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

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of Bulgaria was 6,441,421 in 2024 vs 85,518,661 people in Turkey in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Bulgaria's population is 6,359,449 people compared to 86,002,379 in Turkey.

Population statistics:

  • Turkey's population is 13.5 times bigger than Bulgaria's.
  • Bulgaria is ranked the 112th most populous country in the world, while Turkey is the 18th.
  • The countries together account for 1.11% of the world: 0.08% for Bulgaria vs 1.04% for Turkey.
  • For the last 10 years, Bulgaria has had an average growth rate of -0.96% per year vs +1.06% in Turkey.
  • Since 2006, the population of Bulgaria has decreased from 7.6M people to 6.36M (16.3% decline), while Turkey has grown from 70M to 86M (22.8% growth).

Bulgaria vs Turkey: population by year and forecast

Bulgaria
Factual

Projection
Turkey
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Bulgaria Turkey
2100 3,368,029 64,274,243
2099 3,392,444 64,924,706
2098 3,416,655 65,567,989
2097 3,440,938 66,219,045
2096 3,465,328 66,865,890
2095 3,489,216 67,516,190
2094 3,513,318 68,169,346
2093 3,537,356 68,835,313
2092 3,561,475 69,496,264
2091 3,585,597 70,159,325
2090 3,609,873 70,828,304
2089 3,634,642 71,490,133
2088 3,659,749 72,146,464
2087 3,685,668 72,792,552
2086 3,712,363 73,439,558
2085 3,739,898 74,085,313
2084 3,768,305 74,713,882
2083 3,797,217 75,342,464
2082 3,827,186 75,969,760
2081 3,857,721 76,583,769
2080 3,890,095 77,195,480
2079 3,923,403 77,793,711
2078 3,957,241 78,386,293
2077 3,992,168 78,973,194
2076 4,027,738 79,556,991
2075 4,064,356 80,128,010
2074 4,102,642 80,697,544
2073 4,141,518 81,244,619
2072 4,180,975 81,785,452
2071 4,221,261 82,311,503
2070 4,262,568 82,827,402
2069 4,304,304 83,324,862
2068 4,346,623 83,806,741
2067 4,389,924 84,270,976
2066 4,433,953 84,728,547
2065 4,478,521 85,177,268
2064 4,523,406 85,611,517
2063 4,568,385 86,026,471
2062 4,613,363 86,425,827
2061 4,658,825 86,800,591
2060 4,704,379 87,156,663
2059 4,749,738 87,500,101
2058 4,794,388 87,809,920
2057 4,839,236 88,100,397
2056 4,884,068 88,369,840
2055 4,929,309 88,598,739
2054 4,974,635 88,806,632
2053 5,020,162 88,985,609
2052 5,065,364 89,144,425
2051 5,110,833 89,270,515
2050 5,156,741 89,374,730
2049 5,202,941 89,447,182
2048 5,249,351 89,484,074
2047 5,296,642 89,492,406
2046 5,343,848 89,467,391
2045 5,391,354 89,441,098
2044 5,439,559 89,390,601
2043 5,488,407 89,326,342
2042 5,537,839 89,237,658
2041 5,588,510 89,137,199
2040 5,639,850 89,021,820
2039 5,692,028 88,885,792
2038 5,743,725 88,736,121
2037 5,796,645 88,562,197
2036 5,849,741 88,373,007
2035 5,902,025 88,178,595
2034 5,954,460 87,975,336
2033 6,007,050 87,754,631
2032 6,058,858 87,524,158
2031 6,111,118 87,274,280
2030 6,163,564 87,004,538
2029 6,214,784 86,741,614
2028 6,264,738 86,466,107
2027 6,313,255 86,189,693
2026 6,359,449 85,932,926
2025 6,402,394 85,718,588
2024 6,441,421 85,518,661
2023 6,446,596 85,325,965
2022 6,465,097 84,979,913
2021 6,507,301 84,147,318
2020 6,550,696 83,384,680
2019 6,616,726 82,579,440
2018 6,710,798 81,407,204
2017 6,803,468 80,312,698
2016 6,894,139 79,277,962
2015 6,984,225 78,218,479
2014 7,073,572 77,181,884
2013 7,160,005 76,147,624
2012 7,305,888 75,175,827
2011 7,348,328 74,223,629
2010 7,395,599 73,142,150
2009 7,444,443 72,039,206
2008 7,492,561 71,051,678
2007 7,545,338 70,158,112
2006 7,601,022 70,045,349
2005 7,658,972 69,329,557
2004 7,716,860 68,592,617
2003 7,775,327 67,831,730
2002 7,837,161 67,048,795
2001 8,009,142 66,245,128
2000 8,170,172 65,425,961
1999 8,210,624 64,591,923
1998 8,256,786 63,734,383
1997 8,312,068 62,852,966
1996 8,362,826 61,951,134
1995 8,406,067 61,024,503
1994 8,443,591 60,033,836
1993 8,472,313 58,999,167
1992 8,540,164 57,990,118
1991 8,632,367 57,009,887
1990 8,718,289 56,015,628
1989 8,876,972 54,976,723
1988 8,981,446 53,909,626
1987 8,971,359 52,843,670
1986 8,958,171 51,777,772
1985 8,960,547 50,687,115
1984 8,960,679 49,574,069
1983 8,939,738 48,447,410
1982 8,917,457 47,322,096
1981 8,891,117 46,321,190
1980 8,861,535 45,408,815
1979 8,825,940 44,510,429
1978 8,814,032 43,645,306
1977 8,804,183 42,773,298
1976 8,758,599 41,899,984
1975 8,720,742 41,053,126
1974 8,678,745 40,210,234
1973 8,620,967 39,329,533
1972 8,576,200 38,430,221
1971 8,536,395 37,518,611
1970 8,489,574 36,638,465
1969 8,434,172 35,787,774
1968 8,369,603 34,921,684
1967 8,310,226 34,050,421
1966 8,258,057 33,177,672
1965 8,204,168 32,345,220
1964 8,144,340 31,543,072
1963 8,078,145 30,726,841
1962 8,012,946 29,916,147
1961 7,943,118 29,119,238
1960 7,867,374 28,329,898

