NSI: 41.4% of Bulgarians live in eight provinces

Over 41.4% of Bulgaria's population lives in just 8 out of a total of 28 provinces, according to data from the National Statistical Institute as of the end of 2025. Sofia remains the largest with over 1.3 million inhabitants. In addition, 7 more provinces in the country have a population of over 100,000 people - Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Stara Zagora, Ruse, Sliven and Pleven. NSI also reports deepening depopulation in parts of the country. By the end of 2025, there were 192 settlements in Bulgaria without a single inhabitant, with the largest number in the provinces of Veliko Tarnovo and Gabrovo. Another 1,280 villages have a population between 1 and 49 people. The total population of the country is 6,437,360 people, distributed in 28 provinces, 265 municipalities and 5,256 settlements.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova