Skip to content

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

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Bulgaria was 6,441,421 in 2024 vs 2,857,822 people in Qatar in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Bulgaria's population is 6,359,449 people compared to 2,999,260 in Qatar.

Population statistics:

  • Bulgaria's population is 2.12 times bigger than Qatar's.
  • Bulgaria is ranked the 112th most populous country in the world, while Qatar is the 136th.
  • The countries together account for 0.11% of the world: 0.08% for Bulgaria vs 0.04% for Qatar.
  • For the last 10 years, Bulgaria has had an average growth rate of -0.96% per year vs +3.86% in Qatar.
  • Since 2006, the population of Bulgaria has decreased from 7.6M people to 6.36M (16.3% decline), while Qatar has grown from 973K to 3M (208.3% growth).

Bulgaria vs Qatar: population by year and forecast

Bulgaria
Factual

Projection
Qatar
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Bulgaria Qatar
2100 3,368,029 6,864,512
2099 3,392,444 6,795,697
2098 3,416,655 6,726,889
2097 3,440,938 6,658,115
2096 3,465,328 6,589,399
2095 3,489,216 6,520,903
2094 3,513,318 6,452,670
2093 3,537,356 6,384,792
2092 3,561,475 6,317,235
2091 3,585,597 6,249,912
2090 3,609,873 6,182,993
2089 3,634,642 6,116,439
2088 3,659,749 6,050,282
2087 3,685,668 5,984,646
2086 3,712,363 5,919,506
2085 3,739,898 5,854,810
2084 3,768,305 5,790,733
2083 3,797,217 5,727,107
2082 3,827,186 5,663,726
2081 3,857,721 5,600,872
2080 3,890,095 5,538,952
2079 3,923,403 5,477,309
2078 3,957,241 5,416,092
2077 3,992,168 5,355,430
2076 4,027,738 5,295,298
2075 4,064,356 5,235,611
2074 4,102,642 5,176,349
2073 4,141,518 5,117,758
2072 4,180,975 5,059,696
2071 4,221,261 5,002,249
2070 4,262,568 4,945,273
2069 4,304,304 4,888,911
2068 4,346,623 4,833,090
2067 4,389,924 4,777,814
2066 4,433,953 4,723,056
2065 4,478,521 4,668,810
2064 4,523,406 4,614,957
2063 4,568,385 4,561,622
2062 4,613,363 4,509,442
2061 4,658,825 4,457,910
2060 4,704,379 4,406,963
2059 4,749,738 4,356,604
2058 4,794,388 4,306,842
2057 4,839,236 4,257,533
2056 4,884,068 4,208,980
2055 4,929,309 4,160,635
2054 4,974,635 4,113,078
2053 5,020,162 4,065,870
2052 5,065,364 4,019,393
2051 5,110,833 3,973,445
2050 5,156,741 3,927,949
2049 5,202,941 3,882,963
2048 5,249,351 3,838,380
2047 5,296,642 3,794,282
2046 5,343,848 3,750,671
2045 5,391,354 3,707,573
2044 5,439,559 3,665,008
2043 5,488,407 3,623,031
2042 5,537,839 3,581,673
2041 5,588,510 3,540,989
2040 5,639,850 3,500,991
2039 5,692,028 3,461,758
2038 5,743,725 3,423,310
2037 5,796,645 3,385,696
2036 5,849,741 3,348,948
2035 5,902,025 3,313,100
2034 5,954,460 3,278,067
2033 6,007,050 3,243,892
2032 6,058,858 3,210,644
2031 6,111,118 3,178,257
2030 6,163,564 3,146,733
2029 6,214,784 3,112,748
2028 6,264,738 3,075,676
2027 6,313,255 3,035,492
2026 6,359,449 2,985,826
2025 6,402,394 2,926,071
2024 6,441,421 2,857,822
2023 6,446,596 2,656,032
2022 6,465,097 2,657,333
2021 6,507,301 2,504,910
2020 6,550,696 2,794,148
2019 6,616,726 2,638,657
2018 6,710,798 2,580,734
2017 6,803,468 2,545,820
2016 6,894,139 2,477,113
2015 6,984,225 2,344,557
2014 7,073,572 2,151,745
2013 7,160,005 1,916,426
2012 7,305,888 1,722,438
2011 7,348,328 1,624,761
2010 7,395,599 1,616,832
2009 7,444,443 1,608,903
2008 7,492,561 1,426,938
2007 7,545,338 1,208,595
2006 7,601,022 972,831
2005 7,658,972 825,408
2004 7,716,860 773,332
2003 7,775,327 744,682
2002 7,837,161 711,205
2001 8,009,142 677,925
2000 8,170,172 644,989
1999 8,210,624 612,500
1998 8,256,786 580,540
1997 8,312,068 550,500
1996 8,362,826 529,019
1995 8,406,067 514,325
1994 8,443,591 499,459
1993 8,472,313 484,545
1992 8,540,164 469,657
1991 8,632,367 454,853
1990 8,718,289 440,175
1989 8,876,972 425,646
1988 8,981,446 411,264
1987 8,971,359 397,005
1986 8,958,171 382,422
1985 8,960,547 365,940
1984 8,960,679 347,878
1983 8,939,738 329,709
1982 8,917,457 311,537
1981 8,891,117 293,553
1980 8,861,535 275,913
1979 8,825,940 258,670
1978 8,814,032 241,808
1977 8,804,183 225,285
1976 8,758,599 209,052
1975 8,720,742 193,087
1974 8,678,745 177,362
1973 8,620,967 161,841
1972 8,576,200 146,506
1971 8,536,395 131,346
1970 8,489,574 116,350
1969 8,434,172 103,025
1968 8,369,603 91,749
1967 8,310,226 81,439
1966 8,258,057 72,192
1965 8,204,168 64,065
1964 8,144,340 56,867
1963 8,078,145 50,380
1962 8,012,946 44,630
1961 7,943,118 39,680
1960 7,867,374 36,010

