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Austria vs Czechia
Bulgaria vs Finland
Side-by-side comparison of Bulgaria and Finland from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Bulgaria
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,345 years
Finland
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 109 years
In short
Finland scores 73.3 in the NationsTree Index (26th in the world) and Bulgaria scores 55.7 (67th), a gap of 17.7 points. Their trees are 9.9 m and 13 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Bulgaria has 14% more people than Finland. Finland is 3.0 times larger than Bulgaria by land area. The economy of Finland is 30% larger than that of Bulgaria (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Bulgaria 6.4 million and Finland 5.6 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $65,884 in Finland and $44,451 in Bulgaria (2025, international dollars). People in Finland live on average 6.6 years longer (82.3 vs 75.8 years).
Of 37 indicators reported by both countries, Bulgaria ranks higher in the world on 11 and Finland on 26. Bulgaria is clearly stronger in tourism. Finland is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, environment & energy and science & innovation.
As a nation, Bulgaria is the older of the two (statehood since 681, 1,345 years), compared with Finland (since 1917). Over the last five years Finland improved faster (direction score 20 vs 10 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Bulgaria and Finland.
Bulgaria
39.5
84th of 108
Finlandbetter
27.4
12th of 108
General government gross debtEconomy
Bulgariabetter
29.9%
33rd of 189
Finland
88.4%
157th of 189
InflationEconomy
Bulgaria
4.6%
134th of 180
Finlandbetter
0.3%
21st of 180
Control of corruptionInstitutions & safety
Bulgaria
42.2
114th of 207
Finlandbetter
91.2
2nd of 207
Air pollution (PM2.5)Environment & energy
Bulgaria
19.7
114th of 200
Finlandbetter
4.6
8th of 200
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Finland has been ahead of Bulgaria in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1992.
Finland has been ahead of Bulgaria in GDP per person (PPP), GDP (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Bulgaria has been ahead of Finland in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
BulgariaFinland All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Bulgaria | Finland |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 111,000105th/216 · 2024 | 338,48566th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 108,560102nd/216 · 2024 | 304,00071st/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 6.4 m111th/217 · 2025 | 5.6 m117th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.13%181st/217 · 2025 | 0.47%138th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 59.3146th/216 · 2024 | 18.5191st/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 74.2%76th/217 · 2025 | 74.5%75th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 14.4%190th/217 · 2025 | 14.3%192nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 22.2%18th/217 · 2025 | 24.2%7th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $130.78 bn63rd/210 · 2025 | $317.04 bn48th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $285.97 bn70th/199 · 2025 | $372.01 bn61st/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $227.26 bn74th/199 · 2025 | $314.71 bn62nd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $20,32874th/210 · 2025 | $56,14929th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $44,45160th/199 · 2025 | $65,88431st/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $17,78073rd/201 · 2025 | $55,25024th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.1%110th/210 · 2025 | 0.2%193rd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 4.6%134th/180 · 2025 | 0.3%21st/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.5%59th/187 · 2025 | 9.5%148th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 58.3%1994 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 29.9%33rd/189 · 2025 | 88.4%157th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.0%107th/192 · 2025 | -3.8%125th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 2.5%140th/197 · 2025 | 2.6%136th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 21.2%120th/200 · 2025 | 22.5%109th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | — | 14.2%52nd/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 63.3%66th/200 · 2025 | 62.1%72nd/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $66.35 bn58th/182 · 2025 | $134.19 bn41st/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $67.71 bn59th/182 · 2025 | $130.21 bn42nd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 50.7%51st/183 · 2025 | 42.3%71st/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 51.8%77th/183 · 2025 | 41.1%99th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 102.5%58th/183 · 2025 | 83.4%90th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 7.3%62nd/170 · 2025 | 8.2%57th/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 54.3%64th/171 · 2025 | 66.0%45th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 16.2%86th/171 · 2025 | 3.1%147th/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 15.4%32nd/171 · 2025 | 7.1%52nd/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 13.4%53rd/168 · 2024 | 9.3%70th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -6.1%153rd/191 · 2025 | 1.0%69th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 3.7%57th/196 · 2025 | 0.1%171st/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.9%119th/209 · 2021 | 0.4%134th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.02%97th/197 · 2021 | 0.05%85th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.01%87th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.13%28th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.59%52nd/209 · 2021 | 