Bulgaria’s population has changed in number over the years, as follows: in the year 1887 – 3.2 million, 1910 – 4.3 million, 1946 – 7.0 million, 1985 – 8.95 million, 2001 – 7.97 million, 2004 – 7.76 million. During the last decade birth rates have been tending to fall, while mortality rates keep rising.
Mortality rates among children reached 1.33%. Density rates of the population in Bulgaria are 71 people per square kilometer. Urban population represents 70%. The ethnic profile of the country is made up of a 6.66-mln share of Bulgarians (83.6%), 757.8 thousand Turks (9.5%), gypsies come with 365.8 thousand people (4.6%), as well as a small number of Armenians, Karakachani, Greeks, Ukrainians, Arabs, Jews etc.
The average life expectancy among men reaches 68.5 years, and 75.4 with women. Major internal migration flows of the local population run from smaller to larger towns and cities with 57.8% share of the population in active labour age. Public services employ 50.0%, agricultural segment – 26.8%, while industry provides 23.2% employment for the active population. Recent years percentage of unemployment is fairly high. Towns in Bulgaria are 247 in number, and villages – around 5 000.
Largest Bulgarian cites and towns are: Sofia – 1,091,772 residents, Plovdiv 338,224, Varna – 312,889, Burgas – 192,390, Rousse – 161,453, Stara Zagora – 143,420, Pleven – 121,880, Sliven – 100,366, Dobrich – 100,000, Shoumen – 89,214, Pernik – 85,991, Yambol – 82,649, Haskovo – 80,303, Pazardzhik – 78,855, Blagoevgrad – 71,144, Vratsa – 68,975, Gabrovo А67,065, Veliko Tarnovo – 66,897, Vidin – 57,395, Kazanlak – 53,770, Assenovgrad – 51,936, etc. (Data presented according to the last official census of the population taken in the year 2001). Based on data of 2004 the number of residents in Sofia has grown to 1,164,749.