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

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

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Bulgaria decreased by 706,883 people (a 9.3% decline), while Qatar gained 1,504,282 people (a 154.6% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Bulgaria lost 534,690 people (a 7.76% decline), while Qatar's population increased by 522,147 people (a 21.1% growth).

Bulgaria was ranked 95th most populous country in 2006 and is 112th in 2026. Qatar was ranked 156th in 2006 and ranked 136th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Bulgaria's population will shrink by 18.9% to 5,156,741 people with a rank change from 112th to 128th. The population of Qatar will increase by 31% to 3,927,949 people and rank change from 136th to 134th.

Qatar is projected to reach its peak in 2100 at 6.86M people, while Bulgaria's population already peaked in 1988 at 8.98M people and is projected to decrease to 3.37M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

Bulgaria
Factual

Projection
Qatar
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Bulgaria Qatar
2100 -0.72% 1.01%
2099 -0.71% 1.02%
2098 -0.71% 1.03%
2097 -0.7% 1.04%
2096 -0.68% 1.05%
2095 -0.69% 1.06%
2094 -0.68% 1.06%
2093 -0.68% 1.07%
2092 -0.67% 1.08%
2091 -0.67% 1.08%
2090 -0.68% 1.09%
2089 -0.69% 1.09%
2088 -0.7% 1.1%
2087 -0.72% 1.1%
2086 -0.74% 1.11%
2085 -0.75% 1.11%
2084 -0.76% 1.11%
2083 -0.78% 1.12%
2082 -0.79% 1.12%
2081 -0.83% 1.12%
2080 -0.85% 1.13%
2079 -0.86% 1.13%
2078 -0.87% 1.13%
2077 -0.88% 1.14%
2076 -0.9% 1.14%
2075 -0.93% 1.14%
2074 -0.94% 1.14%
2073 -0.94% 1.15%
2072 -0.95% 1.15%
2071 -0.97% 1.15%
2070 -0.97% 1.15%
2069 -0.97% 1.15%
2068 -0.99% 1.16%
2067 -0.99% 1.16%
2066 -1% 1.16%
2065 -0.99% 1.17%
2064 -0.98% 1.17%
2063 -0.97% 1.16%
2062 -0.98% 1.16%
2061 -0.97% 1.16%
2060 -0.95% 1.16%
2059 -0.93% 1.16%
2058 -0.93% 1.16%
2057 -0.92% 1.15%
2056 -0.92% 1.16%
2055 -0.91% 1.16%
2054 -0.91% 1.16%
2053 -0.89% 1.16%
2052 -0.89% 1.16%
2051 -0.89% 1.16%
2050 -0.89% 1.16%
2049 -0.88% 1.16%
2048 -0.89% 1.16%
2047 -0.88% 1.16%
2046 -0.88% 1.16%
2045 -0.89% 1.16%
2044 -0.89% 1.16%
2043 -0.89% 1.15%
2042 -0.91% 1.15%
2041 -0.91% 1.14%
2040 -0.92% 1.13%
2039 -0.9% 1.12%
2038 -0.91% 1.11%
2037 -0.91% 1.1%
2036 -0.89% 1.08%
2035 -0.88% 1.07%
2034 -0.88% 1.05%
2033 -0.86% 1.04%
2032 -0.86% 1.02%
2031 -0.85% 1%
2030 -0.82% 1.09%
2029 -0.8% 1.21%
2028 -0.77% 1.32%
2027 -0.73% 1.66%
2026 -0.67% 2.04%
2025 -0.61% 2.39%
2024 -0.08% 7.6%
2023 -0.29% -0.05%
2022 -0.65% 6.08%
2021 -0.66% -10.4%
2020 -1% 5.89%
2019 -1.4% 2.24%
2018 -1.36% 1.37%
2017 -1.32% 2.77%
2016 -1.29% 5.65%
2015 -1.26% 8.96%
2014 -1.21% 12.3%
2013 -2% 11.3%
2012 -0.58% 6.01%
2011 -0.64% 0.49%
2010 -0.66% 0.49%
2009 -0.64% 12.8%
2008 -0.7% 18.1%
2007 -0.73% 24.2%
2006 -0.76% 17.9%
2005 -0.75% 6.73%
2004 -0.75% 3.85%
2003 -0.79% 4.71%
2002 -2.15% 4.91%
2001 -1.97% 5.11%
2000 -0.49% 5.3%
1999 -0.56% 5.51%
1998 -0.67% 5.46%
1997 -0.61% 4.06%
1996 -0.51% 2.86%
1995 -0.44% 2.98%
1994 -0.34% 3.08%
1993 -0.79% 3.17%
1992 -1.07% 3.25%
1991 -0.99% 3.33%
1990 -1.79% 3.41%
1989 -1.16% 3.5%
1988 0.11% 3.59%
1987 0.15% 3.81%
1986 -0.03% 4.5%
1985 -0.001% 5.19%
1984 0.23% 5.51%
1983 0.25% 5.83%
1982 0.3% 6.13%
1981 0.33% 6.39%
1980 0.4% 6.67%
1979 0.14% 6.97%
1978 0.11% 7.33%
1977 0.52% 7.77%
1976 0.43% 8.27%
1975 0.48% 8.87%
1974 0.67% 9.59%
1973 0.52% 10.5%
1972 0.47% 11.5%
1971 0.55% 12.9%
1970 0.66% 12.9%
1969 0.77% 12.3%
1968 0.71% 12.7%
1967 0.63% 12.8%
1966 0.66% 12.7%
1965 0.73% 12.7%
1964 0.82% 12.9%
1963 0.81% 12.9%
1962 0.88% 12.5%
1961 0.96% 10.2%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1961–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

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

In 2024, the population of Bulgaria declined by 0.08%, while Qatar's population grew by 7.6%.

Live population counters

Bulgaria Qatar
Current population
6359449
2999260
Population rank 112/197 136/197
Percent of world population 0.08% 0.04%
One net population change
1.69 hours
2.6 minutes
One birth every
9.16 minutes
20 minutes
One death every
5.19 minutes
3.55 hours
Daily growth/decline -14 +553
Annual growth/decline -5,175 +201,790
Annual growth/decline rate -0.08% +7.6%
Population growth rate rank 171/197 1/197
One migration net change every
2.97 hours
14.5 minutes
Annual migration change -2,961 +36,288
Net migration rank 106/196 26/196
Foreign-born residents 299,100 2,337,000
Foreign-born residents rank 98/195 31/195
Foreign-born share of population 4.4% 76.7%
Foreign-born share rank 99/195 1/195

