MigrantoMigration trends in Bulgaria
Europe
1.3M people from Bulgaria have built lives abroad. That's 19.4% of the country population, spread across 58 different countries
6.4M
Population
298.3K
Immigrants
1.3M
Emigrants
−953.9K
Outflow
Every 6th person born in Bulgaria now lives abroad
The #58 largest source of emigrants worldwide
Top corridors
The largest migration routes in Bulgaria
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
19.1K immigrants · 597.7K emigrants
1995
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 59%
2005
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 43%
2015
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 65%
- Surge of departures to Germany — 98.1K people left
- The diaspora abroad passed 1M people
- The foreign-born population passed 100K residents
Today
- Ukraine overtook Russia as the largest source of new arrivals
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 62%
- Since 1990: 279.3K more foreign-born residents and 654.5K more citizens living abroad
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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