https://www.humantruth.info/bulgaria.html
By Vexen Crabtree 2013
Bulgaria Republic of Bulgaria | ![]() |
---|---|
Status | Independent State |
Social and Moral Index | 45th best |
Capital | Sofia |
Land Area | 108 560km21 |
Location | Europe, The Balkans |
Population | 7.1m2 |
Life Expectancy | 71.80yrs (2017)3 |
GNI | $23 079 (2017)4 |
ISO3166-1 Codes | BG, BGR, 1005 |
Internet Domain | .bg6 |
Currency | Lev (BGN)7 |
Telephone | +3598 |
“The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)9
“From wild, wooded mountain ranges speckled with remote villages and enchanting monasteries to vibrant modern cities and long sandy beaches hugging the Black Sea coast, Bulgaria rewards exploration. Bulgaria may attract the majority of its visitors with its long, sandy Black Sea beaches, but there´s much more to see than that. Bulgaria boasts no fewer than seven mountain ranges and varied landscapes ideal for hiking, cycling, climbing and wildlife-watching. And you´ll find some of Europe´s most modern and reasonably priced ski resorts.
The depth of Bulgaria´s history and culture are immediately evident. There are countless churches and a full measure of Orthodox monasteries full of vibrant icons, picturesque villages of timber-framed houses 19th-century revival-era architecture and cobbled lanes, and dramatic reminders of the country´s heritage, from Thracian tombs and Roman ruins to medieval fortresses, Ottoman mosques and communist monuments slowly crumbling away into history.
Bulgaria´s cities reward visitors, with treasure-filled museums and galleries, and parks sprinkled with cafes and restaurants where the coffee is strong, the cuisine hearty and the conversation always animated.”
#economics #human_development #wealth
UN HDI (2021)11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better Value11 | |
1 | Switzerland | 0.962 |
2 | Norway | 0.961 |
3 | Iceland | 0.959 |
... | ||
66 | Thailand | 0.800 |
67 | Albania | 0.796 |
68= | Grenada | 0.795 |
68= | Bulgaria | 0.795 |
70 | Barbados | 0.790 |
71 | Antigua & Barbuda | 0.788 |
72 | Seychelles | 0.785 |
73 | Sri Lanka | 0.782 |
Europe Avg | 0.87 | |
World Avg | 0.72 | |
q=191. |
Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better PPP $11 | |
1 | Liechtenstein | $146 830 |
2 | Singapore | $90 919 |
3 | Qatar | $87 134 |
... | ||
57 | Kazakhstan | $23 943 |
58 | Trinidad & Tobago | $23 392 |
59 | St Kitts & Nevis | $23 358 |
60 | Bulgaria | $23 079 |
61 | Guyana | $22 465 |
62 | Mauritius | $22 025 |
63 | Uruguay | $21 269 |
64 | Argentina | $20 925 |
Europe Avg | $40 512 | |
World Avg | $20 136 | |
q=193. |
Social & Moral Development Index12 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank12 | |
1 | Denmark | 27.0 |
2 | Norway | 29.9 |
3 | Sweden | 31.8 |
... | ||
42 | Croatia | 61.8 |
43 | Mauritius | 62.6 |
44 | Romania | 65.7 |
45 | Bulgaria | 67.3 |
46 | Argentina | 67.4 |
47 | Sri Lanka | 68.2 |
48 | Israel | 69.1 |
49 | Barbados | 69.8 |
Europe Avg | 55.7 | |
World Avg | 88.6 | |
q=199. |
The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..
The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.
