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Population density: Bulgaria vs Italy compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bulgaria has a population density of 151.7 people per square mile compared to 513 people in Italy. Bulgaria has 185,475 sq ft of land per person vs 55,153 sq ft in Italy. Bulgaria and Italy rank 132nd and 55th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Bulgaria has 0.08% of the world's population and 0.07% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.73% of the population and 0.2% of the land area for Italy, making the population density in Bulgaria 70.4% lower than in Italy.

Population density by year

Bulgaria
Italy

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bulgaria Italy
2026 151.7 513
2025 152.7 515
2024 153.7 516
2023 153.8 517
2022 154.2 517
2021 155.2 518
2020 156.3 521
2019 157.9 523
2018 160.1 527
2017 162.3 526
2016 164.5 527
2015 166.6 528
2014 168.8 528
2013 170.8 528
2012 174.3 527
2011 175.3 526
2010 176.4 524
2009 177.6 522
2008 178.7 519
2007 179.9 515
2006 181.2 511
2005 182.6 509
2004 183.8 506
2003 185.1 503
2002 186.6 500
2001 187.5 499
2000 191.3 499
1999 192.2 501
1998 193.3 501
1997 194.6 501
1996 195.8 501
1995 196.8 501
1994 197.7 501
1993 198.3 500
1992 199.9 500
1991 202.1 500
1990 204.1 499
1989 207.8 499
1988 210.3 499
1987 210 498
1986 209.7 498
1985 209.8 498
1984 209.8 498
1983 209.3 498
1982 208.8 498
1981 208.2 498
1980 207.5 497
1979 206.6 496
1978 206.3 495
1977 206.1 493
1976 205 491
1975 204.2 488
1974 203.2 485
1973 201.8 482
1972 200.8 479
1971 199.8 476
1970 198.8 474
1969 197.5 471
1968 195.9 469
1967 194.6 466
1966 193.3 462
1965 192.1 459
1964 190.7 455
1963 189.1 451
1962 187.6 448
1961 186 445

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bulgaria/italy | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bulgaria decreased by 16.3%, compared to a 0.28% growth in Italy.

In 2006, Bulgaria ranked 103rd by population density and is 132nd now. Italy was 42nd in 2006 and ranks 55th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bulgaria
Italy
1x
Year Urban population
Bulgaria Italy
2024 73.9% 69.6%
2023 73.7% 69.5%
2022 73.5% 69.5%
2021 73.3% 69.5%
2020 73.3% 69.5%
2019 73.7% 69.5%
2018 73.6% 69.5%
2017 73.4% 69.5%
2016 73.2% 69.6%
2015 73.1% 69.6%
2014 73.1% 69.6%
2013 73% 69.3%
2012 72.8% 68.8%
2011 72.6% 68.4%
2010 71.5% 68.2%
2009 71.3% 68%
2008 70.9% 67.9%
2007 70.7% 67.8%
2006 70.5% 67.7%
2005 70.1% 67.6%
2004 69.9% 67.5%
2003 69.8% 67.4%
2002 69.5% 67.4%
2001 69.2% 67.3%
2000 68.3% 67.2%
1999 68% 67.1%
1998 67.9% 67%
1997 67.7% 67%
1996 67.7% 66.9%
1995 67.8% 66.8%
1994 67.7% 66.8%
1993 67.4% 66.7%
1992 67.2% 66.7%
1991 67.1% 66.7%
1990 67% 66.7%
1989 67.3% 66.7%
1988 66.7% 66.8%
1987 66% 66.8%
1986 65.3% 66.8%
1985 65% 66.8%
1984 65.6% 66.9%
1983 64.6% 66.9%
1982 63.9% 66.9%
1981 63% 66.9%
1980 62.1% 66.8%
1979 61.5% 66.7%
1978 60.5% 66.6%
1977 59.4% 66.4%
1976 58.5% 66.2%
1975 58% 65.9%
1974 58.1% 65.7%
1973 56.3% 65.4%
1972 55.2% 65.1%
1971 53.8% 64.8%
1970 52.3% 64.5%
1969 50.6% 64%
1968 49% 63.6%
1967 48% 63.1%
1966 47% 62.5%
1965 45.7% 62%
1964 43% 61.4%
1963 40.3% 60.9%
1962 39.3% 60.3%
1961 38.4% 59.8%
1960 37.1% 59.3%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bulgaria/italy | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 69.9% to 73.9% in Bulgaria and from 67.5% to 69.6% in Italy.

Densely populated cities

Bulgaria
City Population
Sofia 1.21M
Plovdiv 329K
Varna 319K
Burgas 189K
Stara Zagora 121K
Ruse 121K
Pleven 88.6K
Sliven 78.2K
Dobrich 69.4K
Shumen 66.6K
Italy
City Population
Rome 2.75M
Milan 1.35M
Naples 913K
Turin 842K
Palermo 630K
Genoa 559K
Bologna 388K
Florence 361K
Bari 315K
Catania 312K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bulgaria/italy | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2019–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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