Bulgaria vs Romania
Bulgaria vs Romania: Population growth
Population growth in 2023: -0.52% a year in Bulgaria and -0.53% a year in Romania, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Bulgaria, by 0.01 percentage points.
% a year · UN
What the numbers say
- Bulgaria has been higher since 2023, when it overtook Romania.
- In 2023, Bulgaria ranked 206 and Romania ranked 207 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Bulgaria at -0.73% a year and Romania at -0.79% a year in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 0.87% a year in 2023.
Every year
% a year · UN
| Year | Bulgaria | Romania | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -0.52 | -0.53 | 0.87 |
| 2022 | -0.37 | 0.02 | 0.88 |
| 2021 | -1.13 | -0.87 | 0.8 |
| 2020 | -0.51 | -0.63 | 0.9 |
| 2019 | -0.7 | -0.5 | 1.03 |
| 2018 | -0.71 | -0.49 | 1.07 |
| 2017 | -0.73 | -0.44 | 1.13 |
| 2016 | -0.73 | -0.44 | 1.17 |
| 2015 | -0.67 | -0.5 | 1.18 |
| 2014 | -0.6 | -0.47 | 1.22 |
| 2013 | -0.53 | -0.48 | 1.23 |
| 2012 | -0.9 | -0.48 | 1.27 |
| 2011 | -0.81 | -0.75 | 1.26 |
| 2010 | -0.74 | -0.73 | 1.27 |
| 2009 | -0.61 | -0.68 | 1.28 |
| 2008 | -0.66 | -0.7 | 1.28 |
| 2007 | -0.7 | -0.76 | 1.28 |
| 2006 | -0.7 | -0.81 | 1.28 |
| 2005 | -0.73 | -0.87 | 1.27 |
| 2004 | -0.68 | -0.91 | 1.28 |
| 2003 | -0.73 | -0.86 | 1.29 |
| 2002 | -0.74 | -0.77 | 1.3 |
| 2001 | -0.95 | -0.6 | 1.33 |
| 2000 | -0.87 | -0.55 | 1.35 |
| 1999 | -0.8 | -0.54 | 1.35 |
| 1998 | -0.94 | -0.53 | 1.37 |
| 1997 | -0.99 | -0.6 | 1.39 |
| 1996 | -0.82 | -0.56 | 1.42 |
| 1995 | -0.78 | -0.47 | 1.45 |
| 1994 | -0.64 | -0.4 | 1.47 |
| 1993 | -0.54 | -0.35 | 1.52 |
| 1992 | -1.63 | -0.26 | 1.57 |
| 1991 | -1.54 | -0.05 | 1.63 |
| 1990 | -1.36 | 0.11 | 1.76 |
| 1989 | -1.21 | 0.34 | 1.78 |
| 1988 | 0.11 | 0.29 | 1.79 |
| 1987 | 0.1 | 0.32 | 1.84 |
| 1986 | 0.18 | 0.3 | 1.83 |
| 1985 | -0.08 | 0.31 | 1.8 |
| 1984 | 0.22 | 0.33 | 1.8 |
| 1983 | 0.21 | 0.33 | 1.78 |
| 1982 | 0.25 | 0.42 | 1.86 |
| 1981 | 0.31 | 0.49 | 1.82 |
| 1980 | 0.33 | 0.57 | 1.8 |
| 1979 | 0.46 | 0.65 | 1.79 |
| 1978 | -0.2 | 0.73 | 1.74 |
| 1977 | 0.41 | 0.81 | 1.75 |
| 1976 | 0.62 | 1.07 | 1.78 |
| 1975 | 0.21 | 1.08 | 1.8 |
| 1974 | 0.72 | 1.14 | 1.88 |
| 1973 | 0.62 | 1.11 | 1.94 |
| 1972 | 0.43 | 1.24 | 1.97 |
| 1971 | 0.53 | 1.33 | 1.97 |
| 1970 | 0.6 | 1.47 | 2.06 |
| 1969 | 0.72 | 1.66 | 2.06 |
| 1968 | 0.82 | 1.84 | 2.09 |
| 1967 | 0.6 | 1.95 | 2 |
| 1966 | 0.66 | 0.4 | 2.04 |
| 1965 | 0.71 | 0.27 | 2.09 |
