired census assessors proved inadequate to ensure full census coverage in most major cities. Thus, the City of Sofia had a record-high number of no returns, 166,044, or 35.5% of the country total, despite being home to only 19.5% of the population.
3 The province with most missing returns for 2011 (21.7%), Smolyan, had record-high participation in 2021, with only 736 or 0.7% missing returns.[59]

## Languages

[edit]

Main article: Languages of Bulgaria

Distribution of the mother tongues by municipalities according to the 2011 census

Distribution of languages of Bulgaria (2001) [61]

|  |
Bulgarian |

| 84.5%
Turkish |

| 9.6%
Roma (Gypsy) |

| 4.1%
others |

| 0.9%
undeclared |

| 0.9%

Population of Bulgaria according to mother tongue 1880–1892 Mother
tongue  | census 1880[62][63] | census 1887[64] | census 1892[65]

|
|
|

Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %
Bulgarian | 1,345,507  | 67.0  | 2,326,250  | 73.7  | 2,505,326  | 75.7
Turkish/Gagauz | 527,284  | 26.3  | 607,331  | 19.3  | 569,728  | 17.2
"Vlach"  | 49,070  | 2.4  |  |  |  |
Romanian |  |  |  |  | 62,628  | 1.9
Roma | 37,600  | 1.9  | 50,291  | 1.6  | 52,132  | 1.6
Ladino | 14,020  | 0.7  |  |  | 27,531  | 0.8
Tatar | 12,376  | 0.6  |  |  | 16,290  | 0.5
Greek | 11,152  | 0.6  | 58,326  | 1.8  | 58,518  | 1.8
Armenian | 3,837  |  |  |  | 6,445  | 0.2
Serbo-Croatian | 1,894  |  |  |  |  |
Serbian |  |  |  |  | 818  |
German/Yiddish | 1,280  |  |  |  |  |
German |  |  |  |  | 3,620  |
Russian | 1,123  |  |  |  | 928  |
Albanian | 530  |  |  |  |  |
Italian | 515  |  |  |  | 803  |
Hungarian | 220  |  |  |  |  |
Czech | 174  |  |  |  |  |
French | 164  |  |  |  | 356  |
Arabic | 97  |  |  |  |  |
Polish | 92  |  |  |  |  |
English | 64  |  |  |  |  |
Circassian | 63  |  |  |  |  |
Persian | 58  |  |  |  |  |
Others  | 402  |  |  |  | 4,425  |
Unknown  |  |  |  |  | 1,165  |
Total  | 2,007,919  | 3 154 375  | 3,310,713
Territory (km2)  | 63,752  | 95,223  | 95,223

The 2001 census defines an ethnic group as a "community of people, related to each other by origin and language, and close to each other by mode of life and culture"; and one's mother tongue as "the language a person speaks best and usually uses for communication in the family (household)".[66] According to the 2011 census, among the Bulgarians 99.4% indicate Bulgarian as a mother tongue, 0.3% - Turkish/Balkan gagauz, 0.1% - Roma and 0.1% others; among Turks 96.6% have pointed the Turkish/Balkan Gagauz as a mother tongue and 3.2% - Bulgarian; among the Roma 85% indicate Roma language as a mother tongue, 7.5% - Bulgarian, 6.7% - Turkish/Balkan gagauz and 0.6% - Romanian.

## Religion

[edit]

Main article: Religion in Bulgaria

Bulgaria's traditional religion according to the constitution is the Orthodox Christianity, while Bulgaria is a secular state too. Since the last two censuses (2001 and 2011) provide widely divergent results, they are both shown in the table below. It is noteworthy that over a fifth of the population chose not to respond to this question in the 2011 census.