#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen
Population:
Bulgaria's population is predicted to fall to 6 455 000 by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 1.78. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.13Population2 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 Population2 | |
1 | China | 1.4b |
2 | India | 1.4b |
3 | USA | 327.1m |
... | ||
102 | Sierra Leone | 7.7m |
103 | Hong Kong | 7.4m |
104 | Laos | 7.1m |
105 | Bulgaria | 7.1m |
106 | Paraguay | 7.0m |
107 | Lebanon | 6.9m |
108 | Libya | 6.7m |
109 | Nicaragua | 6.5m |
World Avg | 39.0m | |
q=195. |
Life Expectancy Higher is better11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years11 | |
1 | Monaco | 85.9 |
2 | Hong Kong | 85.5 |
3 | Japan | 84.8 |
... | ||
94 | Armenia | 72.0 |
95 | Libya | 71.9 |
96 | Bhutan | 71.8 |
97 | Bulgaria | 71.8 |
98 | Georgia | 71.7 |
99 | St Kitts & Nevis | 71.7 |
100 | Ukraine | 71.6 |
101 | Bahamas | 71.6 |
World Avg | 71.28 | |
q=195. |
Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202214 | |
1 | US Virgin Islands | 2.00 |
2 | Ecuador | 2.00 |
3 | Nepal | 2.01 |
... | ||
32 | Malaysia | 1.79 |
33 | El Salvador | 1.79 |
34 | Qatar | 1.78 |
35 | Bulgaria | 1.78 |
36 | St Vincent & Grenadines | 1.78 |
37 | Brunei | 1.76 |
38 | Dominican Rep. | 2.25 |
39 | Nicaragua | 2.28 |
World Avg | 2.47 | |
q=208. |
Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better15 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per 10015 | |
1 | Uganda | 04.3 |
2 | Mali | 04.5 |
3= | Chad | 04.7 |
... | ||
161 | Singapore | 36.5 |
162 | Latvia | 36.7 |
163= | Sweden | 37.0 |
163= | Bulgaria | 37.0 |
165 | Denmark | 37.1 |
166 | Bosnia & Herzegovina | 37.3 |
167 | S. Korea | 37.6 |
168 | Estonia | 37.9 |
World Avg | 18.3 | |
q=185. |
Migration:
Immigrants16 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 %16 | |
1 | UAE | 88.4% |
2 | Kuwait | 75.5% |
3 | Qatar | 65.2% |
... | ||
121 | Benin | 2.3% |
122 | S. Korea | 2.3% |
123 | Cameroon | 2.2% |
124 | Bulgaria | 2.2% |
125 | Kenya | 2.2% |
126 | Angola | 2.1% |
127 | Liberia | 2.1% |
128 | Mali | 2.1% |
World Avg | 9.4% | |
q=195. |
Emigrants17 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2010 %17 | |
1 | Dominica | 104.8% |
2 | Palestine | 68.4% |
3 | Samoa | 67.3% |
... | ||
38 | Ireland | 16.1% |
39 | Belize | 16.1% |
40 | Azerbaijan | 16.0% |
41 | Bulgaria | 16.0% |
42 | Lebanon | 15.6% |
43 | Equatorial Guinea | 14.9% |
44 | Seychelles | 14.6% |
45 | New Zealand | 14.5% |
World Avg | 11.5% | |
q=192. |
#Bulgaria #bulgaria_human_rights #equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance
Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)18 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank18 | |
1 | Sweden | 6.1 |
2 | Denmark | 8.6 |
3 | Norway | 9.0 |
... | ||
44 | Liechtenstein | 54.9 |
45 | Dominica | 57.3 |
46 | Hungary | 58.5 |
47 | Bulgaria | 58.6 |
48 | Brazil | 60.3 |
49 | Romania | 61.3 |
Europe Avg | 47.37 | |
World Avg | 86.55 | |
q=199. |
For tables, charts and commentary, see:
#alcohol #birth_control #bulgaria #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #suicide #vaccines
Compared to Europe (2025)29 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank29 | |
1 | Monaco | 14.3 |
2 | Liechtenstein | 30.1 |
3 | Isle of Man | 32.1 |
... | ||
43 | Georgia | 75.9 |
44 | Latvia | 76.0 |
45 | Turkey | 78.6 |
46 | Bulgaria | 82.8 |
47 | Belarus | 83.7 |
48 | Romania | 84.0 |
49 | Moldova | 85.0 |
50 | Azerbaijan | 86.0 |
51 | Kosovo | 86.4 |
Europe Avg | 86.87 | |
q=52. |
Health (2025)29 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank29 | |
1 | Monaco | 14.3 |
2 | Liechtenstein | 30.1 |
3 | Isle of Man | 32.1 |
... | ||
88 | Russia | 81.8 |
89 | Costa Rica | 82.6 |
90 | Bahamas | 82.8 |
91 | Bulgaria | 82.8 |
92 | Belarus | 83.7 |
93 | Romania | 84.0 |
94 | Brazil | 84.6 |
95 | Seychelles | 84.8 |
World Avg | 96.74 | |
q=212. |
The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man30. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria30.
