Photo: Pamporoff · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 05 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Bulgaria: Health & Wellbeing
How long, and how well fed, do people live?
Bulgaria is placed 55th of 200 countries on health & wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Life Expectancy at Birth 75.64 (2023); Under-Five Mortality Rate 5.736 (2024).
Share
Health & Wellbeing
55th
of 200 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 75.64Life Expectancy at Birth, 2023Years a newborn would live at current death rates
- 5.736Under-Five Mortality Rate, 2024Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
- 7Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, 2024Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
- 1.7Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, 2024Population in severe food insecurity (%)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Bulgaria on health & wellbeing — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Life Expectancy at Birth
UN DESA Population Division
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
75.64
Years a newborn would live at current death rates
Higher is better
Bulgaria: 75.64. Across the 222 countries in this edition, values run from 54.46 (Nigeria) to 86.37 (Monaco); the world median is 74.63.
- World median
- 74.63
- Best in Eastern Europe
- 79.83 Czechia
- Land neighbours
- Greece 81.86 · North Macedonia 77.39 · Romania 75.94 · Serbia 76.77 · Türkiye 77.16
Key 2 of 4
Under-Five Mortality Rate
UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
5.736
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
Lower is better
Bulgaria: 5.736. Across the 200 countries in this edition, values run from 1.26 (San Marino) to 115.65 (Nigeria); the world median is 14.54.
- World median
- 14.54
- Best in Eastern Europe
- 2.331 Belarus
- Land neighbours
- Greece 3.824 · North Macedonia 2.803 · Romania 7.311 · Serbia 5.408 · Türkiye 9.607
Key 3 of 4
Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Bulgaria’s is from 2014 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
7
Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
Lower is better
Bulgaria: 7. Across the 162 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0.518 (Latvia) to 52.8 (Burundi); the world median is 13.8.
- World median
- 13.8
- Best in Eastern Europe
- 1.046 Poland
- Land neighbours
- Greece 1.458 · North Macedonia 4.307 · Romania 12.83 · Serbia 5.423 · Türkiye 5.965
Key 4 of 4
Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
1.7
Population in severe food insecurity (%)
Lower is better
Bulgaria: 1.7. Across the 125 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Brazil) to 62.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 4.9.
- World median
- 4.9
- Best in Eastern Europe
- 1.3 Slovakia
- Land neighbours
- Greece 1.6 · North Macedonia 1.6 · Romania 5.3 · Serbia 0.7
02Over time
Which way Bulgaria is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Life Expectancy at Birth
Years a newborn would live at current death rates · higher is better
BulgariaWorld median
Bulgaria rose from 71.57 in 2000 to 75.64 in 2023; the world median went from 70.68 to 74.63.
Every year’s figures
Year Bulgaria World median 2023 75.636 74.630 2022 74.034 74.313 2021 71.414 72.433 2020 73.599 73.063 2019 75.087 74.196 2018 74.933 74.081 2017 74.798 74.029 2016 74.827 74.013 2015 74.621 73.783 2014 74.466 73.330 2013 74.828 73.386 2012 74.337 73.210 2011 74.169 73.003 2010 73.814 72.827 2009 73.681 72.426 2008 73.339 72.264 2007 73.008 72.113 2006 72.690 72.027 2005 72.559 71.876 2004 72.575 71.477 2003 72.373 71.409 2002 72.128 71.173 2001 71.879 70.926 2000 71.575 70.678 Under-Five Mortality Rate
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) · lower is better
BulgariaWorld median
Bulgaria fell from 17.47 in 2000 to 5.736 in 2024; the world median went from 30.43 to 14.54.
