CapitalSofia
Population6,737,997
Area110,879 km²
GDP per capita$34,100
LanguagesBulgarian, Turkish, Romani, other, unspecified
Currencyleva
Life Expectancy76.1 yr
Governmentparliamentary republic
Introduction
Background
The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century, the Ottoman Turks overran the country. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878, and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004, the EU in 2007, and the Schengen Area for air and sea travel in 2024.
Geography
Area
land
108,489 sq km
water
2,390 sq km
total
110,879 sq km
Climate
temperate; winters that are cold and damp; summers that are hot and dry
Terrain
predominantly mountainous with low-lying areas in the northern and southeastern regions
Land use
other
17.7% (2023 est.)
forest
36.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
46.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 32.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 1.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 12.7% (2023 est.)
Location
Located in Southeastern Europe, adjacent to the Black Sea, nestled between Romania and Turkey
Coastline
354 km
Elevation
lowest point
Black Sea 0 m
highest point
Musala 2,925 m
mean elevation
472 m
Irrigated land
929 sq km (2016)
Map references
Europe
Land boundaries
total
1,806 km
border countries
Greece 472 km; Macedonia 162 km; Romania 605 km; Serbia 344 km; Turkey 223 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
24 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
earthquakes; landslides
Geography - note
strategically positioned near the Turkish Straits; oversees crucial land routes connecting Europe to the Middle East and Asia
Natural resources
bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, cultivable land
Area - comparative
virtually the same size as Virginia; marginally larger than Tennessee
Geographic coordinates
43 00 N, 25 00 E
Population distribution
generally a uniform population distribution across much of the country, with urban centers drawing larger numbers of inhabitants
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage
(Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
People & Society
Languages
Languages
Bulgarian (official) 77.3%, Turkish 7.9%, Romani 3.5%, other 1%, unspecified 10.4% (2021 estimate)
major-language sample(s)
Светoвен Алманах, незаменимият източник за основна информация. (Bulgarian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Christian 64.7%, Muslim 9.8%, other 0.1%, none 4.7%, unspecified 20.7% (2021 estimate)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.04 male(s)/female
total population
0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.67 male(s)/female
Birth rate
7.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
14.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
43.3 years
total
45.5 years (2025 est.)
female
47 years
Population
male
3,281,215
total
6,737,997 (2025 est.)
female
3,456,782
Nationality
noun
Bulgarian(s)
adjective
Bulgarian
Tobacco use
male
36.2% (2025 est.)
total
33.1% (2025 est.)
female
30.3% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
76.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
-0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
13.8% (male 479,586/female 453,423)
15-64 years
65.2% (male 2,250,962/female 2,171,279)
65 years and over
21% (2024 est.) (male 572,943/female 854,466)
Ethnic groups
Bulgarian 78.5%, Turkish 7.8%, Roma 4.1%, other 1.2%, unspecified 9.4% (2021 estimate)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
53.3 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
20.7 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
3.1 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
32.7 (2025 est.)
Physician density
4.33 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
8.6% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
11.6% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
7.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.52 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 97.3% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 2.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
4.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
12% national budget (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
8.7 deaths/1,000 live births
total
7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
6.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
-0.66% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.74 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
a relatively uniform distribution across the majority of the nation, with urban regions drawing in larger populations
Life expectancy at birth
male
72.9 years
female
79.4 years
total population
76.1 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
4.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
1.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
11.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
4.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.288 million SOFIA (capital) (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
25% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
26.4 years (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
56.6% (2023 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
1.6% (2014)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
15 years (2023 est.)
total
15 years (2023 est.)
female
16 years (2023 est.)
Environment
Climate
temperate climate characterized by cold, wet winters and hot, arid summers
Land use
other
17.7% (2023 est.)
