Armed forces personnel in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Armed forces personnel was 37,000 in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel in Bulgaria, 1985–2020
Source: The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 37,000 for armed forces personnel in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 43.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Bulgaria peaked at 150,000 in 1989 and was at its lowest, 31,000, in 2017.
That places Bulgaria 82nd out of 173 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 149,250 | 148,500 | 150,000 | 2 |
| 1990s | 112,616 | 52,000 | 137,500 | 10 |
| 2000s | 87,282 | 65,315 | 113,800 | 10 |
| 2010s | 43,806 | 31,000 | 65,315 | 10 |
| 2020s | 37,000 | 37,000 | 37,000 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More reference data data for Bulgaria
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.2116 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.08 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.39 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.44 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 1.98 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 162.5 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Bulgaria?
- Armed forces personnel in Bulgaria was 37,000 in 2020, according to The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 150,000 in 1989.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 31,000 in 2017.
- How does Bulgaria rank for armed forces personnel?
- Bulgaria ranks 82nd out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Armed forces personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if their training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.