Bulgaria: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Nov. 13, 2026

News •

EU pledges €10 million to protect Bulgaria's Black Sea shipping • Nov. 10, 2026, 7:06 AM ET (Euronews)

EU pledges €50 million for Black Sea maritime security in Romania and Bulgaria • Nov. 9, 2026, 10:49 PM ET (Euronews)

Bomb threats affect at least 27 flights, leading to emergency landings at several European airports • Nov. 5, 2026, 1:46 PM ET (CBC)

Exit polls suggest that Yotova wins runoff to become Bulgaria’s first elected female president • Nov. 1, 2026, 1:34 PM ET (AP)

Ship sinks off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast after being hit by drones • Oct. 29, 2026, 5:54 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Republic of Bulgaria • Republika Bŭlgariya
Head Of Government	Prime Minister: Andrey Gyurov (interim)
Capital	Sofia
Population	(2026 est.) 6,425,000
Currency Exchange Rate	1 USD equals 0.904 euro
Head Of State	President: Iliyana Yotova
Form Of Government	unitary multiparty republic with one legislative house (National Assembly [240])
Official Language	Bulgarian
Official Religion	none¹
Official Name	Republika Bŭlgaria (Republic of Bulgaria)
Total Area (Sq Km)	110,372
Total Area (Sq Mi)	42,615
Monetary Unit	euro (€)
Population Rank	(2026) 111
Population Projection 2030	6,564,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2026) 150.8
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2026) 58.2
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2023) 73.6% • Rural: (2023) 26.4%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022–2024) 71.9 years • Female: (2022–2024) 79.3 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2024) 98,994
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2024) 15,370
¹The constitution refers to Eastern Orthodoxy as the “traditional” religion.

Photos and Videos

Flag of Bulgaria with three horizontal stripes: white on top, green in the middle, and red on the bottom.

Political map of Bulgaria showing international boundaries, major cities, and neighboring countries including Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece, and Turkey. The map highlights Bulgaria's location along the Black Sea and includes a small locator map in the bottom right corner for regional context.

Map highlighting Bulgaria and its location in southeastern Europe, showing its borders with Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east. The capital city, Sofia, is marked near the western border. Surrounding countries and nearby seas, including the Aegean and Mediterranean, are also labeled.

Map of Bulgaria highlighting its physical features, including major mountain ranges such as the Balkan, Rila, Pirin, and Rhodope Mountains, as well as plains like the Danubian and Thracian Plains. Key rivers, reservoirs, and the Black Sea coastline are shown, along with borders with Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece, and Turkey. An inset locator map shows Bulgaria's position within Europe.

Map showing the Danube River basin across central and southeastern Europe, with the Danube and its tributaries highlighted. Elevation is indicated by color shading, and major cities, country boundaries, and drainage basin limits are marked. An inset locator map shows the basin's position within Europe.

Sofia, Bulgaria: St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Ruse: regional history museum

Harvesting machines moving across a golden wheat field under a cloudy sky.

Various vulture species of Bulgaria's hidden corners

The word Bulgaria appears in white text over a blue background.

Watch white and colored marble quarried in Bulgarian mountains and transported for fabrication

European bee-eaters' journey to parenthood

Courtship rituals of European bee-eaters and rollers

National anthem of Bulgaria

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Topics

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Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Eastern Orthodoxy: In Bulgaria

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Basil II

Byzantine emperor

Boris I

Boris I

king of Bulgaria

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Euthymius Of Tŭrnovo

Orthodox patriarch

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Hristo Stoichkov

Bulgarian football (soccer) player

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Zheliu Zhelev

president of Bulgaria

The boy king

Simeon Saxecoburggotski

prime minister and former king of Bulgaria

Stamboliyski

Aleksandŭr Stamboliyski

Bulgarian political leader

Boris III

Boris III

king of Bulgaria

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Theophylact of Ochrid

Greek archbishop

Ferdinand

Ferdinand

king of Bulgaria

Parvanov, Georgi

Georgi Parvanov

president of Bulgaria

Alexander I

Alexander I

prince of Bulgaria

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Todor Zhivkov

Bulgarian political leader

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Stefan Nikolov Stambolov

prime minister of Bulgaria

Liapchev, Andrei

Andrei Liapchev

prime minister of Bulgaria

Georgi Mikhailovich Dimitrov

Georgi Mikhailovich Dimitrov

Bulgarian communist leader

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Ivan Asen I

tsar of Bulgaria

Portrait of Valko Velyov Chervenkov wearing a suit and tie, looking slightly to the side with a neutral expression.

Vŭlko Velyov Chervenkov

Bulgarian statesman

Putnik

Radomir Putnik

Serbian commander

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Aleksandŭr Tsankov

prime minister of Bulgaria

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Europe

continent

Varna Bay on the Black Sea, Varna, Bulgaria.

Varna

Bulgaria

Sofia

Sofia

national capital, Bulgaria

Veliko Turnovo

Veliko Tŭrnovo

Bulgaria

Plovdiv: Roman amphitheatre

Plovdiv

Bulgaria

Ruse: regional history museum

Ruse

Bulgaria

Shumen

Shumen

Bulgaria

Yambol: stone mosque

Yambol

Bulgaria

Pleven Epopee 1877

Pleven

Bulgaria

Stara Zagora

Stara Zagora

Bulgaria

Silistra: Durostorum

Silistra

Bulgaria

Kyustendil: church of St. George

Kyustendil

Bulgaria

Vratsa

Vratsa

Bulgaria

Danube River

Vidin

Bulgaria

Khaskovo

Khaskovo

Bulgaria

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