Updated
Overview
Turkey (Türkiye) has 13 times the population of Bulgaria: 85.88 million people against 6.43 million (2025).
Turkey (Türkiye)'s economy is 12 times the size of Bulgaria's, at $1.60T versus $130.78B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Turkey (Türkiye) | Bulgaria | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.60T | $130.78B | 2025 | $1.32T / $112.21B |
| GDP per capita | $18,599 | Higher: $20,328 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 3.6% | 3.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 34.9% | Lower: 4.6% | 2025 | 58.5% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | 8.5% | Lower: 3.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 41 | 23 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $1,001 | Higher: $1,573 | 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $659 | $318 | 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $6.91 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 85.88 million | 6.43 million | 2025 | 84.63 million / 6.74 million |
| Population growth | 0.4% | -0.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 33.5 yrs | 44.8 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.62 | 1.74 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 77.4 yrs | 75.8 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 89% | 74% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 90% | 82% | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 783,562 km² | 110,879 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 109.6/km² | 58.0/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 513 Mt | Lower: 32 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 5.9 t | Lower: 4.7 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $24.98B | $2.33B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.9% | 2.1% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 512,000 | 37,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Turkey (Türkiye) is growing faster: 3.6% annual GDP growth versus 3.1%.
Inflation is a serious concern in Turkey (Türkiye) at 34.9%, while the other economy sits at 4.6%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Bulgaria: a price level of 23 versus 41 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Bulgaria: $1,573 against $1,001 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Turkey (Türkiye) is the far younger society: median age 33.5 versus 44.8 years.
Life expectancy is 1.7 years longer in Turkey (Türkiye) (77.4 vs 75.8).
Turkey (Türkiye) is considerably more urbanized: 89% of people live in cities, against 74%.
Geography
By land area, Turkey (Türkiye) is 7.1 times the size of Bulgaria: 783,562 km² versus 110,879 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Turkey (Türkiye) spends 11 times as much on defence as Bulgaria: $24.98B versus $2.33B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Turkey (Türkiye) fields the larger armed forces: 512,000 personnel against 37,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Turkey (Türkiye) bigger than Bulgaria?
- Turkey (Türkiye) is larger by land area. Turkey (Türkiye) covers 783,562 km² while Bulgaria covers 110,879 km², so Turkey (Türkiye) is 7.1 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Turkey (Türkiye) or Bulgaria?
- Turkey (Türkiye) has the larger population: 85.88 million versus 6.43 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Turkey (Türkiye) richer than Bulgaria?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Bulgaria is richer: $20,328 against $18,599. Total GDP tells a different story: $1.60T for Turkey (Türkiye) versus $130.78B for Bulgaria.
- Who spends more on their military, Turkey (Türkiye) or Bulgaria?
- Turkey (Türkiye) spends more: $24.98B versus $2.33B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).
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