| 1964 | 0.82 | 0.34 | 2.16 |
| 1963 | 0.82 | 0.39 | 2.28 |
| 1962 | 0.81 | 0.43 | 2.11 |
| 1961 | 0.95 | 0.54 | 1.67 |
| 1960 | 0.96 | 0.65 | 1.58 |
| 1959 | 0.8 | 0.73 | 1.73 |
| 1958 | 0.99 | 0.84 | 2 |
| 1957 | 0.97 | 0.93 | 2.07 |
| 1956 | 0.67 | 1.27 | 1.98 |
| 1955 | 0.75 | 1.19 | 2.01 |
| 1954 | 0.78 | 1.21 | 1.99 |
| 1953 | 0.84 | 1.22 | 1.9 |
| 1952 | 0.62 | 1.28 | 1.94 |
| 1951 | 0.68 | 1.36 | 1.75 |
| 1950 | 1.14 | 1.41 | 1.74 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Bulgaria | Romania | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -0.61-1.12–-0.11 | -0.56-0.87–-0.26 | 0.86 |
| 2025 | -0.67-1.29–-0.04 | -0.57-0.98–-0.19 | 0.84 |
| 2026 | -0.73-1.43–-0.05 | -0.58-1.08–-0.17 | 0.83 |
| 2027 | -0.77-1.53–-0.02 | -0.59-1.14–-0.09 | 0.81 |
| 2028 | -0.8-1.63–0.02 | -0.59-1.18–-0.04 | 0.8 |
| 2029 | -0.83-1.72–0.02 | -0.61-1.2–0 | 0.78 |
| 2030 | -0.86-1.78–-0 | -0.61-1.26–0.01 | 0.76 |
| 2031 | -0.86-1.82–-0.02 | -0.61-1.31–0.07 | 0.75 |
| 2032 | -0.86-1.78–0.01 | -0.62-1.36–0.08 | 0.73 |
| 2033 | -0.88-1.86–-0.04 | -0.63-1.37–0.1 | 0.72 |
| 2034 | -0.89-1.83–-0.04 | -0.64-1.37–0.11 | 0.7 |
| 2035 | -0.89-1.86–-0.01 | -0.65-1.47–0.07 | 0.69 |
| 2036 | -0.91-1.86–0.01 | -0.66-1.45–0.09 | 0.67 |
| 2037 | -0.92-1.87–0.03 | -0.67-1.48–0.12 | 0.65 |
| 2038 | -0.9-1.88–0.02 | -0.68-1.54–0.15 | 0.64 |
| 2039 | -0.92-1.94–0.04 | -0.67-1.55–0.12 | 0.62 |
| 2040 | -0.91-1.89–0.08 | -0.68-1.54–0.18 | 0.61 |
| 2041 | -0.91-1.93–0.1 | -0.7-1.59–0.19 | 0.59 |
| 2042 | -0.9-1.9–0.12 | -0.69-1.59–0.18 | 0.57 |
| 2043 | -0.89-1.86–0.17 | -0.7-1.68–0.19 | 0.56 |
| 2044 | -0.89-1.9–0.12 | -0.71-1.68–0.18 | 0.54 |
| 2045 | -0.89-1.94–0.13 | -0.71-1.66–0.2 | 0.52 |
| 2046 | -0.89-1.91–0.16 | -0.71-1.67–0.19 | 0.5 |
| 2047 | -0.9-1.93–0.11 | -0.73-1.69–0.21 | 0.48 |
| 2048 | -0.89-1.91–0.09 | -0.73-1.72–0.23 | 0.46 |
| 2049 | -0.89-1.96–0.15 | -0.74-1.69–0.18 | 0.44 |
| 2050 | -0.89-1.94–0.11 | -0.74-1.74–0.17 | 0.42 |
| 2051 | -0.89-1.94–0.17 | -0.76-1.78–0.17 | 0.4 |
| 2052 | -0.9-1.97–0.13 | -0.78-1.79–0.18 | 0.38 |
| 2053 | -0.91-1.99–0.09 | -0.78-1.84–0.18 | 0.36 |
| 2054 | -0.92-2.03–0.07 | -0.8-1.9–0.17 | 0.34 |
| 2055 | -0.92-2.03–0.15 | -0.82-1.91–0.18 | 0.33 |
| 2056 | -0.92-2.02–0.1 | -0.84-1.92–0.15 | 0.31 |
| 2057 | -0.93-2.08–0.1 | -0.85-1.93–0.17 | 0.3 |
| 2058 | -0.94-2.04–0.12 | -0.87-1.99–0.18 | 0.28 |
| 2059 | -0.96-2.06–0.08 | -0.88-1.96–0.15 | 0.27 |
| 2060 | -0.97-2.1–0.13 | -0.89-1.98–0.16 | 0.25 |