Religious structure of Bulgaria according to the 2011 census. Muslim areas in Bulgaria according to the 2001 census |  |

|
|

| 2001[67] | 2011[6][68]
Orthodox Christian  | 82.6%  | 59.4%
Muslim  | 12.2%  | 7.8% (7.4% Sunni; 0.4% Shia)
Catholic  | 0.6%  | 0.7%
Protestant  | 0.5%  | 0.9%
Other | 0.2%  | 0.15%
None | 3.9%  | 9.3%
No response | \-  | 21.8%

The results of the Bulgarian 2011 Census, in which the indication of answer regarding the question for confession was optional, are as follows:[69]

Group  | Population  | % of declared  | % of total

|
|
|

Orthodoxy | 4,374,135 | 76.0% | 59.4%
Undeclared | 1,606,269 | - | 21.8%
Irreligion | 682,162 | 11.8% | 9.3%
Islam | 577,139 | 10.0% | 7.8%
Protestantism | 64,476 | 1.1% | 0.9%
Roman Catholicism | 48,945 | 0.8% | 0.7%
Oriental Orthodoxy | 1,715 | 0.0% | 0.0%
Jews | 706 | 0.0% | 0.0%
Others | 9,023 | 0.2% | 0.1%
Figure of percentage | - | 5,758,301 | 7,364,570
Municipalities where the prevalence is Bulgarian Muslim according to the 2001 census

The results of the Bulgarian 2001 Census by ethnic groups, the latest census in which the indication of identification (whether by confession or as irreligious) in the question for confession was obligatory, are as follows:[70][71]

Ethnic groups
by confession  | Total  | Bulgarians | Turks | Roma | Others

|
|
|
|
|

Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %
Orthodoxy | 6,552,751  | 82.6  | 6,315,938  | 94.9  | 5,425  | 0.7  | 180,326  | 48.6  | 51,062  |
Islam | 966,978  | 12.2  | 131,531  | 2.0  | 713,024  | 95.5  | 103,436  | 27.9  | 18,987  |
Irreligion | 308,116  | 3.9  | 151,008  | 2.3  | 23,146  | 3.1  | 59,669  | 16.1  |  |
Roman Catholicism | 43,811  | 0.6  | 37,811  | 0.6  | 2,561  | 0.3  |  |  |  |
Protestantism | 42,308  | 0.5  | 14,591  | 0.2  | 2,066  | 0.3  | 24,651  | 6.6  | 1,000  |
Others  | 14,937  | 0.2  | 4,331  | 0.1  | 442  | 0.1  |  |  |  |
Total population  | 7,928,901  | 100.0  | 6,655,210  | 100.0  | 746,664  | 100.0  | 370,908  | 100.0  |  | 100.0
Population of Bulgaria according to religion 1900 - 2021  Religion  | census 1900  | census 1910  | census 1920  | census 1926  | census 1934  | census 1992  | census 2001  | census 2011  | census 2021

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %  | Number  | %
Orthodoxy | 3,019,999  | 80.6  | 3,643,918  | 84.0  | 4,062,097  | 83.8  | 4,569,074  | 83.4  | 5,128,890  | 84.4  | 7,274,592  | 85.7  | 6,552,751  | 82.6  | 4,374,135  | 59.4  | 4,091,780  | 62.8
Islam | 643,300  | 17.2  | 602,078  | 13.8  | 690,734  | 14.2  | 789,296  | 14.4  | 821,298  | 13.5  | 1,110,295  | 13.0  | 966,978  | 12.2  | 577,139  | 7.8  | 638,708  | 9.8
Protestantism | 4,524  | 0.1  | 6,335  | 0.1  | 5,617  | 0.1  | 6,735  | 0.1  | 8,371  | 0.1  | 21,878  | 0.2  | 42,308  | 0.5  | 64,476  | 0.9  | 69,852  | 1.1
Roman Catholicism | 28,569  | 0.8  | 32,150  | 0.7  | 34,072  | 0.7  | 40,347  | 0.7  | 45,704  | 0.7  | 53,074  | 0.6  | 43,811  | 0.5  | 48,945  | 0.7  | 38,709  | 0.6
Jews  | 33,663  | 0.9  | 40,067  | 0.9  | 43,232  | 0.9  | 46,431  | 0.8  | 48,398  | 0.8  | 2,580  | 0.0  |  |  | 706  | 0.0  | 1,736  | 0.0
Armenian Apostolic Church | 13,809  | 0.4  | 12,259  | 0.3  | 10,848  | 0.2  | 25,402  | 0.5  | 23,476  | 0.4  | 9,672  | 0.1  |  |  | 1,715  | 0.0  | 5,002  | 0.1
Others  | 326  | 0.0  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 14,937  | 0.2  | 9,023  | 0.1  | 6,451  | 0.1
Irreligion  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 272,264  | 3.7  | 305,102  | 4.7
Undeclared  | 93  | 0.0  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 308,116  | 3.9  | 408,989  | 5.6  | 731,841  | 11.2
Borrowed from adm. sources  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 308,116  | 3.9  | 1,606,269  | 21.8  | 616,681  | 9.5
Total  | 3,744,283  | 4,337,513  | 4,846,971  | 5,478,741  | 6,077,939  | 8,487,317  | 7,928,901  | 7,364,570  | 6,519,789

