Infant mortality rate in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Infant mortality rate was 0.465 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.465 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 3.6%
World rank
155th
of 199 countries
All-time high
11.42 deaths per 100 live births
in 1949
All-time low
0.465 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
76
1949–2024
Infant mortality rate in Bulgaria, 1949–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
In 2024, infant mortality rate in Bulgaria stood at 0.465 deaths per 100 live births. That is the lowest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.6% on the previous year and down 35.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in Bulgaria peaked at 11.42 deaths per 100 live births in 1949 and was at its lowest, 0.465 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
Bulgaria ranks 155th of 199 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Infant mortality rate in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 11.42 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1950 | 10.74 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 1951 | 10.09 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 1952 | 9.46 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 1953 | 8.83 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1954 | 8.21 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1955 | 7.57 deaths per 100 live births | -7.8% |
| 1956 | 6.92 deaths per 100 live births | -8.6% |
| 1957 | 6.26 deaths per 100 live births | -9.5% |
| 1958 | 5.62 deaths per 100 live births | -10.2% |
| 1959 | 5.02 deaths per 100 live births | -10.7% |
| 1960 | 4.49 deaths per 100 live births | -10.6% |
| 1961 | 4.04 deaths per 100 live births | -10.0% |
| 1962 | 3.68 deaths per 100 live births | -8.9% |
| 1963 | 3.42 deaths per 100 live births | -7.2% |
| 1964 | 3.24 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 1965 | 3.14 deaths per 100 live births | -3.0% |
| 1966 | 3.11 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1967 | 3.09 deaths per 100 live births | -0.7% |
| 1968 | 3.02 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1969 | 2.89 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1970 | 2.75 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1971 | 2.64 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 1972 | 2.57 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1973 | 2.52 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1974 | 2.47 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 1975 | 2.41 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 1976 | 2.35 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 1977 | 2.27 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1978 | 2.18 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1979 | 2.07 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 1980 | 1.96 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 1981 | 1.88 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1982 | 1.81 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 1983 | 1.74 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 1984 | 1.66 deaths per 100 live births | -4.4% |
| 1985 | 1.58 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1986 | 1.5 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 1987 | 1.44 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1988 | 1.41 deaths per 100 live births | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 1.43 deaths per 100 live births | +1.1% |
| 1990 | 1.46 deaths per 100 live births | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 1.5 deaths per 100 live births | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 1.53 deaths per 100 live births | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 1.54 deaths per 100 live births | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 1.54 deaths per 100 live births | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 1.55 deaths per 100 live births | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 1.56 deaths per 100 live births | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 1.56 deaths per 100 live births | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 1.54 deaths per 100 live births | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 1.49 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 1.43 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 2001 | 1.37 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 1.32 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 1.25 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 2004 | 1.18 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 2005 | 1.1 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 1.04 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 2007 | 0.9887 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 2008 | 0.9542 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 0.9317 deaths per 100 live births | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 0.9084 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 0.8733 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 0.827 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 0.776 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 2014 | 0.7256 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 2015 | 0.6798 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 2016 | 0.6405 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 0.6077 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 2018 | 0.5795 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 0.5547 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 0.5334 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 0.5153 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 0.4988 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 0.4822 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 0.465 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 0.465 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.3612 deaths per 100 live births, 1.3× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 0.465 deaths per 100 live births is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.3422 deaths per 100 live births, 1.4× the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 11.42 deaths per 100 live births | 11.42 deaths per 100 live births | 11.42 deaths per 100 live births | 1 |
| 1950s | 7.87 deaths per 100 live births | 5.02 deaths per 100 live births | 10.74 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.41 deaths per 100 live births | 2.89 deaths per 100 live births | 4.49 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.42 deaths per 100 live births | 2.07 deaths per 100 live births | 2.75 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.64 deaths per 100 live births | 1.41 deaths per 100 live births | 1.96 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.53 deaths per 100 live births | 1.46 deaths per 100 live births | 1.56 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.16 deaths per 100 live births | 0.9317 deaths per 100 live births | 1.43 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7172 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5547 deaths per 100 live births | 0.9084 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4989 deaths per 100 live births | 0.465 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5334 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 152 Canada 0.4717 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 153 Malta 0.4704 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 154 Saudi Arabia 0.4656 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 156 Serbia 0.4585 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 157 United Kingdom 0.4134 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 158 Russia 0.4132 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for Bulgaria
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.5 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.615 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,422 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 39 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.2564 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0222 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.3643 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate in Bulgaria?
- Infant mortality rate in Bulgaria was 0.465 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 11.42 deaths per 100 live births in 1949.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.465 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Bulgaria rank for infant mortality rate?
- Bulgaria ranks 155th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged under one year, per 100 live births .