Bulgaria
Europe Β· Capital: Sofia
How it is run: Bulgaria is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Bulgaria is home to 6.4 million people in Southeast Europe, where people speak Bulgarian.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
6.4 million people
That is about 794 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
110,879 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
About 58 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
21st most people in Europe
15th largest by land in Europe.
π£οΈ Official languages
Bulgarian
π° Money
Bulgarian lev (Π»Π²)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
75.8 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$20,328
An upper-middle-income country: growing cities, and more families joining the middle class.
π’ Living in cities
74.2% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
14.4% of the population
An older country β there are more grandparents than schoolchildren.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+359
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.bg
π§ People here are called
Bulgarian
π·οΈ Name at home
ΠΡΠ»Π³Π°ΡΠΈΡ
Also written: Republic of Bulgaria, Π Π΅ΠΏΡΠ±Π»ΠΈΠΊΠ° ΠΡΠ»Π³Π°ΡΠΈΡ.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Eastern European Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Bulgaria touches 5 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Bulgaria
French
Bulgarie
Arabic
Ψ¨ΩΨΊΨ§Ψ±ΩΨ§
Chinese
δΏε ε©δΊ
Japanese
γγ«γ¬γͺγ’
Russian
ΠΠΎΠ»Π³Π°ΡΠΈΡ
Portuguese
BulgΓ‘ria
German
Bulgarien
Put it in perspective π
- Russia β the most populated country in Europe β has about 22.3Γ as many people as Bulgaria.
- Bulgaria covers roughly 1,056 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Bulgaria lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 3,217 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: The capital of Bulgaria is Sofia β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Bulgaria
ποΈ Capital
Sofia
π Region
Europe Β· Southeast Europe
π€ Country code
BG
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Bulgaria π
π§ Where on the map
43.0Β° N, 25.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+2 β when it is noon in London it is about 14:00 in Sofia.
- Bulgaria is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Bulgaria shares its part of the world with Albania. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- The capital of Bulgaria is Sofia β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- π§π¬ is the flag of Bulgaria. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is BG.
- Bulgaria is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Bulgaria has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Bulgaria can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Bulgaria spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Bulgaria?
Sofia
Which money do people spend in Bulgaria?
Bulgarian lev (Π»Π²)
How many countries share a land border with Bulgaria?
5 β Greece, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, TΓΌrkiye.
Roughly how many people live in Bulgaria?
6.4 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.