## Migration

[edit]

Main article: Immigration to Bulgaria

### Historical migration

[edit]

The first censuses of the Principality of Bulgaria and the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia in 1880 recorded 31,786 and 17,970 Bulgarian refugees from Macedonia and Ottoman Thrace, respectively, who accounted for 1.38% of the population of the Principality an 2.20% of the population of the autonomous province, respectively.[72][73][74] The census of the Principality also counted a total of 37,635 people, or 1.88% of the population, born in a country other than the Ottoman Empire, mostly Bulgarians from Romania, Northern Dobruja and Bessarabia.[72] By 1887, when the first joint census of the Principality and the autonomous province was conducted following their peaceful unification in 1885, the number of the refugees from the Ottoman Empire had grown to 54,462 people, or 1.73% of the population, while the rest of the foreign-born population had fallen to 31,637 people, 9,831 of whom born in the Russian Empire, 11,843 in Romania, 2,690 in Serbia and 7,273 elsewhere.[75]

According to the 1910 census, 300,000 or almost 10% of the ethnic Bulgarians were born in another Bulgarian municipality than the one they were enumerated in. The same data shows that the foreign-born ethnic Bulgarians numbered 78,000, or 2% of them, most numerous of whom were the 61,000 Ottoman-born, 9,000 Romanian-born and by less than 2,000 Austro-Hungarian, Serbian and Russian-born.[76] By the 1926 census, there had been 253,000 refugees with granted households and land or citizenship but with many more in towns of uncertain number. 35% came from Eastern Thrace, 30% came from Greek Macedonia, another 18% from Western Thrace, 8% from Dobruja, 4% from the Western Outlands, 3% from Asia Minor, and 2% from North Macedonia. They constituted 6% of the country's population. In 1940, 70,000 Bulgarians were exchanged from Northern Dobruja. The total number of refugees in 1878-1940 is estimated at between 700,000 and 1,200,000.[77] In 1950-1951, around 150,000 Turks left Bulgaria for Turkey, and again in 1989.

* Percentage of Bulgarians born in a different municipality of Bulgaria calculated from the total of the ethnic Bulgarians in 1910

* Percentage of foreign-born Bulgarians calculated from the total of the ethnic Bulgarians in 1910

* Percentage of Bulgarians born in Greek Macedonia and North Macedonia in 1946 calculated from the total of the ethnic Bulgarians

* Part of the Bulgarians born in East Thrace, West Thrace and Asia Minor in 1946 calculated from the total of the ethnic Bulgarians

* Part of the Bulgarians born in Northern Dobruja, Romania and Serbia in 1946 calculated from the total of the ethnic Bulgarians

* Foreign born as a part of the ethnic Bulgarians in 1946

### Current migration

[edit]

According to the 2011 census Russian citizens are the most numerous foreigners - 11 991, followed by 8 444 EU citizens (UK- 2 605, Greece - 1 253, Germany- 848, Poland - 819 and Italy - 456), citizens of Ukraine \- 3 064, North Macedonia \- 1 091, Moldova \- 893 and Serbia \- 569. 22.8% of them are from Asia, mostly from Turkey. Those with dual Bulgarian and other citizenship were 22 152, or 0.3% of the population. Of them persons with Bulgarian and Russian citizenship were 5 257 (23.7%), followed by persons with Bulgarian and Turkish citizenship - 4 282 (19.3%), Bulgarian and citizenship of the USA- 1 725 (7.8%). There are at least 17,527 Refugees of the Syrian Civil War with applications in Bulgaria. In 2001-2015 185,447 people applied for Bulgarian citizenship and 116,222 were provided with. 113,647 were granted on grounds of proven Bulgarian ancestry, including 59,968 North Macedonia citizens. 29,218 were Moldovan citizens, 5930 Ukrainians, 5374 Serbians, 5194 Russians, 3840 Israeli, 2192 Albanians, 692 Turks and others.[78] In 2016, 12,880 foreigners were naturalized, including 6196 Macedonians.[79]

