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Bulgaria vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 176 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Bulgaria
bgr
Leads on 89 of 176 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 77 of 176 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 9.8 times as many people as Bulgaria (65.49 million vs 6.67 million). South Africa's economy is 3.2 times the size of Bulgaria's ($424.75 billion vs $133.6 billion GDP).

Comparing Bulgaria and South Africa: Bulgaria leads on Apple Import Volume (64.87 million tonnes) against South Africa (48,832 tonnes); South Africa leads on People Living With HIV/AIDS (7.80) against Bulgaria (3,300); South Africa leads on Population living in slums (23.64 %) against Bulgaria (0.23 %). Across 176 compared metrics, Bulgaria wins on 89 and South Africa wins on 77.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 64 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 25 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇬 Bulgaria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration37.02 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★3.41 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)82.44 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)80.39 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 80% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed37.02 Mbps★3.41 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score60.78 points75.71 points★
Radios4.5117★
Televisions3.316★
Waterways470NA

Economy

64 metrics
Metric🇧🇬 Bulgaria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country5.16B $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars133.60B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)20.43 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume64.87M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate84.72 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)0 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue0.142.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)5.41 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends10 %28 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.4 % of GDP8.3 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index72★59.6
Electricity Consumption32.34207.1★
Electricity Exports9.1916.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels3985★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants23★1
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels20★4
Electricity from Other Renewables19★10
Electricity Imports4.5710.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity10.7550.02★
Electricity Production42.29234.5★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)102.17 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate69.71 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient3963★
Gross Fixed Investment20.4★19.5
Gross National Saving25.4★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage45.31 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries35,325.53 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.9 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate4.58 %3.21 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.4 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.1 % of GDP★0.7 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption3.315.07★
Natural Gas Exports31.15★0
Natural Gas Imports3.264.16★
Natural Gas Production79.28906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves5.66★0
Number of AI Patents Filed4 patents22 patents★
Oil Consumption91,000553,000★
Oil Exports75,840★54,930
Oil Imports201,400521,400★
Oil Production2,925192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves1515
Population Below Poverty Line20.6 people★55.5 people
Public Debt30.1★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.75 %★0.61 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)2.8 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends-2.96 %7.68 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption97,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports92,720105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports49,260195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production144,300487,100★
Remittances2.4★0.2
Researchers in R&D per Million2,557.2 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.75 USD★0.61 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)2.72★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)20.67 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)20.67 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues20.526★
Top Exporting Countries63.89B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.73 %★-0.51 %
Total Number of Billionaires27★
Unemployment Rate4.2 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate56.12 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate10.15 %★59.93 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇧🇬 Bulgaria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-2.88M★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate12,600 %87,566.02 %★
Average Annual Temperature12.51 °C18.35 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions33.47★446.7
Global Precipitation Distribution689.31 mm★652.17 mm
Population Distributiona fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populationsthe population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map
Protected Land Area for Adaptation45.29 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage44.3 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country6.4 Cubic meters per year★4.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources21.351.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species10 species★33 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇧🇬 Bulgaria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization1.66 %1.94 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)180.5★85.66
Agricultural land50,330 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km108,5601.21M★
Coastline Length (km)354 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita981.51 cubic meters per inhabitant★464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land92916,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇧🇬 Bulgaria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country53.39 %61.59 %★
Administrative Divisions28★9
Corruption Perception Index43 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score43 index★41 index
Independence331★
LGBT Rights Index Score4.9410.94★
Prison Population Rate106 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4341★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

25 metrics
Metric🇧🇬 Bulgaria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water96.21 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults27.1 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate94 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)12.01★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)7.4★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders75.76 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.49 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita3,795.57 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score73 score74 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)8.6 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy75.76 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate(21 est.) <0.1%18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density7.5 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita6.58 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence11.36 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)6 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth26.3★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density4.7 per 1,000 people6.39 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)25 %★28.3 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending35.5 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS3,3007.8★
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People10 per 100,000 people★2 per 100,000 people
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)5 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors4.33★0.79
Underweight Children Under 51.6★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇧🇬 Bulgaria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel37,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.01 %0.74 %★
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)37,00089,000★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇧🇬 Bulgaria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)54.65 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.64★0.42
Life expectancy at birth81.31 years★71.98 years
Median age of population44.93 years★29 years
Population Change-30,117.5 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density61.59 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population6.67M persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.85★0.83
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsB-C★A
Beer Consumption per Capita4.69 liters★3.65 liters
Birth Rate (%)7.88 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate8.3 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)14.18 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.5 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age1.37M persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)91.77 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate37.02 %★3.41 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.94 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.54★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate3.1227.77★
Learning-adjusted years of school9.47 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population1.29 people10.32 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)178.24★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling10.75 years★10.47 years
Military Manpower at Military Age19★18
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio34.3 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization61.07 %79.63 %★
Physician Density4.33 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate-0.66 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0.23 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio17.73★32.77
Total deaths83,259.4 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)70.6 %★62.02 %
Total fertility rate1.81 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration-8,424.4 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate5.32 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate0.17 %1.34 %★
Voting Age Population44.71 millions★39.64 millions

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇧🇬 Bulgaria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.05★0.37
Airports107573★
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel8690★
Heliports849★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇧🇬 Bulgaria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita4.74B USD6.72B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇧🇬 Bulgaria🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Current Bank Rate1.81 %7 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Bulgaria vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Bulgaria or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 9.8 times as many people as Bulgaria (65.49 million vs 6.67 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Bulgaria or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 3.2 times the size of Bulgaria's ($424.75 billion vs $133.6 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Bulgaria or South Africa?▾

Bulgaria is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $20,025 in Bulgaria vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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