forest
36.2% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
46.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 32.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 1.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 12.7% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
76.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
-0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
2.859 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
29.8% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
atmospheric contamination due to industrial discharges; waterways contaminated with untreated sewage, heavy metals, and detergents; deforestation; degradation of forests caused by air pollution and acid precipitation; soil pollution from heavy metals resulting from metallurgical facilities and industrial byproducts
Total water withdrawal
municipal
838 million cubic meters (2022)
industrial
3.879 billion cubic meters (2022)
agricultural
726.434 million cubic meters (2022)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
33.465 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas
5.021 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
14.486 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
13.958 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
18.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
21.3 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Government
Flag
description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red
meaning: white symbolizes peace, love, and freedom; green represents the nation’s agricultural richness; red signifies the struggle for independence and military valor
history: initially adopted in 1879 as a modified version of the Russian tricolor, substituting green for blue; the communist emblem was incorporated into the flag in various iterations from 1948 until its removal post the communist regime's fall in 1990
Capital
name
Sofia
etymology
derived from the Church of Saint Sofia located in the city, with parts potentially tracing back to the 4th century
time difference
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, commencing on the last Sunday in March and concluding on the last Sunday in October
geographic coordinates
42 41 N, 23 19 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Bulgaria
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
several previous constitutions; the most recent was drafted between late 1990 and early 1991, and adopted on 13 July 1991
amendment process
proposed by either the National Assembly or the president of the republic; enactment necessitates a three-fourths majority vote from National Assembly members across three ballots; the National Assembly chairperson must sign it; note - in exceptional circumstances, a "Grand National Assembly" can be elected with the authority to draft a new constitution and amend specific articles, including those concerning fundamental civil rights and national sovereignty; passage requires a minimum two-thirds majority vote in multiple readings
Country name
former
Kingdom of Bulgaria, People's Republic of Bulgaria
etymology
named for the Bulgar tribes that settled the lower Balkan region during the 7th century A.D.; the tribal name may derive from the Turkic term bulga, meaning "mixed," which refers to the combination of Turkic and Slavic ethnicities within the tribes
local long form
Republika Bulgaria
local short form
Bulgaria
conventional long form
Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form
Bulgaria
Independence
3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
Legal system
civil law
Government type
parliamentary republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
the Supreme Court of Cassation is composed of a chairman and around 72 judges divided into penal, civil, and commercial colleges; the Supreme Administrative Court is organized into 2 colleges with various panels of 5 judges each; the Constitutional Court includes 12 justices and operates independently of the judiciary
subordinate courts
appeals courts; regional and district courts; administrative courts; military courts
judge selection and term of office
judges of the Supreme Court of Cassation and Supreme Administrative Court are elected by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), which consists of 25 members with significant legal expertise, and appointed by the president; judges serve until they reach the mandatory retirement age of 65; justices of the Constitutional Court are elected by the National Assembly and appointed by both the president and the SJC; justices hold their positions for 9-year terms, with 4 justices renewed every 3 years
Executive branch
cabinet
the Council of Ministers is nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly
chief of state
President Rumen RADEV (since 22 January 2017)
election results
2021: Rumen RADEV was reelected president in the second round; first round vote percentage - Rumen RADEV (independent) 49.4%, Anastas GERDZHIKOV (independent) 22.8%, Mustafa KARADAYI (DPS) 11.6%, Kostadin KOSTADINOV (Revival) 3.9%, Lozan PANOV (independent) 3.7%, other 8.6%; second round vote percentage - Rumen RADEV 66.7%, Anastas GERDZHIKOV 31.8%, neither 1.5%
2016: Rumen RADEV was elected president in the second round; vote percentages - Rumen RADEV (independent, supported by the Bulgarian Socialist Party) 59.4%, Tsetska TSACHEVA (GERB) 36.2%, neither 4.5%
head of government
Prime Minister Rosen ZHELYAZKOV (since 16 January 2025)
most recent election date
14 and 21 November 2021
election/appointment process
the president and vice president are elected on the same ballot by a popular vote requiring an absolute majority in 2 rounds, if necessary, for a 5-year term (eligible for re-election); the chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) is elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers are nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly
expected date of next election
fall 2026
National holiday
Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
National color(s)
white, green, red
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
10 (7 cultural, 3 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Boyana Church (c); Madara Rider (c); Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (c); Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo (c); Rila Monastery (c); Ancient City of Nessebar (c); Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari (c); Srebarna Nature Reserve (n); Pirin National Park (n); Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n)
Political parties
BSP for Bulgaria (electoral alliance of BSP, PKT, Ecoglasnost)
Bulgarian Rise or BV
Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP
Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB (alliance with SDS)
Democratic Bulgaria or DB (electoral alliance of Yes! Bulgaria, DSB, and The Greens)
Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB
Ecoglasnost
Green Movement or The Greens
Movement for Rights and Freedoms or DPS
Political Club Thrace or PKT
Revival
Stand Up.BG or IS.BG
There is Such a People or ITN
Union of Democratic Forces or SDS (alliance with GERB)
Yes! Bulgaria
We Continue the Change or PP
We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria or PP-DB (electoral alliance of PP, DB, Yes! Bulgaria)
Legislative branch
term in office
4 years
number of seats
240 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
National Assembly (Narodno sabranie)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
10/27/2024
expected date of next election
October 2028
percentage of women in chamber
25%
parties elected and seats per party
Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria Party (GERB) - Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) (66); We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (36); Revival (Vuzrazhdane) (33); Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) - New Beginning (29); Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) - United Left (19); Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (APS) (19); There is Such a People (PP-ITN) (17); Other (21)
National anthem(s)
title
“Mila Rodino” (Dear Homeland)
history
adopted in 1964; composed in 1885 by a student who was on his way to fight in the Serbo-Bulgarian War
lyrics/music
Tsvetan RADOSLAVOV
National symbol(s)
lion
National coat of arms