Permanent foreign residents in Bulgaria by broad geographic region of origin in 2011 and 2021[80][7] Nationality  | 2011  | 2021

|
|

Number  | %  | Number  | %
Bulgarians  | 7,327,847  | 99.50%  | 6,459,248  | 99.07%
Foreigners  | 36,723  | 0.50%  | 60,541  | 0.93%
EU-27  | 8,444  | 0.11%  | 10,549  | 0.16%
Other European  | 18,413  | 0.15%  | 35,901  | 0.55%
Africa  | 429  | 0.01%  | 940  | 0.01%
Central and South America  | 338  | 0.00%  | 518  | 0.01%
North America  | 588  | 0.01%  | 776  | 0.01%
Asia  | 8,403  | 0.11%  | 10,466  | 0.16%
Oceania  | 62  | 0.00%  | 88  | 0.00%
Stateless  | 46  | 0.00%  | 1,303  | 0.02%
Total  | 7,364,570  | 6,519,789

Ten most common resident nationalities in 2011 and 2021[80][7] Nationality  | 2011  | 2021

|
|

Number  | %  | Number  | %
Russian Federation | 11,911  | 32.84%  | 17,465  | 28.85%
Ukraine | 3,064  | 8.45%  | 6,163  | 10.18%
Turkey | 2,741  | 7.56%  | 3,017  | 4.99%
United Kingdom | 2,605  | 7.09%  | 4,484  | 7.41%
Greece | 1,253  | 3.41%  | 1,631  | 2.69%
Armenia | 1,167  | 3.22%  | 1,048  | 1.73%
North Macedonia | 1,091  | 3.01%  | 1,576  | 2.60%
Germany | 848  | 2.31%  | 1,797  | 2.97%
China | 749  | 2.04%  | 1,683  | 2.78%
Syria | 729  | 2.00%  | 2,615  | 4.32%
Total  | 36,723  | 60,541

Population by country of birth:[81]

| 2011  | 2013  | 2015  | 2019[82]

|
|
|
|

Bulgaria | 7,290,666  | 7,188,273  | 7,077,389  | 6,951,482
Total foreign-born  | 78,621  | 96,113  | 123,803  | 168,516
Russia | 18,725  | 19,533  | 24,416  | 31,679
Turkey | 3,955  | 6,227  | 9,284  | 11,702
Syria | 1,250  | 1,298  | 8,318  | 14,080
Greece | 4,928  | 7,377  | 7,166  | 8,563
Ukraine | 5,877  | 6,084  | 7,039  | 10,115
Germany | 2,083  | 3,638  | 5,533  | 9,334
UK | 3,042  | 5,066  | 6,738  | 9,992
Spain | 1,558  | 4,065  | 5,240  | 7,098
Romania | 6,045  | 5,380  | 4,612  | 4,556
Italy | 1,082  | 2,261  | 2,830  | 3,790
North Macedonia | 2,426  | 2,384  | 2,742  | 3,595
USA | 1,180  | 2,023  | 2,431  | 3,153
Moldova | 1,893  | 1,996  | 2,363  | 2,990
Serbia | 2,306  | 2,246  | 2,318  | 2,879
Azerbaijan | 2,152  | 1,871  | 1,886  | 2,103
France | 562  | 1,255  | 1,781  | 2,614
Poland | 1,196  | 1,443  | 1,648  | 2,043
Armenia | 1,472  | 1,422  | 1,565  | 1,840
Kazakhstan | 970  | 1,067  | 1,515  | 2,101
Belgium | 410  | 1,009  | 1,481  | 2,199
China | 860  | 929  | 1,236  | 1,447
Czech Republic | 924  | 1,028  | 1,186  | 1,514
Austria |  |  |  | 1,512
Albania | 1,134  | 1,078  | 1,130  | 1,348
Netherlands | 298  | 735  | 1,040  | 1,522
Cyprus | 244  | 679  | 1,008  | 1,372
Unknown  | 144  | 166  | 1,006  |

