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Population in Bulgaria compared to Norway: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of Bulgaria was 6,433,302 in 2025 vs 5,610,870 people in Norway in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Bulgaria's population is 6,390,149 people compared to 5,660,666 in Norway.

Population statistics:

  • Bulgaria's population is 1.13 times bigger than Norway's.
  • Bulgaria is ranked the 112th most populous country in the world, while Norway is the 119th.
  • The countries together account for 0.15% of the world: 0.08% for Bulgaria vs 0.07% for Norway.
  • For the last 10 years, Bulgaria has had an average growth rate of -0.86% per year vs +0.81% in Norway.
  • Since 2006, the population of Bulgaria has decreased from 7.6M people to 6.39M (15.9% decline), while Norway has grown from 4.66M to 5.66M (21.5% growth).

Bulgaria vs Norway: population by year and forecast

Bulgaria
Factual

Projection
Norway
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Bulgaria Norway
2100 3,384,288 5,426,970
2099 3,408,821 5,439,664
2098 3,433,149 5,451,717
2097 3,457,549 5,463,190
2096 3,482,057 5,474,994
2095 3,506,060 5,487,368
2094 3,530,278 5,499,514
2093 3,554,432 5,512,056
2092 3,578,667 5,524,021
2091 3,602,907 5,535,989
2090 3,627,300 5,548,825
2089 3,652,188 5,561,462
2088 3,677,416 5,574,757
2087 3,703,460 5,588,831
2086 3,730,284 5,602,569
2085 3,757,953 5,616,010
2084 3,786,496 5,629,675
2083 3,815,548 5,642,568
2082 3,845,662 5,654,975
2081 3,876,344 5,666,885
2080 3,908,874 5,678,624
2079 3,942,344 5,689,711
2078 3,976,345 5,700,349
2077 4,011,440 5,710,483
2076 4,047,182 5,720,209
2075 4,083,977 5,729,904
2074 4,122,447 5,739,940
2073 4,161,511 5,749,872
2072 4,201,158 5,759,499
2071 4,241,639 5,768,298
2070 4,283,145 5,777,747
2069 4,325,083 5,786,471
2068 4,367,606 5,795,734
2067 4,411,116 5,805,627
2066 4,455,358 5,815,585
2065 4,500,141 5,825,356
2064 4,545,243 5,835,081
2063 4,590,439 5,844,519
2062 4,635,634 5,853,646
2061 4,681,315 5,861,677
2060 4,727,089 5,869,390
2059 4,772,667 5,875,920
2058 4,817,532 5,881,790
2057 4,862,597 5,888,181
2056 4,907,646 5,894,125
2055 4,953,105 5,899,106
2054 4,998,650 5,903,121
2053 5,044,397 5,906,126
2052 5,089,817 5,907,281
2051 5,135,505 5,907,735
2050 5,181,635 5,907,355
2049 5,228,058 5,905,940
2048 5,274,692 5,903,025
2047 5,322,212 5,899,964
2046 5,369,645 5,896,254
2045 5,417,381 5,891,177
2044 5,465,818 5,886,031
2043 5,514,902 5,880,486
2042 5,564,573 5,873,632
2041 5,615,489 5,865,604
2040 5,667,076 5,857,447
2039 5,719,506 5,848,023
2038 5,771,452 5,837,628
2037 5,824,628 5,826,752
2036 5,877,980 5,815,042
2035 5,930,517 5,802,966
2034 5,983,205 5,790,086
2033 6,036,049 5,776,187
2032 6,088,107 5,761,261
2031 6,140,619 5,745,071
2030 6,193,318 5,728,104
2029 6,244,785 5,710,229
2028 6,294,981 5,691,155
2027 6,343,732 5,670,783
2026 6,390,149 5,649,981
2025 6,433,302 5,610,870
2024 6,441,421 5,572,279
2023 6,446,596 5,519,601
2022 6,465,097 5,457,127
2021 6,507,301 5,408,320
2020 6,550,696 5,379,475
2019 6,616,726 5,347,896
2018 6,710,798 5,311,916
2017 6,803,468 5,276,968
2016 6,894,139 5,234,519
2015 6,984,225 5,188,607
2014 7,073,572 5,137,232
2013 7,160,005 5,079,623
2012 7,305,888 5,018,573
2011 7,348,328 4,953,088
2010 7,395,599 4,889,252
2009 7,444,443 4,828,726
2008 7,492,561 4,768,212
2007 7,545,338 4,709,153
2006 7,601,022 4,660,677
2005 7,658,972 4,623,291
2004 7,716,860 4,591,910
2003 7,775,327 4,564,855
2002 7,837,161 4,538,159
2001 8,009,142 4,513,751
2000 8,170,172 4,490,967
1999 8,210,624 4,461,913
1998 8,256,786 4,431,464
1997 8,312,068 4,405,157
1996 8,362,826 4,381,336
1995 8,406,067 4,359,184
1994 8,443,591 4,336,613
1993 8,472,313 4,311,991
1992 8,540,164 4,286,401
1991 8,632,367 4,261,732
1990 8,718,289 4,241,473
1989 8,876,972 4,226,901
1988 8,981,446 4,209,488
1987 8,971,359 4,186,905
1986 8,958,171 4,167,354
1985 8,960,547 4,152,516
1984 8,960,679 4,140,099
1983 8,939,738 4,128,432
1982 8,917,457 4,114,787
1981 8,891,117 4,099,702
1980 8,861,535 4,085,620
1979 8,825,940 4,072,517
1978 8,814,032 4,058,671
1977 8,804,183 4,043,205
1976 8,758,599 4,026,152
1975 8,720,742 4,007,313
1974 8,678,745 3,985,258
1973 8,620,967 3,960,612
1972 8,576,200 3,933,004
1971 8,536,395 3,903,039
1970 8,489,574 3,875,763
1969 8,434,172 3,847,707
1968 8,369,603 3,816,486
1967 8,310,226 3,784,539
1966 8,258,057 3,753,012
1965 8,204,168 3,723,168
1964 8,144,340 3,694,339
1963 8,078,145 3,666,537
1962 8,012,946 3,638,918
1961 7,943,118 3,609,800
1960 7,867,374 3,581,239