| 2061 | -0.98-2.12–0.1 | -0.91-2.08–0.16 | 0.24 |
| 2062 | -0.98-2.18–0.11 | -0.92-2.07–0.17 | 0.23 |
| 2063 | -0.99-2.16–0.11 | -0.91-2.09–0.13 | 0.22 |
| 2064 | -1-2.21–0.12 | -0.91-2.17–0.14 | 0.21 |
| 2065 | -1-2.15–0.12 | -0.92-2.17–0.19 | 0.2 |
| 2066 | -1-2.26–0.09 | -0.9-2.18–0.23 | 0.19 |
| 2067 | -0.99-2.26–0.12 | -0.88-2.21–0.22 | 0.18 |
| 2068 | -0.98-2.31–0.16 | -0.87-2.15–0.27 | 0.17 |
| 2069 | -0.97-2.3–0.16 | -0.86-2.16–0.29 | 0.16 |
| 2070 | -0.97-2.26–0.17 | -0.85-2.1–0.27 | 0.15 |
| 2071 | -0.96-2.17–0.22 | -0.84-2.14–0.34 | 0.14 |
| 2072 | -0.95-2.24–0.21 | -0.83-2.09–0.36 | 0.13 |
| 2073 | -0.94-2.25–0.18 | -0.81-2.17–0.38 | 0.12 |
| 2074 | -0.94-2.26–0.11 | -0.8-2.14–0.34 | 0.1 |
| 2075 | -0.91-2.25–0.25 | -0.79-2.16–0.36 | 0.09 |
| 2076 | -0.89-2.23–0.29 | -0.78-2.13–0.41 | 0.08 |
| 2077 | -0.88-2.21–0.33 | -0.78-2.1–0.41 | 0.07 |
| 2078 | -0.86-2.13–0.36 | -0.77-2.17–0.42 | 0.06 |
| 2079 | -0.85-2.17–0.3 | -0.76-2.13–0.48 | 0.05 |
| 2080 | -0.84-2.15–0.35 | -0.76-2.08–0.47 | 0.04 |
| 2081 | -0.8-2.18–0.42 | -0.75-2.11–0.5 | 0.03 |
| 2082 | -0.79-2.09–0.42 | -0.73-2.1–0.49 | 0.02 |
| 2083 | -0.76-2.01–0.41 | -0.73-2.12–0.49 | 0.01 |
| 2084 | -0.76-2.03–0.46 | -0.73-2.16–0.52 | -0 |
| 2085 | -0.74-2.07–0.49 | -0.72-2.14–0.5 | -0.01 |
| 2086 | -0.72-2.06–0.46 | -0.72-2.2–0.48 | -0.02 |
| 2087 | -0.71-2.08–0.48 | -0.71-2.18–0.51 | -0.03 |
| 2088 | -0.69-2.05–0.48 | -0.71-2.21–0.53 | -0.04 |
| 2089 | -0.68-2.07–0.52 | -0.71-2.23–0.53 | -0.05 |
| 2090 | -0.68-2.13–0.54 | -0.72-2.28–0.48 | -0.05 |
| 2091 | -0.68-2.18–0.48 | -0.71-2.34–0.52 | -0.06 |
| 2092 | -0.68-2.07–0.48 | -0.72-2.3–0.53 | -0.07 |
| 2093 | -0.68-2.12–0.47 | -0.73-2.34–0.53 | -0.07 |
| 2094 | -0.69-2.16–0.5 | -0.73-2.3–0.47 | -0.08 |
| 2095 | -0.69-2.1–0.52 | -0.74-2.37–0.53 | -0.09 |
| 2096 | -0.71-2.28–0.49 | -0.75-2.48–0.54 | -0.1 |
| 2097 | -0.71-2.25–0.49 | -0.75-2.45–0.51 | -0.11 |
| 2098 | -0.71-2.23–0.5 | -0.77-2.52–0.53 | -0.11 |
| 2099 | -0.72-2.26–0.43 | -0.78-2.57–0.51 | -0.12 |
| 2100 | -0.73-2.23–0.46 | -0.79-2.55–0.54 | -0.13 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How fast the population grew or shrank in a year: births minus deaths, plus people moving in minus people moving out.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
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
- 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 in US dollarsBulgaria: $2.4B in 2025Romania: $8.81B 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