Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Bulgaria

Urban population share in Bulgaria in 2025 — 74.2%. Ranked 76 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 37.1 pp.

2025 74.2% +0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank 76of 217
Period maximum 74.2%2025
Period minimum 37.1%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Bulgaria, 1960–202530405060708019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 37.1%1962: 39.3%1964: 43%1966: 47%1968: 49%1970: 52.3%1972: 55.2%1974: 58.1%1976: 58.5%1978: 60.5%1980: 62.1%1982: 63.9%1984: 65.6%1986: 65.3%1988: 66.7%1990: 67%1992: 67.2%1994: 67.7%1996: 67.7%1998: 67.9%2000: 68.3%2002: 69.5%2004: 69.9%2006: 70.5%2008: 70.9%2010: 71.5%2012: 72.8%2014: 73.1%2016: 73.2%2018: 73.6%2020: 73.3%2022: 73.5%2024: 73.9%2025: 74.2%
Change over the period: +37.1 pp Annual average: 0.57 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Bulgaria

Bulgaria 74.2%
World 57.8%
Eastern Europe computed 70.1%
Urban population share — Bulgaria, by year Bulgaria All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 74.2 +0.2 pp
2024 73.9 +0.2 pp
2023 73.7 +0.3 pp
2022 73.5 +0.1 pp
2021 73.3 +0 pp
2020 73.3 −0.4 pp
2019 73.7 +0.1 pp
2018 73.6 +0.2 pp
2017 73.4 +0.2 pp
2016 73.2 +0.1 pp
2015 73.1 +0 pp
2014 73.1 +0.1 pp
2013 73 +0.2 pp
2012 72.8 +0.2 pp
2011 72.6 +1.1 pp
2010 71.5 +0.2 pp
2009 71.3 +0.4 pp
2008 70.9 +0.2 pp
2007 70.7 +0.2 pp
2006 70.5 +0.4 pp
2005 70.1 +0.2 pp
2004 69.9 +0.1 pp
2003 69.8 +0.3 pp
2002 69.5 +0.3 pp
2001 69.2 +0.9 pp
2000 68.3 +0.2 pp
1999 68 +0.2 pp
1998 67.9 +0.2 pp
1997 67.7 −0 pp
1996 67.7 −0.1 pp
1995 67.8 +0.1 pp
1994 67.7 +0.3 pp
1993 67.4 +0.3 pp
1992 67.2 +0.1 pp
1991 67.1 +0 pp
1990 67 −0.3 pp
1989 67.3 +0.6 pp
1988 66.7 +0.7 pp
1987 66 +0.8 pp
1986 65.3 +0.3 pp
1985 65 −0.7 pp
1984 65.6 +1 pp
1983 64.6 +0.8 pp
1982 63.9 +0.9 pp
1981 63 +0.9 pp
1980 62.1 +0.7 pp
1979 61.5 +1 pp
1978 60.5 +1.1 pp
1977 59.4 +0.9 pp
1976 58.5 +0.5 pp
1975 58 −0.1 pp
1974 58.1 +1.8 pp
1973 56.3 +1.1 pp
1972 55.2 +1.4 pp
1971 53.8 +1.5 pp
1970 52.3 +1.7 pp
1969 50.6 +1.6 pp
1968 49 +1 pp
1967 48 +1 pp
1966 47 +1.3 pp
1965 45.7 +2.7 pp
1964 43 +2.8 pp
1963 40.3 +1 pp
1962 39.3 +0.9 pp
1961 38.4 +1.3 pp
1960 37.1

About the indicator

The share of population living in urban settlements, as a percent of the total. One caveat is central: each country sets the criteria for a city itself — in some places it is a settlement of 2,000 residents or more, in others 20,000, in others administrative status. Cross-country comparisons of urbanization are therefore always approximate, while the trend within a single country is informative.

Important: Sharp jumps in individual years are usually explained not by people moving but by changes in the administrative boundaries of cities.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.