Foreigners by nationality:

| 2011  | 2015

|
|

Total  | 36,723  | 65,622
Russia | 11,991  | 17,943
Turkey | 2,741  | 8,157
Syria | 729  | 7,508
Ukraine | 3,064  | 3,874
UK | 2,605  | 3,693
Unknown  |  | 2,538
Greece | 1,253  | 2,094
Stateless  |  | 1,875
North Macedonia | 1,091  | 1,289
Germany | 848  | 1,266
Armenia | 1,167  | 1,175
China | 749  | 1,147
Moldova | 893  | 1,018
Poland | 819  | 978
USA |  | 876
Italy | 456  | 815
Serbia | 569  | 813
Iraq | 706  | 806
Kazakhstan |  | 712

### Net Migration

[edit]

Bulgaria Net Migration, 2007-present  Year | Immigrants | Emigrants | Net Migration

|
|
|

2007 | 1,561 | 2,958 | -1,397
2008 | 1,236 | 2,112 | -876
2009 | 3,310 | 19,039 | -15,729
2010 | 3,518 | 27,708 | -24190
2011 | 4,722 | 9,517 | -4,795
2012 | 14,103 | 16,615 | -2,512
2013 | 18,570 | 19,678 | -1,108
2014 | 26,615 | 28,727 | -2,112
2015 | 25,223 | 29,470 | -4,247
2016 | 21,241 | 30,570 | -9,329
2017 | 25,597 | 31,586 | -5,999
2018 | 29,559 | 33,225 | -3,666
2019 | 37,929 | 39,941 | -2,012
2020 | 37,364 | 6,649 | 30,715
2021 | 39,461 | 26,755 | 12,706
2022 | 40,619 | 13,175 | 27,444
2023 | 56,807 | 15,227 | 41,580

[83]

## Age structure

[edit]

0–14 years:  13.2%
15–65 years:  68.3%
65 years and over:  18.5% (Census 2011)[6]

At the 2011 census, the largest cohort of those self-identified as Romani was the 0–9 years cohort, which accounted for 20.8% of all Romani. The same age cohort accounted for 10.2% of the Turks and 7.2% of the Bulgarians.[84] At the 2021 census, the 0–9 years cohort amongst the Romani was second largest after the 10–19 years one and represented 17.0% of all Romani.[85] The corresponding percentages for ethnic Bulgarians and ethnic Turks stood at 7.7% and 8.8%, respectively.

Ethnicity of children aged 0–9 (2011 census)[84][86]

Bulgarians (62.0%)

Romani (10.2%)

Turks (9.0%)

Other (0.5%)

Undeclared (3.4%)

Data borrowed from adm. databases (14.9%)

Ethnicity of children aged 0–9 (2021 census)[85]

Bulgarians (66.4%)

Romani (7.7%)

Turks (7.5%)

Other (0.7%)

Undeclared (2.0%)

Data borrowed from adm. databases (15.6%)

Ethnicity of children aged 0–9 per province (% from the declared)

