Bulgaria vs North Macedonia
Bulgaria vs North Macedonia: Military share of state spending
Military share of state spending in 2025: 5.2% of government spending in Bulgaria and 5.1% of government spending in North Macedonia, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Bulgaria, by 0.1 percentage points, or 1.01 times that in North Macedonia.
% of government spending · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Bulgaria has been higher since 2023, when it overtook North Macedonia.
- In 2025, Bulgaria ranked 71 and North Macedonia ranked 74 of 150 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of government spending · SIPRI
| Year | Bulgaria | North Macedonia |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.2 | 5.1 |
| 2024 | 5.3 | 4.9 |
| 2023 | 5.2 | 5 |
| 2022 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| 2021 | 3.9 | 4 |
| 2020 | 4.2 | 3.3 |
| 2019 | 8.7 | 3.8 |
| 2018 | 4.2 | 3.1 |
| 2017 | 3.8 | 2.8 |
| 2016 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
| 2015 | 3.3 | 3.1 |
| 2014 | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| 2013 | 4.1 | 3.7 |
| 2012 | 4.1 | 3.7 |
| 2011 | 4.1 | 4 |
| 2010 | 4.8 | 4.3 |
| 2009 | 5.2 | 5 |
| 2008 | 6.4 | 5.2 |
| 2007 | 6.7 | 6.2 |
| 2006 | 6.4 | 5.8 |
| 2005 | 6.6 | 6.2 |
| 2004 | 6.9 | 7 |
| 2003 | 7.5 | 6.5 |
| 2002 | 7.9 | 6.9 |
| 2001 | 7.8 | 16.3 |
| 2000 | 7.1 | 5.8 |
| 1999 | 7.2 | 5.2 |
| 1998 | 7 | 6.4 |
| 1997 | – | 6.5 |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The part of everything the government spends that goes on its armed forces and defence, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 150 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Bulgaria vs North Macedonia
Health
- Life expectancyBulgaria: 75.6 years in 2023North Macedonia: 77.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBulgaria: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024North Macedonia: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBulgaria: 4.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023North Macedonia: 4.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterBulgaria: 95.7% in 2022North Macedonia: 80.5% in 2022
- DepressionBulgaria: 2.54% in 2017North Macedonia: 2.33% in 2017
- Suicide rateBulgaria: 9.5 per 100,000 people in 2017North Macedonia: 6.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBulgaria: 6.8 million people in 2023North Macedonia: 1.83 million people in 2023
- Population growthBulgaria: -0.52% a year in 2023North Macedonia: -0.47% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBulgaria: 1.75 births per woman in 2023North Macedonia: 1.47 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBulgaria: 74.2% in 2025North Macedonia: 62.9% in 2025
- Median ageBulgaria: 44.3 years in 2023North Macedonia: 40.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBulgaria: 21.8% in 2023North Macedonia: 17.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateBulgaria: 0.8 per 1,000 people in 2023North Macedonia: -3.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personBulgaria: $10,450 in 2025North Macedonia: $6,873 in 2025
- GDP growthBulgaria: 3.1% a year in 2025North Macedonia: 3.5% a year in 2025
- InflationBulgaria: 3.5% a year in 2025North Macedonia: 4.1% a year in 2025
- Government debtBulgaria: 29.9% of GDP in 2025North Macedonia: 52.6% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBulgaria: 2.01% of GDP in 2025North Macedonia: 1.97% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBulgaria: $2.4B in 2025North Macedonia: $346M in 2025
- Military spending per personBulgaria: $384 in 2025North Macedonia: $206 in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBulgaria: 37,000 people in 2020North Macedonia: 16,000 people in 2020
- National powerBulgaria: 0.09% of world capability in 2022North Macedonia: 0.02% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBulgaria: 1.18% of the labour force in 2020North Macedonia: 2% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBulgaria: 540 million TIV in 2025North Macedonia: 9 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBulgaria: 33 million TIV in 2024North Macedonia: 59 million TIV in 2023