0.11%68th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.17%97th/209 · 2021 | 0.29%81st/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 32.2%25th/206 · 2024 | 7.4%118th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 3,24878th/183 · 2022 | 19,25831st/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 5.0 m38th/194 · 2020 | 896,000102nd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.79 bn53rd/175 · 2020 | $1.76 bn55th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 4.4%90th/168 · 2020 | 1.8%134th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 4.0 m33rd/107 · 2020 | 2.7 m44th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 75.8101st/217 · 2024 | 82.330th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 5.747th/196 · 2024 | 2.46th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 4.3323rd/174 · 2022 | 3.6142nd/174 · 2021 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 8.25th/145 · 2023 | 2.669th/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 94%66th/193 · 2024 | 91%93rd/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 97.0%20th/153 · 2023 | 91.7%42nd/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 94.8%81st/173 · 2024 | 142.4%3rd/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 73.6%2007 | — |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 35.1%19th/217 · 2025 | 39.4%6th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 7.9%64th/193 · 2023 | 10.5%24th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 98.3%2011 | — |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 69.5%50th/150 · 2024 | 110.3%6th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.84555th/193 · 2023 | 0.94812th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 39.584th/108 · 2023 | 27.412th/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 1.0%50th/108 · 2023 | 0.2%18th/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 96.2%48th/150 · 2024 | 99.6%22nd/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 75.7%56th/144 · 2024 | 90.1%37th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 82.4%93rd/186 · 2024 | 93.7%36th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 11897th/210 · 2024 | 12674th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 37.036th/208 · 2023 | 36.538th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.1051st/164 · 2022 | 4.205th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 4,03132nd/82 · 2021 | 5,91824th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 723,825108th/161 · 2023 | 10.8 m47th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 5.31155th/203 · 2024 | 5.54159th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 20.4%105th/212 · 2021 | 50.2%48th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 19.7114th/200 · 2023 | 4.68th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 36.4%92nd/214 · 2024 | 74.2%13th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 2,60841st/149 · 2024 | 5,64712th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 54.997th/205 · 2025 | 92.16th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 42.2114th/207 · 2025 | 91.22nd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 57.9101st/207 · 2025 | 91.81st/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 69.994th/207 · 2025 | 82.345th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 61.369th/205 · 2025 | 83.67th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 62.784th/205 · 2025 | 88.83rd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.145th/145 · 2023 | 1.041st/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $2.59 bn61st/156 · 2025 | $8.08 bn36th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 2.0%65th/156 · 2025 | 2.6%39th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 5.2%75th/154 · 2025 | 4.4%96th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 37,00082nd/170 · 2020 | 22,000100th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.18%55th/168 · 2020 | 0.80%88th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 540.0 m19th/163 · 2025 | 51.0 m65th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 33.0 m38th/65 · 2024 | 115.0 m24th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.79%48th/110 · 2023 | 3.09%11th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 17963rd/137 · 2024 | 1,77023rd/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 4,99861st/197 · 2023 | 11,22440th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Bulgaria or Finland?
Bulgaria has the larger population: 6.4 m (2025) compared with 5.6 m for Finland (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Bulgaria or Finland?
Finland is larger: 338,485 km² (2024) compared with 111,000 km² for Bulgaria (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Bulgaria or Finland?
Finland has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $372.01 bn intl. (2025) compared with $285.97 bn intl. for Bulgaria (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Bulgaria or Finland?
Finland has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $65,884 intl. (2025) compared with $44,451 intl. for Bulgaria (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Bulgaria or Finland?
Finland has the higher life expectancy at birth: 82.3 years (2024) compared with 75.8 years for Bulgaria (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Bulgaria or Finland?
Finland spends more on the military: $8.08 bn (2025) compared with $2.59 bn for Bulgaria (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Bulgaria or Finland?
Finland: 73.3 points (26th in the world); Bulgaria: 55.7 points (67th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Serbia
Slovakia
Greece
Hungary
SwedenSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Bulgaria vs Finland — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/bulgaria-vs-finland. Data as of 26 October 2026.