Homicides by firearm in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Homicides by firearm was 17 homicides in 2017. ▼ Falling
Homicides by firearm in Bulgaria, 2005–2017
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicides by firearm in Bulgaria is 17 homicides, measured in 2017.
That represents a change of up 54.5% on the previous year and down 68.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides by firearm in Bulgaria peaked at 54 homicides in 2007 and was at its lowest, 11 homicides, in 2016.
Bulgaria ranks 47th of 82 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 13 years of available data.
Homicides by firearm in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 43 homicides | — |
| 2006 | 44 homicides | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 54 homicides | +22.7% |
| 2008 | 51 homicides | -5.6% |
| 2009 | 43 homicides | -15.7% |
| 2010 | 32 homicides | -25.6% |
| 2011 | 41 homicides | +28.1% |
| 2012 | 25 homicides | -39.0% |
| 2013 | 24 homicides | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 18 homicides | -25.0% |
| 2015 | 21 homicides | +16.7% |
| 2016 | 11 homicides | -47.6% |
| 2017 | 17 homicides | +54.5% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 17 homicides is above the median for high income countries, which is 17 homicides, 1.0× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 17 homicides is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 14.5 homicides, 1.2× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 47 homicides | 43 homicides | 54 homicides | 5 |
| 2010s | 23.62 homicides | 11 homicides | 41 homicides | 8 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 44 Bosnia and Herzegovina 23 homicides compare
- 45 Belarus 20 homicides compare
- 45 Kazakhstan 20 homicides compare
- 47 Austria 17 homicides compare
- 47 Azerbaijan 17 homicides compare
- 50 Sri Lanka 16 homicides compare
More social development data for Bulgaria
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 105,596 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 533 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 533 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0164 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicides by firearm in Bulgaria?
- Homicides by firearm in Bulgaria was 17 homicides in 2017, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicides by firearm recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 54 homicides in 2007.
- What is the lowest homicides by firearm recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 11 homicides in 2016.
- How does Bulgaria rank for homicides by firearm?
- Bulgaria ranks 47th out of 82 countries with data for 2017.
- Is homicides by firearm rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 68.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicides by firearm. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of intentional homicides where the weapon was a firearm.