Province | Ethnicity  | Ethnicity  | Ethnicity
| Bulgarian | Turkish | Roma
Bulgaria | 72.9%  |  10.6%  | 12.0%
Blagoevgrad Province | 80.9% | 7.3% | 7.8%
Burgas Province | 68.5% | 16.2% | 9.7%
Dobrich Province | 56.9% | 17.1% | 18.9%
Gabrovo Province | 85.0% | 8.2% | 3.8%
Haskovo Province | 62.7% | 16.5% | 16.7%
Kardzhali Province | 23.8% | 67.8% | 2.7%
Kyustendil Province | 79.4% | 0.0% | 16.1%
Lovech Province | 78.0% | 3.6% | 14.8%
Montana Province | 66.8% | 0.1% | 29.0%
Pazardzhik Province | 67.3% | 8.7% | 16.7%
Pernik Province | 90.3% | 0.1% | 7.5%
Pleven Province | 78.5% | 4.4% | 13.5%
Plovdiv Province | 74.1% | 9.3% | 11.9%
Razgrad Province | 33.9% | 50.0% | 10.2%
Ruse Province | 72.2% | 15.1% | 8.9%
Shumen Province | 45.5% | 31.5% | 17.6%
Silistra Province | 38.2% | 43.1% | 14.4%
Sliven Province | 55.0% | 11.6% | 28.3%
Smolyan Province | 87.6% | 5.0% | 1.9%
Sofia City | 92.2% | 0.5% | 3.6%
Sofia Province | 77.1% | 0.2% | 18.8%
Stara Zagora Province | 68.3% | 7.3% | 19.9%
Targovishte Province | 39.6% | 38.0% | 15.5%
Varna Province | 79.2% | 8.9% | 7.0%
Veliko Tarnovo Province | 79.9% | 11.0% | 4.4%
Vidin Province | 74.3% | 0.1% | 20.6%
Vratsa Province | 80.3% | 0.4% | 15.6%
Yambol Province | 62.4% | 5.8% | 26.7%
Source (2011 census):[50]

Bulgarian children constitute the majority of all children in 23 out of 28 provinces. They constitute more than ninety percent of all children in two provinces: Sofia (city) (92%) and Pernik Province (90%).

Turkish children constitute the majority in Kardzhali Province (68% of self-declared) and Razgrad Province (50% of self-declared); they also constitute the largest group of all children in Silistra Province (43%).

Roma children constitute 12% of all children in Bulgaria and more than a quarter in three provinces: Montana (29%), Sliven (28%) and Yambol (27%).

Bulgaria is ageing rapidly, especially in some remote rural areas.

Age Structure (2011)

Under working age (0 – 17)  | Working age (18 – 64)  | Above working age (65 and over)
1 172 208 (16.0%)  | 4 789 967 (65.1%)  | 1 389 059 (18.9%)
Age Structure (2017)[87]
Under working age (0 – 17)  | Working age (18 – 64)  | Above working age (65 and over)
1 065 993 (15.1%)  | 4 248 503 (60.3%)  | 1 735 538 (24.6%)

The ageing of the population leads to an increase of the median age. The median age is 43.6 as of 2017, up from 40.4 years in 2001.[88]

## Education

[edit]

Main article: Education in Bulgaria

Map of Romani students in schools in Bulgaria

Chart of completed degrees by ethnic groups in Bulgaria

Over 98% of the population is literate, the males being more literate than the females.

According to the 2011 census, about 112,778 people aged nine or more are illiterate. There are considerable differences in the share of illiterate persons amongst the three main ethnic groups. Amongst the Bulgarian ethnic group the share of illiterate is 0.5%, amongst the Turkish - 4.7% and amongst the Roma ethnic group - 11.8%.[89] About 81 thousand people aged seven or more never visited school.[90]

## Unemployment

[edit]

Chart of unemployment and poverty rate by ethnic groups

The number of unemployed people declined from 207000 people (or around 6.2% of the population) in 2017[91] to 156 657 in November 2023. The unemployment rate stood at 4.3 per cent in November 2023 according to Eurostat.[92]

Most unemployed people are aged 15 to 24 years old.

The unemployment rate in rural areas (around 10.0%) is nearly two times higher than the unemployment rate in urban areas (approximately 5.1%).

Vidin Province has the highest unemployment rate with almost one fifth of its labour force being unemployed. The provinces of Shumen (15.9%), Silistra (12.5%) and Targovishte (12.4%) also have very high unemployment rates.