21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans30, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia30.
For more, see:
Health:
Bulgaria has some poor policies and cultural issues which cause some public health problems. Bulgaria does better than average in terms of its fertility rate14, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance31 (but high for Europe), its immunizations take-up32 (but bad for Europe) and in its average life expectancy11 (but low for Europe). But, things still need to improve in Bulgaria. Bulgaria does worse than average in terms of its suicide rate33, its adolescent birth rate34 (one of the worst in Europe) and in its smoking rate35. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in its alcohol consumption rate36. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the past 40 years. Life expectancy in Bulgaria improved by +3.7yrs in the 30 years from 1990, less than the global average of +7.9yrs. Bulgaria has had a long-term consistent fertility rate, and is one of only 22 countries to vary by less than 1.0 each decade since the 1960s. Its peak fertility rate was 2.31 in 1960.Life Expectancy Higher is better11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years11 | |
1 | Monaco | 85.9 |
2 | Hong Kong | 85.5 |
3 | Japan | 84.8 |
... | ||
94 | Armenia | 72.0 |
95 | Libya | 71.9 |
96 | Bhutan | 71.8 |
97 | Bulgaria | 71.8 |
98 | Georgia | 71.7 |
99 | St Kitts & Nevis | 71.7 |
100 | Ukraine | 71.6 |
101 | Bahamas | 71.6 |
Europe Avg | 78.36 | |
World Avg | 71.28 | |
q=195. |
Alcohol Consumption Lower is better36 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per Capita36 | |
1 | Bangladesh | 0.0 |
2 | Kuwait | 0.0 |
3 | Libya | 0.0 |
... | ||
178= | Slovenia | 12.6 |
178= | France | 12.6 |
180 | Romania | 12.7 |
181= | Bulgaria | 12.7 |
182 | Latvia | 12.9 |
183= | Luxembourg | 13.0 |
183= | Ireland | 13.0 |
185 | Nigeria | 13.4 |
Europe Avg | 10.3 | |
World Avg | 6.2 | |
q=189. |
Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202214 | |
1 | US Virgin Islands | 2.00 |
2 | Ecuador | 2.00 |
3 | Nepal | 2.01 |
... | ||
32 | Malaysia | 1.79 |
33 | El Salvador | 1.79 |
34 | Qatar | 1.78 |
35 | Bulgaria | 1.78 |
36 | St Vincent & Grenadines | 1.78 |
37 | Brunei | 1.76 |
38 | Dominican Rep. | 2.25 |
39 | Nicaragua | 2.28 |
Europe Avg | 1.53 | |
World Avg | 2.47 | |
q=208. |
Smoking Rates Lower is better35 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201435 | |
1 | Guinea | 15 |
2 | Solomon Islands | 26 |
3 | Kiribati | 28 |
... | ||
148 | Poland | 1 396 |
149 | Italy | 1 443 |
150 | Germany | 1 480 |
151 | Bulgaria | 1 505 |
152 | Kuwait | 1 517 |
153 | Armenia | 1 545 |
154 | Turkey | 1 581 |
155 | Slovakia | 1 618 |
Europe Avg | 1 648 | |
World Avg | 819 | |
q=182. |
Suicide Rate33 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2013 Per 100k33 | |
1 | Haiti | 0 |
2 | Grenada | 0 |
3 | Egypt | 0.1 |
... | ||
61= | Germany | 23.9 |
62 | Cuba | 24.5 |
63= | Romania | 24.5 |
64 | Bulgaria | 25 |
65 | Sweden | 25.5 |
66 | Slovakia | 25.7 |
67 | Czechia | 28.3 |
68 | Suriname | 28.7 |
Europe Avg | 26.99 | |
World Avg | 20.93 | |
q=91. |
Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better31 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank31 | |
1 | Sweden | 1 |
2 | Ireland | 2 |
3 | Denmark | 3 |
... | ||
50 | Ecuador | 50 |
51 | Israel | 51 |
52 | Slovakia | 52 |
53 | Bulgaria | 53 |
54 | Panama | 54 |
55 | Ukraine | 55 |
56 | S. Africa | 56 |
57 | Slovenia | 57 |
Europe Avg | 47.4 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Overweight Adults Lower is better37 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 %37 | |
1 | Vietnam | 18.3 |
2 | India | 19.7 |