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/bulgaria/norway | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Bulgaria decreased by 706,883 people (a 9.3% decline), while Norway gained 573,842 people (a 12.3% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Bulgaria lost 503,990 people (a 7.31% decline), while Norway's population increased by 426,147 people (a 8.14% growth).

Bulgaria was ranked 95th most populous country in 2006 and is 112th in 2026. Norway was ranked 116th in 2006 and ranked 119th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Bulgaria's population will shrink by 18.9% to 5,181,635 people with a rank change from 112th to 128th. The population of Norway will increase by 4.36% to 5,907,355 people and rank change from 119th to 121st.

Norway is projected to reach its peak in 2051 at 5.91M people, while Bulgaria's population already peaked in 1988 at 8.98M people and is projected to decrease to 3.38M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

Bulgaria
Factual

Projection
Norway
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Bulgaria Norway
2100 -0.72% -0.23%
2099 -0.71% -0.22%
2098 -0.71% -0.21%
2097 -0.7% -0.22%
2096 -0.68% -0.23%
2095 -0.69% -0.22%
2094 -0.68% -0.23%
2093 -0.68% -0.22%
2092 -0.67% -0.22%
2091 -0.67% -0.23%
2090 -0.68% -0.23%
2089 -0.69% -0.24%
2088 -0.7% -0.25%
2087 -0.72% -0.25%
2086 -0.74% -0.24%
2085 -0.75% -0.24%
2084 -0.76% -0.23%
2083 -0.78% -0.22%
2082 -0.79% -0.21%
2081 -0.83% -0.21%
2080 -0.85% -0.19%
2079 -0.86% -0.19%
2078 -0.87% -0.18%
2077 -0.88% -0.17%
2076 -0.9% -0.17%
2075 -0.93% -0.17%
2074 -0.94% -0.17%
2073 -0.94% -0.17%
2072 -0.95% -0.15%
2071 -0.97% -0.16%
2070 -0.97% -0.15%
2069 -0.97% -0.16%
2068 -0.99% -0.17%
2067 -0.99% -0.17%
2066 -1% -0.17%
2065 -0.99% -0.17%
2064 -0.98% -0.16%
2063 -0.97% -0.16%
2062 -0.98% -0.14%
2061 -0.97% -0.13%
2060 -0.95% -0.11%
2059 -0.93% -0.1%
2058 -0.93% -0.11%
2057 -0.92% -0.1%
2056 -0.92% -0.08%
2055 -0.91% -0.07%
2054 -0.91% -0.05%
2053 -0.89% -0.02%
2052 -0.89% -0.008%
2051 -0.89% 0.006%
2050 -0.89% 0.02%
2049 -0.88% 0.05%
2048 -0.89% 0.05%
2047 -0.88% 0.06%
2046 -0.88% 0.09%
2045 -0.89% 0.09%
2044 -0.89% 0.09%
2043 -0.89% 0.12%
2042 -0.91% 0.14%
2041 -0.91% 0.14%
2040 -0.92% 0.16%
2039 -0.9% 0.18%
