In international comparisons, Bulgaria is among the countries with the highest overall mortality rate in the world, with only Monaco ahead of it in the ranking under consideration.
However, these numbers should be read carefully. The overall mortality rate depends not only on the health status of the population, but also on its age structure. And Bulgaria is among the most aging societies in Europe.
Almost 100,000 deaths in one year
The final data of the National Statistical Institute for 2025 show that 99,479 people died in Bulgaria during the year.
At the same time, 50,241 children were born.
Thus, in just one year, the difference between deaths and newborns reaches 49,238 people.
This means that for approximately every newborn Bulgarian, there are two deaths.
The total mortality rate in 2025 is 15.5 per thousand, which confirms the extremely high level of indicator.
Bulgaria is first in the European Union
Eurostat data show that Bulgaria is in first place in the EU in terms of overall mortality rate.
For 2024, it is 15.6‰, while the average value for the European Union is 10.7‰.
Latvia and Hungary are next in line in Bulgaria.
This is not a new phenomenon. Bulgaria has been at the forefront of European statistics for this indicator for years.
Why is the mortality rate so high?
At first glance, the number 15.5 per mille seems like a direct assessment of the health status of society. In fact, the picture is more complex.
The overall mortality rate measures the number of deaths relative to the entire population. When a country has a large proportion of elderly people, naturally more deaths are registered per 1,000 inhabitants.
And Bulgaria is aging.
At the end of 2025, people aged 65 and over will be 24.3% of the country's population.
The average age of the population is already over 45.
This is one of the main reasons why Bulgaria has such a high gross mortality rate.
But aging does not explain everything
Behind the demographic indicators is also a serious health problem.
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Bulgaria. They are responsible for over 60% of all deaths. They are followed by oncological diseases.
This means that in addition to the age structure, factors such as prevention, early diagnosis, access to medical care, lifestyle and the prevalence of chronic diseases are also important.
Therefore, when comparing different countries, age-standardized indicators are also used. They eliminate the influence of different age structures and allow for a more accurate comparison of mortality rates between societies.
The biggest problem is natural increase
In the end, the most worrying figure is not even 15.5 per mille.
This is the difference between 50,241 newborns and 99,479 deaths.
In one year, Bulgaria has lost nearly 50,000 people naturally.
Positive migration partially compensates for this loss, but cannot change the main trend.
The demographic crisis is no longer just a matter of birth rate. It is a combination of low birth rates, high mortality rates, population aging, depopulation of entire regions and migration.
The differences between the regions are enormous
The demographic problem does not affect all parts of the country equally.
In 2025, the highest mortality rate was recorded in Vidin - 24.2‰.
This is followed by Montana with 21.5‰ and Kyustendil with 21.2‰.
In Sofia, the rate is significantly lower - 11.1‰.
The reason is again related to the age structure. In some of the most depopulated regions, the proportion of older people is much higher, while large cities attract young people through education, work and migration.
What does this mean for the future?
If the birth rate remains persistently low and life expectancy increases without sufficient population rejuvenation, the proportion of older people will continue to grow.
This means fewer people of working age, greater pressure on the pension system, greater demand for health and social services and less potential for economic growth.
The demographic crisis cannot therefore be reduced to the question of "how many are we".
The question is what will the composition of Bulgarian society be in 10, 20 or 30 years.
And the latest data provide sufficient reason to consider the topic not as a distant problem, but as a process that is already changing the country.
Sources: NSI, Eurostat, United Nations – World Population Prospects 2024, World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank – World Development Indicators