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/turkey | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Bulgaria decreased by 706,883 people (a 9.3% decline), while Turkey gained 9,232,613 people (a 13.2% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Bulgaria lost 534,690 people (a 7.76% decline), while Turkey's population increased by 6,724,417 people (a 8.48% growth).

Bulgaria was ranked 95th most populous country in 2006 and is 112th in 2026. Turkey was ranked 18th in 2006 and still ranked 18th 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 Turkey will increase by 3.92% to 89,374,730 people and rank change from 18th to 19th.

Turkey is projected to reach its peak in 2047 at 89.5M 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
Turkey
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Bulgaria Turkey
2100 -0.72% -1%
2099 -0.71% -0.98%
2098 -0.71% -0.98%
2097 -0.7% -0.97%
2096 -0.68% -0.96%
2095 -0.69% -0.96%
2094 -0.68% -0.97%
2093 -0.68% -0.95%
2092 -0.67% -0.95%
2091 -0.67% -0.94%
2090 -0.68% -0.93%
2089 -0.69% -0.91%
2088 -0.7% -0.89%
2087 -0.72% -0.88%
2086 -0.74% -0.87%
2085 -0.75% -0.84%
2084 -0.76% -0.83%
2083 -0.78% -0.83%
2082 -0.79% -0.8%
2081 -0.83% -0.79%
2080 -0.85% -0.77%
2079 -0.86% -0.76%
2078 -0.87% -0.74%
2077 -0.88% -0.73%
2076 -0.9% -0.71%
2075 -0.93% -0.71%
2074 -0.94% -0.67%
2073 -0.94% -0.66%
2072 -0.95% -0.64%
2071 -0.97% -0.62%
2070 -0.97% -0.6%
2069 -0.97% -0.57%
2068 -0.99% -0.55%
2067 -0.99% -0.54%
2066 -1% -0.53%
2065 -0.99% -0.51%
2064 -0.98% -0.48%
2063 -0.97% -0.46%
2062 -0.98% -0.43%
2061 -0.97% -0.41%
2060 -0.95% -0.39%
2059 -0.93% -0.35%
2058 -0.93% -0.33%
2057 -0.92% -0.3%
2056 -0.92% -0.26%
2055 -0.91% -0.23%
2054 -0.91% -0.2%
2053 -0.89% -0.18%
2052 -0.89% -0.14%
2051 -0.89% -0.12%
2050 -0.89% -0.08%
2049 -0.88% -0.04%
2048 -0.89% -0.009%
2047 -0.88% 0.03%
2046 -0.88% 0.03%
2045 -0.89% 0.06%
2044 -0.89% 0.07%
2043 -0.89% 0.1%
2042 -0.91% 0.11%
2041 -0.91% 0.13%
2040 -0.92% 0.15%
2039 -0.9% 0.17%
2038 -0.91% 0.2%
2037 -0.91% 0.21%
2036 -0.89% 0.22%
2035 -0.88% 0.23%
2034 -0.88% 0.25%
2033 -0.86% 0.26%
2032 -0.86% 0.29%
2031 -0.85% 0.31%
2030 -0.82% 0.3%
2029 -0.8% 0.32%
2028 -0.77% 0.32%
2027 -0.73% 0.3%
2026 -0.67% 0.25%
2025 -0.61% 0.23%
2024 -0.08% 0.23%
2023 -0.29% 0.41%
2022 -0.65% 0.99%
2021 -0.66% 0.91%
2020 -1% 0.98%
2019 -1.4% 1.44%
2018 -1.36% 1.36%
2017 -1.32% 1.31%
2016 -1.29% 1.35%
2015 -1.26% 1.34%
2014 -1.21% 1.36%
2013 -2% 1.29%
2012 -0.58% 1.28%
2011 -0.64% 1.48%
2010 -0.66% 1.53%
2009 -0.64% 1.39%
2008 -0.7% 1.27%
2007 -0.73% 0.16%
2006 -0.76% 1.03%
2005 -0.75% 1.07%
2004 -0.75% 1.12%
2003 -0.79% 1.17%
2002 -2.15% 1.21%
2001 -1.97% 1.25%
2000 -0.49% 1.29%
1999 -0.56% 1.35%
1998 -0.67% 1.4%
1997 -0.61% 1.46%
1996 -0.51% 1.52%
1995 -0.44% 1.65%
1994 -0.34% 1.75%
1993 -0.79% 1.74%
1992 -1.07% 1.72%
1991 -0.99% 1.77%
1990 -1.79% 1.89%
1989 -1.16% 1.98%
1988 0.11% 2.02%
1987 0.15% 2.06%
1986 -0.03% 2.15%
1985 -0.001% 2.25%
1984 0.23% 2.33%
1983 0.25% 2.38%
1982 0.3% 2.16%
1981 0.33% 2.01%
1980 0.4% 2.02%
1979 0.14% 1.98%
1978 0.11% 2.04%
1977 0.52% 2.08%
1976 0.43% 2.06%
1975 0.48% 2.1%
1974 0.67% 2.24%
1973 0.52% 2.34%
1972 0.47% 2.43%
1971 0.55% 2.4%
1970 0.66% 2.38%
1969 0.77% 2.48%
1968 0.71% 2.56%
1967 0.63% 2.63%
1966 0.66% 2.57%
1965 0.73% 2.54%
1964 0.82% 2.66%
1963 0.81% 2.71%
1962 0.88% 2.74%
1961 0.96% 2.79%

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/turkey | CC BY

In 2024, the population of Bulgaria declined by 0.08%, while Turkey's population grew by 0.23%.

Live population counters

Bulgaria Turkey
Current population
6359449
86002379
Population rank 112/197 18/197
Percent of world population 0.08% 1.04%
One net population change
1.69 hours
2.73 minutes
One birth every
9.16 minutes
33 seconds
One death every
5.19 minutes
59.6 seconds
Daily growth/decline -14 +528
Annual growth/decline -5,175 +192,696
Annual growth/decline rate -0.08% +0.23%
Population growth rate rank 171/197 154/197
One migration net change every
2.97 hours
2.04 minutes
Annual migration change -2,961 -258,205
Net migration rank 106/196 188/196
Foreign-born residents 299,100 7,083,501
Foreign-born residents rank 98/195 11/195
Foreign-born share of population 4.4% 8.1%
Foreign-born share rank 99/195 75/195

