Bulgaria is a country located in the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe, with its eastern border on the Black Sea. It is a parliamentary republic with Sofia as its capital. According to the National Statistical Institute (NSI), the country's population on 31 December 2024 was 6,437,360, representing a decline of 0.13% compared to 2023.

Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union in 2007. As of 1 January 2025, it has fully entered the Schengen area following the removal of land border controls. It is also adopting the euro on 1 January 2026, becoming the 21st country in the eurozone.

Geography and population

The country shares borders with Romania (north), Serbia and North Macedonia (west), Greece and Turkey (south), and is bordered by the Black Sea to the east. The population declines annually due to low birth rates and emigration. The 2024 NSI census showed men comprised 48.1% of the population and women 51.9%.

Political system

Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic whose legislature is the National Assembly. The president is directly elected, but most executive power rests with the prime minister and the cabinet of ministers. Since April 2021, the country has experienced political instability with successive parliamentary elections, producing short-lived governments.

UncertaintyBulgaria's political situation changes rapidly. The precise number of elections and the name of the current government cannot be reliably verified; therefore, specific names and figures are not provided here.

Economy and euro adoption

For a long period the Bulgarian lev (lev) has been pegged to a fixed exchange rate regime. On 8 July 2025, the Council of the European Union approved the three final legally binding convergence measures enabling Bulgaria to introduce the euro on 1 January 2026, after the European Commission and the European Central Bank (ECB) assessed in their convergence reports that the country had met the required criteria.

NoteA convergence report is an assessment by the European Commission and ECB examining whether a country has met the price stability, fiscal, debt, and financial stability criteria required for euro adoption.

International relations

Its position on the Black Sea and its membership in NATO and the European Union make Bulgaria part of the security architecture of eastern Europe. The country's Schengen borders are now border checkpoints without passenger verification at land borders with other Schengen countries.

References

APopulation and Demographic Processes 2024 (final data) — National Statistical Institute of Bulgariajihayn: BG
ASchengen: Council decides to lift land border controls with Bulgaria and Romania — Council of the European Union
ABulgaria: An Overview (CRS In Focus) — Congressional Research Service, U.S. Library of Congressjihayn: US
ABulgaria ready to use the euro from 1 January 2026: Council takes final steps — Council of the European Union
ABulgaria adopts the euro (Economic Bulletin box) — European Central Bank
BParliamentary elections in Bulgaria, 9 June and 27 October 2024 — Groupe d'études géopolitiques
BBulgaria meets criteria to join the euro area on 1 January 2026 — PubAffairs Bruxelles (European Commission statement)

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