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Population density: Bulgaria vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bulgaria has a population density of 151.7 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. Bulgaria has 185,475 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. Bulgaria and Sri Lanka rank 132nd and 25th 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 0.27% of the population and 0.04% of the land area for Sri Lanka, making the population density in Bulgaria 83.6% lower than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

Bulgaria
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bulgaria Sri Lanka
2026 151.7 928
2025 152.7 923
2024 153.7 918
2023 153.8 923
2022 154.2 929
2021 155.2 928
2020 156.3 918
2019 157.9 913
2018 160.1 907
2017 162.3 898
2016 164.5 888
2015 166.6 878
2014 168.8 858
2013 170.8 850
2012 174.3 874
2011 175.3 868
2010 176.4 862
2009 177.6 857
2008 178.7 852
2007 179.9 846
2006 181.2 841
2005 182.6 835
2004 183.8 830
2003 185.1 824
2002 186.6 818
2001 187.5 810
2000 191.3 797
1999 192.2 782
1998 193.3 768
1997 194.6 754
1996 195.8 739
1995 196.8 725
1994 197.7 714
1993 198.3 703
1992 199.9 691
1991 202.1 680
1990 204.1 675
1989 207.8 671
1988 210.3 664
1987 210 657
1986 209.7 650
1985 209.8 642
1984 209.8 638
1983 209.3 636
1982 208.8 631
1981 208.2 624
1980 207.5 613
1979 206.6 602
1978 206.3 591
1977 206.1 580
1976 205 570
1975 204.2 560
1974 203.2 550
1973 201.8 539
1972 200.8 529
1971 199.8 518
1970 198.8 507
1969 197.5 496
1968 195.9 485
1967 194.6 473
1966 193.3 462
1965 192.1 451
1964 190.7 440
1963 189.1 429
1962 187.6 419
1961 186 409

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/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bulgaria decreased by 16.3%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, Bulgaria ranked 103rd by population density and is 132nd now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bulgaria
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
Bulgaria Sri Lanka
2024 73.9% 20.3%
2023 73.7% 20.1%
2022 73.5% 20%
2021 73.3% 19.8%
2020 73.3% 19.7%
2019 73.7% 19.5%
2018 73.6% 19.3%
2017 73.4% 19.2%
2016 73.2% 19%
2015 73.1% 18.8%
2014 73.1% 18.6%
2013 73% 18.4%
2012 72.8% 18.3%
2011 72.6% 17.8%
2010 71.5% 17.2%
2009 71.3% 16.7%
2008 70.9% 16.3%
2007 70.7% 15.9%
2006 70.5% 15.5%
2005 70.1% 15.2%
2004 69.9% 14.9%
2003 69.8% 14.7%
2002 69.5% 14.6%
2001 69.2% 14.6%
2000 68.3% 14.6%
1999 68% 14.7%
1998 67.9% 14.9%
1997 67.7% 15.2%
1996 67.7% 15.5%
1995 67.8% 15.9%
1994 67.7% 16.3%
1993 67.4% 16.7%
1992 67.2% 17.1%
1991 67.1% 17.6%
1990 67% 18.1%
1989 67.3% 18.6%
1988 66.7% 19%
1987 66% 19.5%
1986 65.3% 19.9%
1985 65% 20.3%
1984 65.6% 20.7%
1983 64.6% 21%
1982 63.9% 21.3%
1981 63% 21.5%
1980 62.1% 21.6%
1979 61.5% 21.8%
1978 60.5% 21.9%
1977 59.4% 22%
1976 58.5% 22.1%
1975 58% 22.2%
1974 58.1% 22.3%
1973 56.3% 22.4%
1972 55.2% 22.4%
1971 53.8% 22.4%
1970 52.3% 22.3%
1969 50.6% 22%
1968 49% 21.5%
1967 48% 21%
1966 47% 20.4%
1965 45.7% 19.8%
1964 43% 19.3%
1963 40.3% 18.9%
1962 39.3% 18.5%
1961 38.4% 18%
1960 37.1% 17.6%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/bulgaria/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 69.9% to 73.9% in Bulgaria and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

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
Sri Lanka
City Population
Colombo 648K
Gampaha 191K
Beruwala 165K
Negombo 142K
Kandy 120K
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 116K
Trincomalee 99.1K
Galle 93.1K
Matara 68.2K
Anuradhapura 63.2K

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/sri-lanka | 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 (2001–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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