Natural population change vs migration

Bulgaria
Natural

Migration
Turkey
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Bulgaria Turkey
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -2,961 - -258,205
2024 - 524 - -275,952
2023 -43,837 5,173 426,630 -318,070
2022 -62,065 26,498 535,373 -301,544
2021 -90,452 11,756 521,713 20,283
2020 -65,507 30,167 608,708 37,934
2019 -46,317 -2,156 751,472 -15,690
2018 -46,304 -3,873 830,353 187,570
2017 -45,583 -6,109 875,408 659,846
2016 -42,744 -9,482 895,841 352,063
2015 -44,699 -4,227 930,799 1,063,140
2014 -41,027 -2,180 957,055 1,033,384
2013 -37,948 -1,324 921,386 438,618
2012 -40,183 -26,334 917,145 258,623
2011 -37,477 -23,360 875,839 68,849
2010 -34,759 -21,668 892,334 55,532
2009 -26,800 -19,060 900,491 24,276
2008 -32,967 -17,595 868,749 47,915
2007 -37,727 -16,366 876,626 -186,402
2006 -39,526 -15,184 897,351 -190,194
2005 -42,124 -14,435 898,650 -174,177
2004 -40,128 -13,604 896,025 -146,574
2003 -44,319 -13,183 893,683 -121,383
2002 -46,240 -12,735 922,927 -129,444
2001 -44,050 -30,726 980,560 -166,759
2000 -41,668 -26,211 1,020,515 -195,996
1999 -39,411 -23,846 1,063,312 -219,778
1998 -52,844 -23,262 1,103,242 -231,744
1997 -58,185 -22,963 1,099,738 -208,465
1996 -45,159 -21,520 1,091,827 -179,423
1995 -42,030 -22,020 1,090,630 -149,737
1994 -32,086 -20,984 1,078,208 -37,762
1993 -24,569 -19,973 1,064,168 -35,245
1992 -18,789 -120,552 1,039,125 -49,923
1991 -14,675 -119,356 1,041,229 -69,982
1990 -3,487 -116,817 1,044,467 -27,193
1989 5,326 -114,705 1,094,036 -33,519
1988 9,879 215 1,101,266 -27,659
1987 8,971 357 1,099,042 -40,772
1986 16,125 1,104 1,102,660 -29,134
1985 11,649 -19,230 1,098,846 8,960
1984 20,610 -1,032 1,096,529 21,787
1983 21,455 -1,872 1,095,106 39,871
1982 24,077 -1,860 1,091,863 23,728
1981 29,341 -1,830 1,100,082 -213,889
1980 30,129 -2,045 1,090,538 -151,969
1979 40,599 -872 1,076,707 -218,509
1978 44,070 -62,769 1,054,863 -182,818
1977 47,543 -11,955 1,023,779 -151,825
1976 56,055 -2,522 1,009,999 -135,377
1975 54,941 -38,071 1,012,904 -193,829
1974 64,223 -1,402 1,020,053 -153,311
1973 57,760 -5,409 1,025,675 -130,985
1972 47,169 -11,296 1,023,781 -119,850
1971 52,925 -7,654 1,014,165 -94,891
1970 61,125 -11,315 991,950 -150,924
1969 63,256 -3,204 970,958 -110,578
1968 69,468 -132 950,778 -78,973
1967 49,861 -420 936,727 -65,993
1966 54,504 -144 925,790 -50,999
1965 58,249 -1,406 904,016 -113,911
1964 66,783 505 884,152 -69,978
1963 66,241 500 862,626 -44,317
1962 64,104 499 837,473 -34,353
1961 75,460 378 816,911 -26,187
1960 76,314 -1,112 773,009 14,948

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

GeoRank.org/population/bulgaria/turkey | 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 Turkey 73% is from natural causes (a gain of 7,333,352 people) and 27% is from migration (a gain of 2,718,916 people).

As of 2024, 299,100 residents or 4.4% of the population were not native-born in Bulgaria, compared to 7,083,501 people or 8.1% in Turkey.

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
Turkey
City Population
Istanbul 15.7M
Ankara 5.8M
Izmir 4.49M
Bursa 2.9M
Antalya 2.43M
Konya 2.23M
Urfa 1.99M
Kocaeli 1.85M
Adana 1.77M
Diyarbakir 1.73M

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/turkey | CC BY

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

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