Every year’s figures
Year Bulgaria World median 2024 5.7 14.5 2023 5.9 15.2 2022 6.1 14.7 2021 6.3 15.1 2020 6.5 15.3 2019 6.7 15.7 2018 7.0 16.3 2017 7.3 16.8 2016 7.7 17.5 2015 8.2 17.9 2014 8.7 18.3 2013 9.3 18.7 2012 9.9 18.8 2011 10.4 19.0 2010 10.9 19.2 2009 11.1 20.8 2008 11.4 20.7 2007 11.9 21.8 2006 12.5 22.8 2005 13.3 24.0 2004 14.2 25.9 2003 15.1 26.9 2002 16.0 28.0 2001 16.7 29.1 2000 17.5 30.4 Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Population in severe food insecurity (%) · lower is better
BulgariaWorld median
Bulgaria fell from 1.9 in 2015 to 1.7 in 2024; the world median went from 3.4 to 4.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Bulgaria World median 2024 1.7 4.9 2023 2.0 4.7 2022 2.5 5.4 2021 3.5 5.7 2020 2.9 5.6 2019 2.4 5.0 2018 1.9 4.2 2017 2.1 4.0 2016 2.4 3.4 2015 1.9 3.4
03In context
Bulgaria beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 200 countries on health & wellbeing, never a place within the region.
Bulgaria and the countries it borders
Standing among all 200; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Life Expectancy at BirthYears a newborn would live at current death rates | Under-Five Mortality RateDeaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) | Stunting Prevalence in Children Under FiveChildren under 5 who are stunted (%) | Prevalence of Severe Food InsecurityPopulation in severe food insecurity (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Greece | 21st | 81.86 | 3.824 | 1.458 | 1.6 |
 North Macedonia | =30th | 77.39 | 2.803 | 4.307 | 1.6 |
 Serbia | 41st | 76.77 | 5.408 | 5.423 | 0.7 |
| Bulgaria | 55th | 75.64 | 5.736 | 7 | 1.7 |
 Türkiye | 59th | 77.16 | 9.607 | 5.965 | — |
 Romania | 85th | 75.94 | 7.311 | 12.83 | 5.3 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Eastern Europe
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 200.
Placed either side on health & wellbeing
The countries immediately above and below Bulgaria in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Bulgaria is ahead of the world, and behind
42 more statistics filed under health & wellbeing, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median21
Statistics on which Bulgaria does better than the middle country measured.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.190.25No real change since 2014
Bulgaria: 0.19 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Institutional DeliveriesUNICEF · 2025 · world median 96.999.796.9No earlier reading
Bulgaria: 99.7 · world median 96.9 · Live births delivered in a health facility (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.5 to 100; higher is better.
Maternal Mortality RatioMMEIG · 2023 · world median 46.655.5646.65No real change since 2013
Bulgaria: 5.56 · world median 46.65 · Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.11 to 992.83; lower is better.
Position 167th of 195 · derived, 1st = worst.
Neonatal Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 8.1342.5828.134▲ Improved since 2014
Bulgaria: 2.582 · world median 8.134 · Deaths in the first 28 days (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.544 to 39.47; lower is better.
Position 167th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and TubersFAO · 2022 · world median 413041▲ Improved since 2012
Bulgaria: 30 · world median 41 · Share of dietary energy supply from cereals, roots and tubers (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 21 to 82; lower is better.
Prevalence of UndernourishmentFAO · 2023 · world median 5.22.55.2▲ Improved since 2013
Bulgaria: 2.5 · world median 5.2 · Population undernourished (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 54.2; lower is better.
Position 104th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Infant Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 12.264.6512.26▲ Improved since 2014
Bulgaria: 4.65 · world median 12.26 · Deaths before age one (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.214 to 71.87; lower is better.
Position 156th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14UN IGME · 2024 · world median 2.8581.5082.858No real change since 2014
Bulgaria: 1.508 · world median 2.858 · Deaths between ages 5 and 14 (per 1,000 children aged 5). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.392 to 59.04; lower is better.
Position 147th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.7620.8450.762No real change since 2013
Bulgaria: 0.845 · world median 0.762 · HDI score (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.388 to 0.972; higher is better.
