Skip to content

Population density: Bulgaria vs Rwanda compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bulgaria has a population density of 151.7 people per square mile compared to 1,563 people in Rwanda. Bulgaria has 185,475 sq ft of land per person vs 19,886 sq ft in Rwanda. Bulgaria and Rwanda rank 132nd and 13th 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 0.18% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for Rwanda, making the population density in Bulgaria 90.3% lower than in Rwanda.

Population density by year

Bulgaria
Rwanda

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bulgaria Rwanda
2026 151.7 1,563
2025 152.7 1,529
2024 153.7 1,497
2023 153.8 1,465
2022 154.2 1,433
2021 155.2 1,402
2020 156.3 1,372
2019 157.9 1,341
2018 160.1 1,311
2017 162.3 1,281
2016 164.5 1,251
2015 166.6 1,222
2014 168.8 1,193
2013 170.8 1,165
2012 174.3 1,137
2011 175.3 1,110
2010 176.4 1,083
2009 177.6 1,056
2008 178.7 1,029
2007 179.9 1,003
2006 181.2 976
2005 182.6 951
2004 183.8 926
2003 185.1 901
2002 186.6 882
2001 187.5 870
2000 191.3 862
1999 192.2 855
1998 193.3 848
1997 194.6 814
1996 195.8 704
1995 196.8 596
1994 197.7 713
1993 198.3 838
1992 199.9 807
1991 202.1 790
1990 204.1 774
1989 207.8 754
1988 210.3 732
1987 210 709
1986 209.7 686
1985 209.8 663
1984 209.8 641
1983 209.3 620
1982 208.8 600
1981 208.2 580
1980 207.5 562
1979 206.6 545
1978 206.3 529
1977 206.1 513
1976 205 498
1975 204.2 484
1974 203.2 470
1973 201.8 456
1972 200.8 443
1971 199.8 430
1970 198.8 418
1969 197.5 405
1968 195.9 393
1967 194.6 381
1966 193.3 370
1965 192.1 359
1964 190.7 350
1963 189.1 342
1962 187.6 334
1961 186 326

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/rwanda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bulgaria decreased by 16.3%, compared to a 60.1% growth in Rwanda.

In 2006, Bulgaria ranked 103rd by population density and is 132nd now. Rwanda was 18th in 2006 and ranks 13th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bulgaria
Rwanda
1x
Year Urban population
Bulgaria Rwanda
2024 73.9% 29.9%
2023 73.7% 28.9%
2022 73.5% 27.8%
2021 73.3% 26.1%
2020 73.3% 24.5%
2019 73.7% 23%
2018 73.6% 21.5%
2017 73.4% 20.2%
2016 73.2% 19.1%
2015 73.1% 18.2%
2014 73.1% 17.5%
2013 73% 17.1%
2012 72.8% 16.9%
2011 72.6% 16.9%
2010 71.5% 16.9%
2009 71.3% 16.9%
2008 70.9% 16.9%
2007 70.7% 16.9%
2006 70.5% 16.9%
2005 70.1% 16.9%
2004 69.9% 16.9%
2003 69.8% 16.9%
2002 69.5% 16.9%
2001 69.2% 16.5%
2000 68.3% 15.8%
1999 68% 14.7%
1998 67.9% 13.3%
1997 67.7% 11.8%
1996 67.7% 10.3%
1995 67.8% 8.82%
1994 67.7% 7.48%
1993 67.4% 6.4%
1992 67.2% 5.66%
1991 67.1% 5.36%
1990 67% 5.27%
1989 67.3% 5.2%
1988 66.7% 5.14%
1987 66% 5.09%
1986 65.3% 5.05%
1985 65% 5.01%
1984 65.6% 4.98%
1983 64.6% 4.95%
1982 63.9% 4.91%
1981 63% 4.87%
1980 62.1% 4.82%
1979 61.5% 4.75%
1978 60.5% 4.67%
1977 59.4% 4.55%
1976 58.5% 4.39%
1975 58% 4.19%
1974 58.1% 3.97%
1973 56.3% 3.75%
1972 55.2% 3.55%
1971 53.8% 3.37%
1970 52.3% 3.24%
1969 50.6% 3.14%
1968 49% 3.06%
1967 48% 3%
1966 47% 2.94%
1965 45.7% 2.88%
1964 43% 2.83%
1963 40.3% 2.78%
1962 39.3% 2.72%
1961 38.4% 2.67%
1960 37.1% 2.6%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 69.9% to 73.9% in Bulgaria and from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda.

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
Rwanda
City Population
Kigali 1.75M
Ruhengeri 153K
Gisenyi 53.6K

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/rwanda | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2012–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.