Natural population change vs migration

Bulgaria
Natural

Migration
Qatar
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Bulgaria Qatar
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -2,961 - 36,288
2024 - 524 - 46,105
2023 -43,837 5,173 23,845 39,995
2022 -62,065 26,498 24,360 80,004
2021 -90,452 11,756 21,297 24,501
2020 -65,507 30,167 25,128 -50,433
2019 -46,317 -2,156 24,112 10,557
2018 -46,304 -3,873 23,340 12,465
2017 -45,583 -6,109 23,244 46,719
2016 -42,744 -9,482 22,416 119,725
2015 -44,699 -4,227 22,568 177,467
2014 -41,027 -2,180 21,699 194,712
2013 -37,948 -1,324 19,669 133,520
2012 -40,183 -26,334 17,681 77,091
2011 -37,477 -23,360 16,543 77,228
2010 -34,759 -21,668 16,225 90,620
2009 -26,800 -19,060 15,595 123,217
2008 -32,967 -17,595 14,062 165,572
2007 -37,727 -16,366 11,351 245,703
2006 -39,526 -15,184 10,225 204,236
2005 -42,124 -14,435 11,392 68,993
2004 -40,128 -13,604 11,242 12,531
2003 -44,319 -13,183 11,291 22,234
2002 -46,240 -12,735 11,062 22,356
2001 -44,050 -30,726 10,683 22,456
2000 -41,668 -26,211 9,974 22,769
1999 -39,411 -23,846 9,431 22,815
1998 -52,844 -23,262 9,055 22,618
1997 -58,185 -22,963 8,846 19,547
1996 -45,159 -21,520 9,049 5,517
1995 -42,030 -22,020 9,186 5,634
1994 -32,086 -20,984 9,257 5,660
1993 -24,569 -19,973 9,250 5,670
1992 -18,789 -120,552 9,189 5,670
1991 -14,675 -119,356 9,182 5,562
1990 -3,487 -116,817 9,388 5,216
1989 5,326 -114,705 9,407 5,045
1988 9,879 215 9,198 5,118
1987 8,971 357 8,806 5,405
1986 16,125 1,104 8,439 6,512
1985 11,649 -19,230 8,212 9,797
1984 20,610 -1,032 7,997 10,113
1983 21,455 -1,872 7,765 10,462
1982 24,077 -1,860 7,489 10,634
1981 29,341 -1,830 7,202 10,644
1980 30,129 -2,045 6,894 10,540
1979 40,599 -872 6,579 10,466
1978 44,070 -62,769 6,246 10,434
1977 47,543 -11,955 5,925 10,445
1976 56,055 -2,522 5,598 10,494
1975 54,941 -38,071 5,289 10,549
1974 64,223 -1,402 5,015 10,603
1973 57,760 -5,409 4,780 10,641
1972 47,169 -11,296 4,581 10,663
1971 52,925 -7,654 4,433 10,644
1970 61,125 -11,315 4,346 10,579
1969 63,256 -3,204 3,941 7,790
1968 69,468 -132 3,547 7,266
1967 49,861 -420 3,167 6,637
1966 54,504 -144 2,811 5,880
1965 58,249 -1,406 2,472 5,083
1964 66,783 505 2,150 4,686
1963 66,241 500 1,854 4,283
1962 64,104 499 1,589 3,773
1961 75,460 378 1,357 3,186
1960 76,314 -1,112 1,220 1,586

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).

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

Over the last 10 years, 92.1% of the population change in Bulgaria is from natural causes (a loss of 528,535 people) and 7.94% is from migration (a gain of 45,567 people). In Qatar 26.1% is from natural causes (a gain of 232,009 people) and 73.9% is from migration (a gain of 655,712 people).

As of 2024, 299,100 residents or 4.4% of the population were not native-born in Bulgaria, compared to 2,337,000 people or 76.7% in Qatar.

Biggest cities by population

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
Qatar
City Population
Doha 1.19M
Al Khor 31.5K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population/bulgaria/qatar | 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 | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2026, 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.