Bulgaria: Population ages 65 and above, total

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Bulgaria's population ages 65 and above, total rose 0.8% on 2024 (from 1.42 million to 1.43 million).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +0.4% and a typical year strayed about 0.8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 4.2% in 1966 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.5% in 1983. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains less than 1% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Bulgaria had the 64th highest value of the 217 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Bulgaria in the 2025 ranking

• Iraq — 61st of 217: 1.62 million
• Ecuador — 62nd of 217: 1.57 million
• Serbia — 63rd of 217: 1.51 million
• Finland — 65th of 217: 1.37 million
• Ghana — 66th of 217: 1.33 million
• Israel — 67th of 217: 1.28 million

What this measures

Total population 65 years of age or older. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 66 values

Population ages 65 and above, total in nearby economies

• Albania — 414,045 (2025)
• Andorra — 13,731 (2025)
• Armenia — 445,808 (2025)
• Austria — 1.94 million (2025)
• Azerbaijan — 939,483 (2025)
• Belarus — 1.66 million (2025)
• Belgium — 2.5 million (2025)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 717,822 (2025)
• Channel Islands — 34,391 (2025)
• Croatia — 915,154 (2025)
• Cyprus

More health data for Bulgaria

• Population ages 00-04, female (% of female population) — 4.3% (2025)
• Population ages 00-04, male (% of male population) — 4.85% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female — 450,175 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) — 13.56% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male — 476,203 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) — 15.3% (2025)
• Population ages 0-14, total — 926,378 (2025)
• Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) — 14.4% (2025)
• Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population) — 4.5% (2025)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Bulgaria's population ages 65 and above, total?

1.43 million in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 144.02% from 586,211 in 1960 (1.38% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 1.43 million in 2025 and the lowest 586,211 in 1960.

How does Bulgaria rank?

64th highest of 217 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in population ages 65 and above, total unusual for Bulgaria?

In 2025, Bulgaria's population ages 65 and above, total rose 0.8% on 2024 (from 1.42 million to 1.43 million). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +0.4% and a typical year strayed about 0.8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SP.POP.65UP.TO, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division; Staff estimates, World Bank (WB) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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