Bulgaria — Country profile

Europe

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.

Economy

Budget: revenues:
$35.615 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures:
$37.546 billion (2023 est.)
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Exports: Exports 2022:
$63.246 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023:
$63.415 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024:
$62.661 billion (2024 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports: Imports 2022:
$62.261 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023:
$59.158 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024:
$60.029 billion (2024 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
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.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Public debt: Public debt 2023:
30.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
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.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
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.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Economic overview: upper-middle-income EU economy; currency pegged to the euro, with eurozone accession pending; declining energy prices helping lower inflation rate; EU structural funds contributing to investment recovery; skilled labor shortage driven by emigration and aging population
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022:
4.3% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023:
4.4% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024:
4.2% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Exports - partners: Germany 14%, Romania 11%, Italy 8%, Greece 6%, Turkey 5% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners: Germany 12%, Turkey 8%, Romania 8%, Russia 7%, Italy 6% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
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.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
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.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Agricultural products: wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, barley, milk, rapeseed, grapes, potatoes, triticale, tomatoes (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Exports - commodities: refined petroleum, garments, refined copper, wheat, natural gas (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, copper ore, cars, packaged medicine, electricity (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
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.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues: 20.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
GDP (official exchange rate): $112.212 billion (2024 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
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.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Population below poverty line: 20.6% (2022 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
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.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (2024 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
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.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male:
12.4% (2024 est.)
total:
12.1% (2024 est.)
female:
11.8% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
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.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry:
22.5% (2024 est.)
services:
62.6% (2024 est.)
agriculture:
2.1% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%:
2.1% (2022 est.)
highest 10%:
30.1% (2022 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022:
38.2 (2022 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

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.)

More about Bulgaria

People and Society

Languages: Languages:
Bulgarian (official) 77.3%, Turkish 7.9%, Romani 3.5%, other 1%, unspecified 10.4% (2021 est.)
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 est.)
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 est.)
note: Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 9–11% of Bulgaria's population
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 fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting 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.)

Government

Flag: description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red

meaning: white stands for peace, love, and freedom; green for the country's agricultural wealth; red for the independence struggle and military courage

history: originally adopted in 1879 as a modified version of the Russian tricolor flag, using green instead of blue; the communist coat of arms was added to the flag in various forms between 1948 and 1990, when it was removed after the communist government collapsed
Capital: name:
Sofia
etymology:
named after the Church of Saint Sofia in the city, parts of which may date to the 4th century
time difference:
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends 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; latest drafted between late 1990 and early 1991, adopted 13 July 1991
amendment process:
proposed by the National Assembly or by the president of the republic; passage requires three-fourths majority vote of National Assembly members in three ballots; signed by the National Assembly chairperson; note - under special circumstances, a "Grand National Assembly" is elected with the authority to write a new constitution and amend certain articles of the constitution, including those affecting basic civil rights and national sovereignty; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in each of several readings
Country name: former:
Kingdom of Bulgaria, People's Republic of Bulgaria
etymology:
named after the Bulgar tribes who settled the lower Balkan region in the 7th century A.D.; the tribal name may come from the Turkic word bulga, or "mixed," referring to the blend of Turkic and Slavic ethnicities in the tribes
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):
Supreme Court of Cassation consists of a chairman and approximately 72 judges organized into penal, civil, and commercial colleges; Supreme Administrative Court is organized into 2 colleges with various panels of 5 judges each; Constitutional Court consists of 12 justices) and resides outside the judiciary
subordinate courts:
appeals courts; regional and district courts; administrative courts; courts martial
judge selection and term of office:
Supreme Court of Cassation and Supreme Administrative judges elected by the Supreme Judicial Council or SJC (consists of 25 members with extensive legal experience) and appointed by the president; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court justices elected by the National Assembly and appointed by the president and the SJC; justices appointed for 9-year terms with renewal of 4 justices every 3 years
Executive branch: cabinet:
Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assembly
chief of state:
President Rumen RADEV (since 22 January 2017)
election results:

2021: Rumen RADEV reelected president in second round; percent of vote in the first round - 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%; percent of vote in the second round - Rumen RADEV 66.7%, Anastas GERDZHIKOV 31.8%, neither 1.5%