Ranked 55th of 193 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.3510.2080.351▼ Worsened since 2013
Bulgaria: 0.208 · world median 0.351 · GII (0 = full equality, 1 = maximum inequality). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.838; lower is better.
Ranked 53rd of 172 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Stillbirth RateUN IGME · 2023 · world median 8.1634.8948.163No real change since 2013
Bulgaria: 4.894 · world median 8.163 · Stillbirths (per 1,000 total births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.18 to 34.9; lower is better.
Position 135th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.910.520.9▲ Improved since 2015
Bulgaria: 10.5 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.
Position 89th of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.
Human Capital IndexWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 0.5640.6140.564▲ Improved since 2010
Bulgaria: 0.614 · world median 0.564 · HCI score (0–1). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.292 to 0.879; higher is better.
Position 60th of 172 · derived.
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 26.420.726.4▲ Improved since 2017
Bulgaria: 20.7 · world median 26.4 · Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 93.9; lower is better.
Position 82nd of 145 · derived, 1st = worst.
Dietary Energy SupplyFAO · 2024 · world median 2,9823,0522,982▲ Improved since 2014
Bulgaria: 3,052 · world median 2,982 · Dietary energy supply (kcal per person per day). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1,757 to 3,962; higher is better.
Position 70th of 155 · derived.
Immunisation Coverage, DTP3WUENIC · 2025 · world median 919291▲ Improved since 2015
Bulgaria: 92 · world median 91 · Infants given a third dose of DTP vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 39 to 99; higher is better.
Adult Mortality (Probability of Dying Between 15 and 60)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 133.7127.55133.7No real change since 2013
Bulgaria: 127.55 · world median 133.7 · Deaths before age 60 per 1,000 people alive at 15, at that year's death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 25.15 to 415.44; lower is better.
Position 121st of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Life Expectancy at Age 65UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 16.3916.5416.39▼ Worsened since 2013
Bulgaria: 16.54 · world median 16.39 · Further years a 65-year-old would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 12.13 to 23.21; higher is better.
Position 107th of 222 · derived.
Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern MethodsUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 71.2571.771.25▲ Improved since 2013
Bulgaria: 71.7 · world median 71.25 · Share of women aged 15–49 wanting to avoid pregnancy who use a modern method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 8.4 to 92.4; higher is better.
Position 96th of 196 · derived.
Overweight Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 5.55.475.5No real change since 2014
Bulgaria: 5.47 · world median 5.5 · Children under 5 who are overweight (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.623 to 26.43; lower is better.
Position 84th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
PM2.5 Air Pollution ExposureAtmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis · 2023 · world median 14.4514.314.45▲ Improved since 2013
Bulgaria: 14.3 · world median 14.45 · Population-weighted PM2.5 concentration (µg/m³). Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 68.2; lower is better.
Position 112th of 220 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median11
Statistics on which Bulgaria does worse than the middle country measured.
Vegetable Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 102.69100.29102.69▲ Improved since 2013
Bulgaria: 100.29 · world median 102.69 · Vegetables available as food (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.89 to 412.72; higher is better.
Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1)WUENIC · 2025 · world median 908890No real change since 2015
Bulgaria: 88 · world median 90 · Infants given a first dose of measles vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 13 to 99; higher is better.
Low Birthweight PrevalenceUNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates) · 2020 · world median 10.2111.3610.21▼ Worsened since 2010
Bulgaria: 11.36 · world median 10.21 · Live births weighing under 2,500 g (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Low Birthweight Estimates), 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 3.993 to 27.44; lower is better.
Position 65th of 158 · derived, 1st = worst.
Days Above 35°CECMWF · 2025 · world median 3.489.563.48▼ Worsened since 2015
Bulgaria: 9.56 · world median 3.48 · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s land. World Bank Group (Climate Change Knowledge Portal), from Copernicus ERA5 (ECMWF), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 222.89; lower is better.