2038 -0.91% 0.19%
2037 -0.91% 0.2%
2036 -0.89% 0.21%
2035 -0.88% 0.22%
2034 -0.88% 0.24%
2033 -0.86% 0.26%
2032 -0.86% 0.28%
2031 -0.85% 0.3%
2030 -0.82% 0.31%
2029 -0.8% 0.34%
2028 -0.77% 0.36%
2027 -0.73% 0.37%
2026 -0.67% 0.7%
2025 -0.13% 0.69%
2024 -0.08% 0.95%
2023 -0.29% 1.14%
2022 -0.65% 0.9%
2021 -0.66% 0.54%
2020 -1% 0.59%
2019 -1.4% 0.68%
2018 -1.36% 0.66%
2017 -1.32% 0.81%
2016 -1.29% 0.88%
2015 -1.26% 1%
2014 -1.21% 1.13%
2013 -2% 1.22%
2012 -0.58% 1.32%
2011 -0.64% 1.31%
2010 -0.66% 1.25%
2009 -0.64% 1.27%
2008 -0.7% 1.25%
2007 -0.73% 1.04%
2006 -0.76% 0.81%
2005 -0.75% 0.68%
2004 -0.75% 0.59%
2003 -0.79% 0.59%
2002 -2.15% 0.54%
2001 -1.97% 0.51%
2000 -0.49% 0.65%
1999 -0.56% 0.69%
1998 -0.67% 0.6%
1997 -0.61% 0.54%
1996 -0.51% 0.51%
1995 -0.44% 0.52%
1994 -0.34% 0.57%
1993 -0.79% 0.6%
1992 -1.07% 0.58%
1991 -0.99% 0.48%
1990 -1.79% 0.34%
1989 -1.16% 0.41%
1988 0.11% 0.54%
1987 0.15% 0.47%
1986 -0.03% 0.36%
1985 -0.001% 0.3%
1984 0.23% 0.28%
1983 0.25% 0.33%
1982 0.3% 0.37%
1981 0.33% 0.34%
1980 0.4% 0.32%
1979 0.14% 0.34%
1978 0.11% 0.38%
1977 0.52% 0.42%
1976 0.43% 0.47%
1975 0.48% 0.55%
1974 0.67% 0.62%
1973 0.52% 0.7%
1972 0.47% 0.77%
1971 0.55% 0.7%
1970 0.66% 0.73%
1969 0.77% 0.82%
1968 0.71% 0.84%
1967 0.63% 0.84%
1966 0.66% 0.8%
1965 0.73% 0.78%
1964 0.82% 0.76%
1963 0.81% 0.76%
1962 0.88% 0.81%
1961 0.96% 0.8%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/bulgaria/norway | CC BY

In 2025, the population of Bulgaria declined by 0.13%, while Norway's population grew by 0.69%.

Live population counters

Bulgaria Norway
Current population
6390149
5660666
Population rank 112/197 119/197
Percent of world population 0.08% 0.07%
One net population change
1.08 hours
13.7 minutes
One birth every
9.83 minutes
9.72 minutes
One death every
5.23 minutes
11.9 minutes
Daily growth/decline -22 +106
Annual growth/decline -8,119 +38,591
Annual growth/decline rate -0.13% +0.69%
Population growth rate rank 168/197 117/197
One migration net change every
2.97 hours
17.7 minutes
Annual migration change -2,961 +29,798
Net migration rank 106/196 29/196
Foreign-born residents 299,100 1,012,404
Foreign-born residents rank 98/195 60/195
Foreign-born share of population 4.4% 18.2%
Foreign-born share rank 99/195 33/195