Bulgaria’s coat of arms, featuring the national colors of white, green, and red, was adopted in 1997; the three lions symbolize national strength, bravery, and leadership, and were utilized during the liberation movement of the 1870s and the early 20th century kingdom period; positioned above the shield is Bulgaria's crown (originally the crown of the medieval Bulgarian tsars) topped with a gold cross; a white scroll above the oak branches displays the Bulgarian national motto, “United we stand strong”
Administrative divisions
28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Haskovo, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Sofia-Grad (Sofia City), Stara Zagora, Targovishte, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 234-7973
chancery
1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 387 5770
chief of mission
Ambassador (currently vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Stefka YOVCHEVA (in position since 7 May 2025)
consulate(s) general
Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
email address and website
[email protected]
https://www.bulgaria-embassy.org/en/homepage/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[359] (2) 937-5209
embassy
16, Kozyak Street, Sofia 1408
telephone
[359] (2) 937-5100
mailing address
5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
chief of mission
Ambassador (currently vacant); Chargé d'Affaires H. Martin McDOWELL (in position since May 2025)
email address and website
[email protected]
https://bg.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
International law organization participation
acknowledges compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with conditions; acknowledges ICCt jurisdiction
Economy
Budget
revenues
$35.615 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures
$37.546 billion (2023 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$63.246 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$63.415 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$62.661 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$62.261 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$59.158 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$60.029 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, automotive parts, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel; outsourcing centers
Labor force
3.124 million (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2023
30.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
2.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
2.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
2.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
leva (BGN) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
1.716 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
1.654 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
1.86 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
1.809 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
1.808 (2024 est.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2022
$14.277 billion (2022 est.)
Economic overview
upper-middle-income EU economy; currency is pegged to the euro, with pending accession to the eurozone; decreasing energy prices are contributing to a reduction in the inflation rate; EU structural funds are aiding in the recovery of investments; labor shortages are being exacerbated by emigration and an aging demographic
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
4.3% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
4.4% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
4.2% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
Germany 14%, Romania 11%, Italy 8%, Greece 6%, Turkey 5% (2023)
Imports - partners
Germany 12%, Turkey 8%, Romania 8%, Russia 7%, Italy 6% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$32,400 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$33,100 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$34,100 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
4% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
1.9% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
2.8% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, barley, milk, rapeseed, grapes, potatoes, triticale, tomatoes (2023)
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, garments, refined copper, wheat, natural gas (2023)
Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, copper ore, cars, packaged medicine, electricity (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
-$2.43 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
-$894.86 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
-$2.014 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
20.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$112.212 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
57.6% (2024 est.)
government consumption
19.7% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories
2.5% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital
17.9% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services
55.8% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services
-53.5% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
20.6% (2022 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food
20.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco
4.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
15.3% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
9.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
2.4% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
1.9% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$209.683 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$213.64 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$219.645 billion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
12.4% (2024 est.)
total
12.1% (2024 est.)
female
11.8% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$40.989 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$46.334 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$43.698 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
22.5% (2024 est.)
services
62.6% (2024 est.)
agriculture
2.1% (2024 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
2.1% (2022 est.)
highest 10%
30.1% (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022
38.2 (2022 est.)
Energy
Coal
exports
1.091 million metric tons (2023 est.)
imports
753,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
production
20.97 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption
20.557 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves
2.174 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production
4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves
15 million barrels (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption
101,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
exports
7.748 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports
4.415 billion kWh (2023 est.)
consumption
34.221 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
12.939 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
1.972 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural gas
exports
2.75 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
imports
2.544 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
production
10.444 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption
2.607 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves
5.663 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors
2 (2025)
Percent of total electricity production
40.3% (2023 est.)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
2.01GW (2025 est.)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down
4 (2025)
Electricity access
electrification - rural areas
99.6%
electrification - urban areas
100%
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
102.171 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
wind
4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear
40.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
35.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
7.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste
4.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
80% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
There are 4 national terrestrial television channels, comprising 1 state-owned station and 3 privately owned ones; a wide selection of television stations is accessible through cable and satellite television services; the state-owned national radio operates across 3 networks; a significant number of private radio stations exist, particularly in metropolitan regions.
