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Bulgaria vs Serbia
Side-by-side comparison of Bulgaria and Serbia 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
Serbia
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,246 years
In short
Bulgaria scores 55.7 in the NationsTree Index (67th in the world) and Serbia scores 49.6 (90th), a gap of 6.0 points. Their trees are 9.9 m and 8.6 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Bulgaria and Serbia have a similar population. Bulgaria has 25% more land area than Serbia. The economy of Bulgaria is 29% larger than that of Serbia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Bulgaria 6.4 million and Serbia 6.5 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $44,451 in Bulgaria and $33,910 in Serbia (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 75.8 and 76.0 years.
Of 35 indicators reported by both countries, Bulgaria ranks higher in the world on 24 and Serbia on 11. Bulgaria is clearly stronger in tourism, institutions & safety and economy. Serbia is clearly stronger in environment & energy.
As a nation, Bulgaria is the older of the two (statehood since 681, 1,345 years), compared with Serbia (since 780). Over the last five years Bulgaria improved faster (direction score 10 vs 8 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Bulgaria and Serbia.
Bulgariabetter
75.7%
56th of 144
Serbia
24.1%
122nd of 144
Income inequality (Gini)Society & health
Bulgaria
39.5
84th of 108
Serbiabetter
32.8
39th of 108
UnemploymentEconomy
Bulgariabetter
3.5%
59th of 187
Serbia
7.1%
127th of 187
Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI)Infrastructure & digital
Bulgariabetter
3.10
51st of 164
Serbia
2.40
96th of 164
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Bulgaria overtook Serbia in the NationsTree Index in 2016 and has stayed ahead since.
Serbia overtook Bulgaria in population in 2013 and has stayed ahead since.
Serbia overtook Bulgaria in life expectancy in 2001 and has stayed ahead since.
Bulgaria overtook Serbia in GDP per person (PPP) in 2000 and has stayed ahead since.
Bulgaria has been ahead of Serbia in GDP (PPP) in every year since 1995.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
BulgariaSerbia 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 | Serbia |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 111,000105th/216 · 2024 | 88,490114th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 108,560102nd/216 · 2024 | 87,589112th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 6.4 m111th/217 · 2025 | 6.5 m109th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.13%181st/217 · 2025 | -0.57%203rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 59.3146th/216 · 2024 | 75.2132nd/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 74.2%76th/217 · 2025 | 62.6%118th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 14.4%190th/217 · 2025 | 14.3%193rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 22.2%18th/217 · 2025 | 23.1%14th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $130.78 bn63rd/210 · 2025 | $99.95 bn76th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $285.97 bn70th/199 · 2025 | $222.08 bn77th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $227.26 bn74th/199 · 2025 | $180.78 bn78th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $20,32874th/210 · 2025 | $15,26285th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $44,45160th/199 · 2025 | $33,91075th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $17,78073rd/201 · 2025 | $13,48083rd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 3.1%110th/210 · 2025 | 2.0%145th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 4.6%134th/180 · 2025 | 3.9%119th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.5%59th/187 · 2025 | 7.1%127th/187 · 2025 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 29.9%33rd/189 · 2025 | 42.2%68th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -3.0%107th/192 · 2025 | -2.2%84th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 2.5%140th/197 · 2025 | 3.3%125th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 21.2%120th/200 · 2025 | 22.3%110th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | — | 12.7%69th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 63.3%66th/200 · 2025 | 59.7%89th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $66.35 bn58th/182 · 2025 | $54.29 bn62nd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $67.71 bn59th/182 · 2025 | $58.58 bn63rd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 50.7%51st/183 · 2025 | 54.3%48th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 51.8%77th/183 · 2025 | 58.6%58th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 102.5%58th/183 · 2025 | 112.9%46th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 7.3%62nd/170 · 2025 | 2.6%2007 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 54.3%64th/171 · 2025 | 65.9%2007 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 16.2%86th/171 · 2025 | 18.6%2007 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 15.4%32nd/171 · 2025 | 10.3%2007 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 13.4%53rd/168 · 2024 | 4.5%2007 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -6.1%153rd/191 · 2025 | -4.9%138th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 3.7%57th/196 · 2025 | 3.9%54th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.9%119th/209 · 2021 | 1.7%101st/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.02%97th/197 · 2021 | 0.42%55th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.01%87th/197 · 2021 | 0.10%60th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.13%28th/195 · 2021 | 0.24%22nd/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.59%52nd/209 · 2021 | 0.66%50th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.17%97th/209 · 2021 | 0.33%77th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 32.2%25th/206 · 2024 | 29.0%31st/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 3,24878th/183 · 2022 | 1,261119th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 5.0 m38th/194 · 2020 | 446,000129th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.79 bn53rd/175 · 2020 | $1.42 bn60th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 4.4%90th/168 · 2020 | 5.6%80th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 4.0 m33rd/107 · 2020 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 75.8101st/217 · 2024 | 76.0100th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 5.747th/196 · 2024 | 5.443rd/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 4.3323rd/174 · 2022 | 3.1057th/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 8.25th/145 · 2023 | 5.816th/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 94%66th/193 · 2024 | 95%59th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 97.0%20th/153 · 2023 | 93.1%38th/153 · 2022 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 94.8%81st/173 · 2024 | 89.8%107th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 73.6%2007 | 62.5%21st/55 · 2022 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 35.1%19th/217 · 2025 | 36.8%13th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 7.9%64th/193 · 2023 | 8.0%62nd/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 98.3%2011 | 99.3%12th/98 · 2022 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 69.5%50th/150 · 2024 | 70.6%47th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.84555th/193 · 2023 | 0.83362nd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 39.584th/108 · 2023 | 32.839th/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 1.0%50th/108 · 2023 | 1.1%52nd/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 | 75.0%82nd/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 75.7%56th/144 · 2024 | 24.1%122nd/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 82.4%93rd/186 · 2024 | 87.7%71st/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 11897th/210 · 2024 | 12481st/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 37.036th/208 · 2023 | 33.448th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.1051st/164 · 2022 | 2.4096th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 4,03132nd/82 · 2021 | 3,34838th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 723,825108th/161 · 2023 | 3.9 m66th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 5.31155th/203 · 2024 | — |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 20.4%105th/212 · 2021 | 27.2%89th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 19.7114th/200 · 2023 | 19.3111th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 36.4%92nd/214 · 2024 | 39.2%81st/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 2,60841st/149 · 2024 | 2,37049th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 54.997th/205 · 2025 | 53.0105th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 42.2114th/207 · 2025 | 35.9142nd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 57.9101st/207 · 2025 | 53.3119th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 69.994th/207 · 2025 | 59.9138th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 61.369th/205 · 2025 | 56.588th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 62.784th/205 · 2025 | 50.1125th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.145th/145 · 2023 | 1.353rd/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $2.59 bn61st/156 · 2025 | $2.78 bn58th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 2.0%65th/156 · 2025 | 2.8%36th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 5.2%75th/154 · 2025 | 6.4%55th/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 37,00082nd/170 · 2020 | 32,00086th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.18%55th/168 · 2020 | 1.01%66th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 540.0 m19th/163 · 2025 | 146.0 m41st/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 33.0 m38th/65 · 2024 | 39.0 m36th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.79%48th/110 · 2023 | 0.94%43rd/110 · 2024 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 17963rd/137 · 2024 | 13967th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 4,99861st/197 · 2023 | 5,17360th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Bulgaria or Serbia?
Serbia has the larger population: 6.5 m (2025) compared with 6.4 m for Bulgaria (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Bulgaria or Serbia?
Bulgaria is larger: 111,000 km² (2024) compared with 88,490 km² for Serbia (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Bulgaria or Serbia?
Bulgaria has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $285.97 bn intl. (2025) compared with $222.08 bn intl. for Serbia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Bulgaria or Serbia?
Bulgaria has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $44,451 intl. (2025) compared with $33,910 intl. for Serbia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Bulgaria or Serbia?
Serbia has the higher life expectancy at birth: 76.0 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 Serbia?
Serbia spends more on the military: $2.78 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 Serbia?
Bulgaria: 55.7 points (67th in the world); Serbia: 49.6 points (90th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Finland
Slovakia
Croatia
Lithuania
TurkmenistanSources
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 Serbia — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/bulgaria-vs-serbia. Data as of 26 October 2026.