## Other statistics

[edit]

### Home ownership

[edit]

According to Eurostat, 82.3% per cent of the population live in privately owned and owner-occupied homes, ranking it as 12th highest in ownership globally.[93] It is down from a recent peak of 87.6% in 2008, and has been steadily falling since.[93]

### Internet penetration

[edit]

The number of Internet users has increased rapidly since 2000—from 430,000 their number grew to 1.55 million in 2004, and 3.4 million (48 per cent penetration rate) in 2010.[94] Bulgaria has the third-fastest average Broadband Internet speed in the world after South Korea and Romania with an average speed of 1,611 kbit/s.[95][96]

### Mobile phone adoption

[edit]

Currently there are three active mobile phone operators—Mtel, Telenor and Vivacom, Mtel is the largest one with 5.2 million users as of 2010,[97] Telenor has 3,9 million as of 2007 and Vivacom over 1 million[citation needed].

### HIV

[edit]

Bulgaria's HIV rate is among the lowest in the world, being 0.1% or 3,800 infected as of 2009.[citation needed]

## Urbanization

[edit]

See also: List of cities and towns in Bulgaria

Most Bulgarians (72.5 per cent) reside in urban areas. Approximately one-sixth of them live in Sofia, which has a population exceeding 1,200,000 people.

Urban population:  5,338,261 or 72.5% of total population (Census 2011)[6]
Rural: 2,026,309 or 27.5%
Rate of urbanization: -0.3% annual rate of change (2005–10 est.)

## See also

[edit]

* Immigration to Bulgaria
* Immigration to Europe
* List of countries by immigrant population
* Bulgaria
* Ageing of Europe

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ In fertility rates, 2.1 and above is a stable population and has been marked blue, 2 and below leads to an aging population and the result is that the population decreases.

## References

[edit]

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## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Demographics of Bulgaria.

* 2005 Report on European Demography, Eurostat
* Annual report of the National Statistics Institute for 2005 regarding population and demographic processes
* Urbanization,1910-1946
* Bulgarian Subject Files – Social Issues: Minorities, Blinken Open Society Archives, Budapest
* Bulgarians – Species on the Brink

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Demographics of Europe

Sovereign states|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Georgia
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
*   * Italy
* Kazakhstan
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* England
* Northern Ireland
* Scotland
* Wales
* Vatican City

States with limited
recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* South Ossetia
* Transnistria

Dependencies and
other entities|

* Åland
* Faroe Islands
* Gibraltar
* Guernsey
* Isle of Man
* Jersey
* Svalbard

Other entities|

* European Union

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Bulgaria articles

History|

* Odrysian kingdom
* Old Great Bulgaria
* First Bulgarian Empire
* Second Bulgarian Empire
* Ottoman period
* Principality
* Tsardom
* People's Republic
* Bulgaria since 1990

Geography|

* Balkan Mountains
* Balkan Peninsula
* Black Sea coast
* Cities and towns
* Earthquakes
* Islands
* Provinces
* Pirin
* Rila
* Rivers
* Rhodope Mountains
* Sredna Gora
* Villages

Politics|

* Constitution
* Elections
* Foreign relations
* Government
* Human rights
* LGBT
* Law
* enforcement
* Armed Forces
* Chief of the Defence
* National Assembly
* Chairperson
* Political parties
* President
* Prime Minister

Economy|

* Agriculture
* Economic statistics
* Energy
* Industry
* Lev (currency)
* National bank
* Science and technology
* Stock Exchange
* Tourism
* Transport

Society|

* Crime
* Education
* Health
* Languages
* People
* Demographics
* Religion

Culture|

* Media
* Cinema
* Coat of arms
* Cuisine
* wine
* Customs
* Dances
* Language
* Literature
* Music
* Public holidays
* Sports
* World Heritage Sites

* Outline

* Category
* Portal

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Ethnic groups in Bulgaria

according to 2011 census data

* Bulgarians (5,664,624)

* minorities: Turks (588,318)
* Romani (325,343)
* Russians (9,978)
* Armenians (6,552)
* "Vlachs" (Aromanians and Romanians; 3,684 "Vlachs", 891 Romanians)
* Sarakatsani (2,556)
* Ukrainians (1,789)
* Macedonians (1,654)
* Greeks (1,379)
* Jews (1,162)
* Others (19,659)
* Does not self-identify (53,391)

*[Pop.]: Population
*[±% p.a.]: Per annum growth rate
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