Urban population (% of total population) in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Urban population (% of total population) was 74.2% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Urban population in Bulgaria, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2025, urban population in Bulgaria stood at 74.2%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.1% over five years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Bulgaria peaked at 74.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 73.3%, in 2021.
Bulgaria ranks 76th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Urban population (% of total population) in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 37.1% | — |
| 1961 | 38.4% | +3.5% |
| 1962 | 39.3% | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 40.3% | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 43.0% | +6.9% |
| 1965 | 45.7% | +6.2% |
| 1966 | 47.0% | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 48.0% | +2.1% |
| 1968 | 49.0% | +2.1% |
| 1969 | 50.6% | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 52.3% | +3.4% |
| 1971 | 53.8% | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 55.2% | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 56.3% | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 58.1% | +3.2% |
| 1975 | 58.0% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 58.5% | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 59.4% | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 60.5% | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 61.5% | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 62.1% | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 63.0% | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 63.9% | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 64.6% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 65.6% | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 65.0% | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 65.3% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 66.0% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 66.7% | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 67.3% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 67.0% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 67.1% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 67.2% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 67.4% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 67.7% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 67.8% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 67.7% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 67.7% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 67.9% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 68.0% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 68.3% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 69.2% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 69.5% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 69.8% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 69.9% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 70.1% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 70.5% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 70.7% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 70.9% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 71.3% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 71.5% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 72.6% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 72.8% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 73.0% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 73.1% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 73.1% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 73.2% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 73.4% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 73.6% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 73.7% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 73.3% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 73.3% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 73.5% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 73.7% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 73.9% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 74.2% | +0.3% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 74.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 91% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 74.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 69.6%, 1.1× the median. (57 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 43.8% | 37.1% | 50.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 57.4% | 52.3% | 61.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.0% | 62.1% | 67.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 67.6% | 67.0% | 68.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 70.0% | 68.3% | 71.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.0% | 71.5% | 73.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.7% | 73.3% | 74.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More climate change data for Bulgaria
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 176.16 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 2,923 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 704.34 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,219 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.66 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 79.24 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,439 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,346 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 92.96 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 5.08 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Bulgaria?
- Urban population in Bulgaria was 74.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 74.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 73.3% in 2021.
- How does Bulgaria rank for urban population?
- Bulgaria ranks 76th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.