Fruit Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 84.8374.4384.83No real change since 2013
Bulgaria: 74.43 · world median 84.83 · Fruit available as food, excluding wine (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.27 to 379.63; higher is better.
Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 27.4639.127.46▼ Worsened since 2013
Bulgaria: 39.1 · world median 27.46 · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.465 to 163.09; lower is better.
Position 85th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Wasting Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 3.5465.93.546No earlier reading
Bulgaria: 5.9 · world median 3.546 · Children under 5 who are wasted (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.1 to 22.74; lower is better.
Position 49th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
Fatal Occupational InjuriesILO · 2023 · world median 2.0053.5072.005▼ Worsened since 2013
Bulgaria: 3.507 · world median 2.005 · Fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 workers. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.12 to 8.409; lower is better.
HPV Vaccination Coverage, GirlsWUENIC · 2025 · world median 65.5965.5No real change since 2018
Bulgaria: 9 · world median 65.5 · Girls in the target group given the final dose of HPV vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 99; higher is better.
Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 PandemicAriel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset) · 2026 · world median 272.35922.2272.35No earlier reading
Bulgaria: 922.2 · world median 272.35 · Excess deaths per 100,000 people, March 2020 to the end of each country's data (at most December 2023). Ariel Karlinsky and Dmitry Kobak (World Mortality Dataset), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from -264.9 to 1,013; lower is better.
Agreement That Vaccines Are SafeWellcome Trust · 2018 · world median 77.6539.5577.65No earlier reading
Bulgaria: 39.55 · world median 77.65 · People aged 15+ who agree that vaccines are safe (% of those who had heard of vaccines). Wellcome Trust, 2018 edition, data for 2018.
Published values in that edition run from 29.29 to 97.91; higher is better.
Position 141st of 144 · derived.
No better end10
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Contraceptive Prevalence (Any Method)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 41.2565.941.25No real change since 2013
Bulgaria: 65.9 · world median 41.25 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using any contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.6 to 78.7.
Caesarean Section RateUNICEF · 2025 · world median 20.6546.920.65No earlier reading
Bulgaria: 46.9 · world median 20.65 · Live births delivered by caesarean section (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.6 to 72.2.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.555.754.55Moved since 2017
Bulgaria: 5.75 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.
Modern Contraceptive PrevalenceUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 35.45135.4Moved since 2013
Bulgaria: 51 · world median 35.4 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using a modern contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2 to 73.8.
Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry OnWellcome Trust · 2020 · world median 20.0528.8320.05No earlier reading
Bulgaria: 28.83 · world median 20.05 · People aged 15+ who have ever been too anxious or depressed to continue their usual activities for two weeks or more (%). Wellcome Trust, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 2.934 to 49.35.
Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingWorld Bank Group · 2019 · world median 6.8812.846.88No earlier reading
Bulgaria: 12.84 · world median 6.88 · Population in households spending more than 10% of their budget on health out of pocket (%). World Bank Group, 2019 edition, data for 2019.
Published values in that edition run from 0.133 to 31.21.
Meat Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 57.8363.7457.83No real change since 2013
Bulgaria: 63.74 · world median 57.83 · Meat available as food (kg per person per year, carcass weight). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.49 to 156.95.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8937.638.89Moved since 2015
Bulgaria: 37.6 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 109th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Pesticide Use per HectareFAO · 2024 · world median 1.7311.73Moved since 2014
Bulgaria: 1 · world median 1.73 · Pesticide use (kg per hectare of cropland). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.72.
Position 114th of 178 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Fish and Seafood Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 16.177.1816.17No real change since 2013
Bulgaria: 7.18 · world median 16.17 · Fish and seafood available as food (kg per person per year, live-weight equivalent). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.38 to 83.81.