2016: Rumen RADEV elected president in second round; percent of vote - Rumen RADEV (independent, supported by 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:
president and vice president elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister, 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 1964; composed in 1885 by a student en route to fight in the Serbo-Bulgarian War
lyrics/music:
Tsvetan RADOSLAVOV
National symbol(s): lion
National coat of arms: Bulgaria’s coat of arms in the national colors of white, green, and red was adopted in 1997; the three lions are a national symbol for strength, courage, and leadership that was used during the country’s liberation movement in the 1870s and the kingdom period in the early 20th century; above the shield is the crown of Bulgaria (originally the crown of the medieval Bulgarian tsars) with a gold cross on top; a white scroll over the oak branches bears 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 (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Stefka YOVCHEVA (since 7 May 2025)
consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
email address and website:

office@bulgaria-embassy.org

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 (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires H. Martin McDOWELL (since May 2025)
email address and website:

acs_sofia@state.gov

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: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Communications

Internet users: percent of population:
80% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media: 4 national terrestrial TV stations with 1 state-owned and 3 privately owned; a vast array of TV stations are available from cable and satellite TV providers; state-owned national radio broadcasts over 3 networks; large number of private radio stations, especially in urban areas
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:
bulk carrier 2, general cargo 13, oil tanker 8, other 55
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: LZ

Geography

Area: land:
108,489 sq km
water:
2,390 sq km
total :
110,879 sq km
Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
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: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, 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: strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Area - comparative: almost identical in size to Virginia; slightly larger than Tennessee
Geographic coordinates: 43 00 N, 25 00 E
Population distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations
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

Environment

Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry 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: air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes
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

Military and Security

Military - note: the Bulgarian military is responsible for guaranteeing Bulgaria’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, providing support to international peace and security missions, and contributing to national security in peacetime, including such missions as responding to disasters or assisting with border security; the military trains regularly including in multinational exercises with regional partners and with NATO since Bulgaria joined the organization in 2004; it also participates in overseas peacekeeping and other security missions under the EU, NATO, and the UN; in 2022, Bulgaria established and began leading a NATO multinational battlegroup as part of an effort to boost NATO defenses in Eastern Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; in 2021, Bulgaria approved a 10-year defense development program, which included calls for equipment upgrades and procurements, boosts in manpower, organizational reforms, and greater focus on such areas as cyber defense, communications, logistics support, and research and development

the Bulgarian military has participated in several significant conflicts since its establishment in 1878, 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 was one of the Warsaw Pact’s largest militaries with over 150,000 personnel and 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 (aka 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)
note: the GDNP includes the Gendarmerie, a special police force with military status deployed to secure important facilities, buildings and infrastructure, respond to riots, and counter militant threats
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (2025)
note: in 2020, Bulgaria announced a program to allow every citizen up to the age of 40 to join the armed forces for 6 months of military service in the voluntary reserve
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military's inventory consists largely of Soviet-era armaments, although in recent years Bulgaria has procured some more modern Western weapons systems in an effort to modernize and achieve NATO interoperability (2025)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 28,000 active duty Armed Forces (2025)
note: in 2021, Bulgaria released a 10-year defense plan which called for an active military strength of 43,000

Space

Space agency/agencies: Space Research and Technology Institute - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (SRTI-BAS; formed in 1987 but originated from the Central Laboratory for Space Research and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency, which was established in 1969) (2025)
Space program overview: has a long history of space-related activities going back to the 1960s; develops, produces, and operates satellites; researches, develops, and produces other space technologies, including those related to astrophysics, remote sensing, data exploitation, optics, and electronics; has specialized in producing scientific instruments for space research; has more than 20 research institutes; Cooperating State of the ESA since 2015; works with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of the ESA, EU, individual ESA and EU member states, India, Japan, Russia, and the US (2025)
Key space-program milestones: 1960s-1990s - participated in the Soviet Interkosmos program, which included the first Bulgarian in space (1979), first domestically produced scientific satellite launched on a Soviet rocket (1981), and participation in the Soviet VEGA project (1985)

2017 - first communications satellite (BulgariaSat-1) built and launched by US

2019 - first domestically built data/educational cube satellite (EnduroSat-1) launched by US

2023 - signed the US-led Artemis Accords outlining principles for cooperation in space exploration

2025 - domestically produced, multispectral remote sensing satellite (Balkan-1) launched by US as part of EU's Copernicus Earth observation program

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees:
114,728 (2024 est.)
stateless persons:
862 (2024 est.)

Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain).

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