Internet country code
.bg
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
552,000 (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
8 (2024 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
7.98 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
118 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
2.45 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
36 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
1
small
1
medium
0
key ports
Burgas, Varna
very small
0
total ports
2 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
2
Airports
107 (2025)
Railways
total
4,029 km (2020) 2,871 km electrified
Heliports
8 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
78 (2023)
by type
2 bulk carriers, 13 general cargo ships, 8 oil tankers, and 55 others
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
LZ
Military & Security
Military - note
The Bulgarian Armed Forces are tasked with ensuring the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Bulgaria, providing assistance to international peace and security initiatives, and enhancing national security during peacetime. This includes responding to emergencies and aiding in border security. The military engages in regular training exercises, including multinational drills with regional allies and NATO, with which Bulgaria has been affiliated since its accession in 2004. It also takes part in international peacekeeping and security operations under the auspices of the EU, NATO, and the UN. In 2022, Bulgaria initiated and took command of a NATO multinational battlegroup to strengthen NATO's defenses in Eastern Europe in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, in 2021, Bulgaria endorsed a decade-long defense development program that proposed upgrades and acquisitions for military equipment, increases in personnel, organizational transformations, and a heightened emphasis on areas such as cyber defense, communications, logistics, and research and development.
Since its founding in 1878, the Bulgarian military has been involved in numerous notable conflicts, including the Serbo-Bulgarian War (1885), the First Balkan War (1912-13), the Second Balkan War (1913), World War I (1915-1918), and World War II (1941-45). During the Cold War, it stood as one of the largest militaries in the Warsaw Pact, maintaining over 150,000 personnel and possessing more than 200 Soviet-made combat aircraft (2025).
Military deployments
160 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2025)
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2021
1.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
1.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024
2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2025
2.1% of GDP (2025 est.)
Military and security forces
Bulgarian Armed Forces (also referred to as the Bulgarian Army): Land Forces, Air Force, Navy
Ministry of Interior: General Directorate National Police (GDNP), General Directorate Border Police (GDBP), Special Unit for Combating Terrorism (SOBT) (2025)
Military service age and obligation
Voluntary service is available to individuals at the age of 18, for both men and women (2025).
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The military's arsenal is predominantly composed of Soviet-era weaponry, although in recent years, Bulgaria has acquired some modern Western armaments to enhance its capabilities and achieve interoperability with NATO forces (2025).
Military and security service personnel strengths
Roughly 28,000 personnel in active duty within the Armed Forces (2025).
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees
114,728 (2024 est.)
stateless persons
862 (2024 est.)
Space
Space agency/agencies
The Space Research and Technology Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (SRTI-BAS), established in 1987, traces its roots back to the Central Laboratory for Space Research and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency, which were founded in 1969 (2025)
Space program overview
possesses an extensive history of involvement in space endeavors dating back to the 1960s; engages in the development, production, and operation of satellites; conducts research and develops additional space technologies encompassing fields such as astrophysics, remote sensing, data utilization, optics, and electronics; has focused on manufacturing scientific instruments for space exploration; operates more than 20 research institutes; has been a Cooperating State of the ESA since 2015; collaborates with numerous international space agencies and commercial organizations, including those from the ESA, the EU, individual ESA and EU member countries, India, Japan, Russia, and the United States (2025)
Key space-program milestones
1960s-1990s - was involved in the Soviet Interkosmos program, which featured the first Bulgarian astronaut in space (1979), the inaugural domestically manufactured scientific satellite launched via a Soviet rocket (1981), and participation in the Soviet VEGA initiative (1985)
2017 - launched BulgariaSat-1, the first communications satellite constructed and launched by the US
2019 - saw the launch of EnduroSat-1, the first domestically produced data/educational cube satellite, by the US
2023 - entered into the US-led Artemis Accords, which define principles for collaboration in space exploration
2025 - witnessed the launch of Balkan-1, a domestically created multispectral remote sensing satellite, by the US as part of the EU's Copernicus Earth observation initiative