No current reading for Bulgaria
Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four Visits, Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff (last 2022), Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of Pneumonia, Children with Functional Difficulties, Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index (last 2024), Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with Diarrhoea, Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two Days, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months and Violent Discipline of Children. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Health & Wellbeing among Bulgaria’s 16 topics
Health & Wellbeing is Bulgaria’s 6th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Food & Agriculture25th of 1844/4 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 27th of 1934/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 26th of 1834/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital39th of 1963/3 keys
- Work & Labour44th of 1824/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing55th of 2004/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 59th of 1944/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation55th of 1764/4 keys
- Digital & Technology64th of 1984/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 67th of 1983/4 keys
- Energy64th of 1653/3 keys
- Mobility & Trade79th of 1774/4 keys
- Peace & Security84th of 1774/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties96th of 1984/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequalityjoint 82nd of 1593/3 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 126th of 1863/4 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on health & wellbeing
The three countries placed highest of 200, and the leaders Bulgaria can most readily be measured against.
1
San MarinoSouthern Europe
1st of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Matl derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
MonacoWestern Europe
2nd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
AndorraSouthern Europe
3rd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest placed on all 4 keys
South Korea5th4/4 keysHighest in Europe
San Marino1st2/4 keysHighest in Eastern Europe
Poland20th3/4 keysThis page
Bulgaria55th4/4 keys
Positions out of 200 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Bulgaria and health & wellbeing
On health & wellbeing
Global Hunger Index 2025: Countries with the Most Alarming Hunger Crisis
Thirteen countries scored across four editions — 2000, 2008, 2016 and 2025 — and five the report could not score at all. DR Congo and South Sudan share 121st place on 37.5.
On health & wellbeing
World Happiness Report 2025: Finland Leads Again as the US and UK Face Major Declines
The ten highest life evaluations of 2025, drawn on a world map, and the six things the report uses to explain them. Costa Rica and Mexico are the only two outside Europe and the Middle East.
08Questions
Bulgaria on health & wellbeing: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Bulgaria rank on health & wellbeing?
Bulgaria is placed 55th of 200 countries on Health & Wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Life Expectancy at Birth, Under-Five Mortality Rate, Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five and Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Life Expectancy at Birth figure for Bulgaria?
75.64 in 2023 (years a newborn would live at current death rates), according to UN DESA Population Division. The world median in the same edition was 74.63.
What is the latest Under-Five Mortality Rate figure for Bulgaria?
5.736 in 2024 (deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)), according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). The world median in the same edition was 14.54.
How does Bulgaria compare with Türkiye on health & wellbeing?
Türkiye is placed 59th of 200, and Bulgaria 55th. Life Expectancy at Birth: Türkiye 77.16, Bulgaria 75.64; Under-Five Mortality Rate: Türkiye 9.607, Bulgaria 5.736; Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five: Türkiye 5.965, Bulgaria 7.
How have Bulgaria’s health & wellbeing figures changed?
Life Expectancy at Birth rose from 71.57 in 2000 to 75.64 in 2023; Under-Five Mortality Rate fell from 17.47 in 2000 to 5.736 in 2024; Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity fell from 1.9 in 2015 to 1.7 in 2024.
Which health & wellbeing statistics are missing for Bulgaria?
No current reading is published for Bulgaria on Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four Visits, Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff, Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of Pneumonia, Children with Functional Difficulties, Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with Diarrhoea, Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two Days, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months and Violent Discipline of Children. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Health spending, hospital beds and doctors per person are not measured, because more of any of them does not guarantee better outcomes. Mental health and self-reported happiness are not part of this topic. Food supply per person is measured under Food & Agriculture. Maternal mortality and many other indicators are published here as context; maternal mortality is a key in Development & Human Capital instead.
How the Health & Wellbeing standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The health & wellbeing method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Life Expectancy at Birth — UN DESA Population Division, CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Under-Five Mortality Rate — UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five — UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 42 statistics on this page come from 15 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Bulgaria’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Bulgaria (banner) — Pamporoff, Public domain
- San Marino — Matl derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Monaco — Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Andorra — Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Bulgaria: Health & Wellbeing — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/bulgaria/health