Bulgaria vs Romania
Bulgaria vs Romania: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $2.4B in Bulgaria and $8.81B in Romania, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Romania, by $6.41B, or 3.68 times that in Bulgaria.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Romania has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1989.
- In 2025, Bulgaria ranked 61 and Romania ranked 33 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Bulgaria | Romania |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2.4B | $8.81B |
| 2024 | $2.19B | $8.32B |
| 2023 | $2.04B | $5.92B |
| 2022 | $1.66B | $6.17B |
| 2021 | $1.51B | $6.36B |
| 2020 | $1.42B | $6.5B |
| 2019 | $2.83B | $6.08B |
| 2018 | $1.23B | $5.56B |
| 2017 | $999M | $5B |
| 2016 | $964M | $3.68B |
| 2015 | $900M | $3.49B |
| 2014 | $888M | $3.02B |
| 2013 | $950M | $2.77B |
| 2012 | $880M | $2.57B |
| 2011 | $879M | $2.64B |
| 2010 | $1.06B | $2.56B |
| 2009 | $1.12B | $2.78B |
| 2008 | $1.41B | $3.26B |
| 2007 | $1.44B | $2.96B |
| 2006 | $1.23B | $3.09B |
| 2005 | $1.24B | $3B |
| 2004 | $1.21B | $2.83B |
| 2003 | $1.3B | $2.63B |
| 2002 | $1.28B | $2.55B |
| 2001 | $1.27B | $2.57B |
| 2000 | $1.14B | $2.45B |
| 1999 | $1.11B | $2.57B |
| 1998 | $978M | $2.85B |
| 1997 | $846M | $3.14B |
| 1996 | $906M | $2.8B |
| 1995 | $1.1B | $2.88B |
| 1994 | $1.12B | $2.95B |
| 1993 | $1.31B | $2.48B |
| 1992 | $1.73B | $4.1B |
| 1991 | $2.29B | $5.24B |
| 1990 | $4.23B | $5.06B |
| 1989 | $5.24B | $11.5B |
| 1988 | – | $10.8B |
| 1987 | – | $9.89B |
| 1986 | – | $12.1B |
| 1985 | – | $11.4B |
| 1984 | – | $5.04B |
| 1983 | – | $4.94B |
| 1982 | – | $4.81B |
| 1981 | – | $5.34B |
| 1980 | – | $5.29B |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, 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 151 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 Romania
Health
- Life expectancyBulgaria: 75.6 years in 2023Romania: 75.9 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBulgaria: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Romania: 0.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBulgaria: 4.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023Romania: 4.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterBulgaria: 95.7% in 2022Romania: 82.1% in 2022
- DepressionBulgaria: 2.54% in 2017Romania: 2.36% in 2017
- Suicide rateBulgaria: 9.5 per 100,000 people in 2017Romania: 9.2 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBulgaria: 6.8 million people in 2023Romania: 19.1 million people in 2023
- Population growthBulgaria: -0.52% a year in 2023Romania: -0.53% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBulgaria: 1.75 births per woman in 2023Romania: 1.71 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBulgaria: 74.2% in 2025Romania: 52.2% in 2025
- Median ageBulgaria: 44.3 years in 2023Romania: 42.6 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBulgaria: 21.8% in 2023Romania: 19.8% in 2023
- Net migration rateBulgaria: 0.8 per 1,000 people in 2023Romania: -1.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBulgaria: 2.01% of GDP in 2025Romania: 2.28% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personBulgaria: $384 in 2025Romania: $513 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBulgaria: 5.2% of government spending in 2025Romania: 5.6% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBulgaria: 37,000 people in 2020Romania: 128,000 people in 2020
- National powerBulgaria: 0.09% of world capability in 2022Romania: 0.23% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBulgaria: 1.18% of the labour force in 2020Romania: 1.52% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBulgaria: 540 million TIV in 2025Romania: 421 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBulgaria: 33 million TIV in 2024Romania: 132 million TIV in 2025