Homicides in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Homicides was 74 homicides in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Homicides in Bulgaria, 1990–2023
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 in Bulgaria is 74 homicides, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 32.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides in Bulgaria peaked at 494 homicides in 1995 and was at its lowest, 69 homicides, in 2020.
That places Bulgaria 104th out of 179 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicides in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 227 homicides | — |
| 1991 | 375 homicides | +65.2% |
| 1992 | 462 homicides | +23.2% |
| 1993 | 490 homicides | +6.1% |
| 1994 | 492 homicides | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 494 homicides | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 438 homicides | -11.3% |
| 1997 | 398 homicides | -9.1% |
| 1998 | 381 homicides | -4.3% |
| 1999 | 327 homicides | -14.2% |
| 2000 | 332 homicides | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 308 homicides | -7.2% |
| 2002 | 255 homicides | -17.2% |
| 2003 | 247 homicides | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 244 homicides | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 199 homicides | -18.4% |
| 2006 | 186 homicides | -6.5% |
| 2007 | 177 homicides | -4.8% |
| 2008 | 172 homicides | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 150 homicides | -12.8% |
| 2010 | 148 homicides | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 128 homicides | -13.5% |
| 2012 | 141 homicides | +10.2% |
| 2013 | 109 homicides | -22.7% |
| 2014 | 112 homicides | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 126 homicides | +12.5% |
| 2016 | 79 homicides | -37.3% |
| 2017 | 103 homicides | +30.4% |
| 2018 | 92 homicides | -10.7% |
| 2019 | 83 homicides | -9.8% |
| 2020 | 69 homicides | -16.9% |
| 2021 | 89 homicides | +29.0% |
| 2022 | 76 homicides | -14.6% |
| 2023 | 74 homicides | -2.6% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 74 homicides is above the median for high income countries, which is 52.5 homicides, 1.4× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 74 homicides is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 74.5 homicides, 99% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Homicides in Bulgaria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +65.2% | 227 homicides | 375 homicides |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 408.4 homicides | 227 homicides | 494 homicides | 10 |
| 2000s | 227 homicides | 150 homicides | 332 homicides | 10 |
| 2010s | 112.1 homicides | 79 homicides | 148 homicides | 10 |
| 2020s | 77 homicides | 69 homicides | 89 homicides | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 101 Lithuania 75 homicides compare
- 101 New Zealand 75 homicides compare
- 101 Portugal 75 homicides compare
- 105 United Arab Emirates 71 homicides compare
- 106 Hungary 70 homicides compare
- 106 Saint Lucia 70 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 in Bulgaria?
- Homicides in Bulgaria was 74 homicides in 2023, 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 recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 494 homicides in 1995.
- What is the lowest homicides recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 69 homicides in 2020.
- How does Bulgaria rank for homicides?
- Bulgaria ranks 104th out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicides rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of intentional homicides.