Natural population change vs migration

Bulgaria
Natural

Migration
Norway
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Bulgaria Norway
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -2,961 - 29,798
2024 -47,023 524 10,030 44,356
2023 -43,837 5,173 8,280 53,806
2022 -62,065 26,498 5,457 58,040
2021 -90,452 11,756 14,062 19,804
2020 -65,507 30,167 12,372 11,277
2019 -46,317 -2,156 13,904 25,707
2018 -46,304 -3,873 14,342 18,473
2017 -45,583 -6,109 15,831 21,657
2016 -42,744 -9,482 17,797 26,417
2015 -44,699 -4,227 18,160 30,242
2014 -41,027 -2,180 18,494 38,522
2013 -37,948 -1,324 17,779 40,690
2012 -40,183 -26,334 18,066 47,883
2011 -37,477 -23,360 18,822 47,454
2010 -34,759 -21,668 20,046 42,865
2009 -26,800 -19,060 20,280 39,316
2008 -32,967 -17,595 19,073 44,002
2007 -37,727 -16,366 16,482 40,111
2006 -39,526 -15,184 17,244 24,054
2005 -42,124 -14,435 15,719 18,588
2004 -40,128 -13,604 15,612 13,412
2003 -44,319 -13,183 14,151 11,389
2002 -46,240 -12,735 10,892 17,279
2001 -44,050 -30,726 13,090 7,906
2000 -41,668 -26,211 15,269 9,805
1999 -39,411 -23,846 14,278 19,147
1998 -52,844 -23,262 14,181 13,519
1997 -58,185 -22,963 15,418 9,744
1996 -45,159 -21,520 17,087 5,671
1995 -42,030 -22,020 14,821 6,343
1994 -32,086 -20,984 16,045 7,580
1993 -24,569 -19,973 12,936 12,567
1992 -18,789 -120,552 15,431 10,218
1991 -14,675 -119,356 16,194 7,949
1990 -3,487 -116,817 14,845 1,818
1989 5,326 -114,705 13,949 -1,730
1988 9,879 215 12,207 10,380
1987 8,971 357 9,212 13,907
1986 16,125 1,104 8,751 7,616
1985 11,649 -19,230 6,644 6,725
1984 20,610 -1,032 7,452 3,856
1983 21,455 -1,872 7,844 4,120
1982 24,077 -1,860 9,875 5,749
1981 29,341 -1,830 9,020 6,010
1980 30,129 -2,045 9,806 3,763
1979 40,599 -872 10,181 2,839
1978 44,070 -62,769 11,364 3,823
1977 47,543 -11,955 11,321 4,845
1976 56,055 -2,522 13,286 4,779
1975 54,941 -38,071 16,430 3,312
1974 64,223 -1,402 20,324 4,425
1973 57,760 -5,409 21,387 3,414
1972 47,169 -11,296 24,777 5,603
1971 52,925 -7,654 26,541 3,031
1970 61,125 -11,315 25,968 -1,034
1969 63,256 -3,204 28,858 2,230
1968 69,468 -132 29,387 1,761
1967 49,861 -420 30,276 2,460
1966 54,504 -144 31,150 -888
1965 58,249 -1,406 31,275 -1,525
1964 66,783 505 30,293 -1,571
1963 66,241 500 26,766 1,061
1962 64,104 499 28,020 655
1961 75,460 378 29,239 1,437
1960 76,314 -1,112 29,366 -1,427

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/bulgaria/norway | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 91.7% of the population change in Bulgaria is from natural causes (a loss of 534,531 people) and 8.28% is from migration (a gain of 48,271 people). In Norway 29.6% is from natural causes (a gain of 130,235 people) and 70.4% is from migration (a gain of 309,779 people).

As of 2024, 299,100 residents or 4.4% of the population were not native-born in Bulgaria, compared to 1,012,404 people or 18.2% in Norway.

Biggest cities by population

Bulgaria
City Population
Sofia 1.21M
Plovdiv 334K
Varna 323K
Burgas 189K
Stara Zagora 121K
Ruse 120K
Pleven 88.1K
Sliven 77.8K
Dobrich 68.6K
Shumen 66.4K
Norway
City Population
Oslo 718K
Bergen 291K
Trondheim 199K
Stavanger 152K
Baerum 133K
Drammen 106K
Asker 102K
Lillestrom 96.8K
Fredrikstad 86.2K
Sandnes 85.8K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/bulgaria/norway | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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