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6.4m people now live in the country, statistics show

NSI: Bulgaria's population continues to shrink

Nearly a quarter of all Bulgarians are over 65

Bulgaria's population was 6,437,360 at the end of 2024, down by 8,121 people (0.13%) from the previous year, according to the National Statistical Institute. All 28 regions recorded negative natural growth.


As of December 31, 2024, there were 1,544,245 people over the age of 65, or 24% of the country's population. There were 901,843 children under the age of 15, or 14%.


The ageing of the population over the years has led to an increase in the average age to 45.3 years. The average age in towns is 44.5 years and in villages 47.6 years. There are 3,765,000 people of working age, or 58.5% of the population. There are 1,970,000 men and 1,795,000 women.


Half of the population (51.7%) lives in the South West and South Central regions. The least populated region is the north-west, with 655,000 people, or 10.2% of the population.




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