3 | Bangladesh | 20.0 |
... | ||
148= | Costa Rica | 61.6 |
148= | Tunisia | 61.6 |
148= | Iran | 61.6 |
151 | Bulgaria | 61.7 |
152 | Algeria | 62.0 |
153= | Greece | 62.3 |
153= | Czechia | 62.3 |
155 | Oman | 62.6 |
Europe Avg | 58.5 | |
World Avg | 49.0 | |
q=191. |
Children's Health:
Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better34 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Per 100034 | |
1 | Hong Kong | 1.6 |
2 | Denmark | 1.8 |
3 | S. Korea | 2.1 |
... | ||
104 | Argentina | 37.9 |
105 | Dominica | 37.9 |
106 | Syria | 38.1 |
107 | Bulgaria | 38.2 |
108 | Kiribati | 39.6 |
109 | Azerbaijan | 40.1 |
110 | Pakistan | 41.2 |
111 | Barbados | 41.9 |
Europe Avg | 11.4 | |
World Avg | 43.8 | |
q=195. |
Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better32 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2015 Avg %32 | |
1= | Hungary | 99.0 |
1= | China | 99.0 |
3 | Uzbekistan | 98.9 |
... | ||
86 | Italy | 93.8 |
87 | Austria | 93.8 |
88 | Argentina | 93.7 |
89 | Bulgaria | 93.7 |
90 | Serbia | 93.5 |
91 | Egypt | 93.4 |
92 | Cape Verde | 93.4 |
93 | Burundi | 93.3 |
Europe Avg | 92.7 | |
World Avg | 88.3 | |
q=194. |
#biodiversity #bulgaria #climate_change #deforestation #energy #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #sustainability #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism
Compared to Europe (2025)38 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank38 | |
1 | Switzerland | 45.0 |
2 | Denmark | 50.4 |
3 | Liechtenstein | 56.8 |
... | ||
20 | UK | 74.4 |
21 | Turkey | 75.0 |
22 | Belgium | 75.3 |
23 | Bulgaria | 75.8 |
24 | Latvia | 77.7 |
25 | Slovakia | 80.8 |
26 | Poland | 81.0 |
27 | Slovenia | 82.1 |
28 | Georgia | 83.6 |
Europe Avg | 86.45 | |
q=48. |
Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)38 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank38 | |
1 | Sri Lanka | 34.9 |
2 | Uruguay | 43.2 |
3 | Switzerland | 45.0 |
... | ||
75 | Cape Verde | 75.6 |
76 | Afghanistan | 75.7 |
77 | New Zealand | 75.8 |
78 | Bulgaria | 75.8 |
79 | Malawi | 76.0 |
80 | Benin | 76.5 |
81 | Australia | 76.6 |
82 | Botswana | 76.8 |
World Avg | 84.93 | |
q=199. |
All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.
The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.
For more, see:
Bulgaria is positioned 78th in the world with regard to its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is derived from 7 data sets. Bulgaria comes in the best 20 in terms of its forested percent change 2000-202039. It does better than average in its score on the Green Future Index40 (but bad for Europe) and in its environmental performance41. But, there's bad news too. Bulgaria does worse than average for the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population42, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, reducing annual meat consumption per person43 (still low for Europe) and in energy to GDP efficiency44.Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better39 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total39 | |
1 | Guernsey | 82.6% |
2 | Bahrain | 75.2% |
3 | Iceland | 64.7% |
... | ||
16 | Guam | 16.7% |
17 | Puerto Rico | 15.5% |
18 | Iran | 15.2% |
19 | Bulgaria | 14.9% |
20 | Chile | 14.6% |
21 | Cape Verde | 14.6% |
22 | Azerbaijan | 14.2% |
23 | Jamaica | 14.1% |
Europe Avg | 8.2% | |
World Avg | -0.1% | |
q=234. |
From 2000 to 2010, Bulgaria restored its forest cover by 11%, from 3375 thousand hectares to 3737 thousand, and added a further 4% by 2020.
Environmental Performance Higher is better41 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201841 | |
1 | Switzerland | 87.4 |
2 | France | 84.0 |
3 | Denmark | 81.6 |
... | ||
27 | USA | 71.2 |
28 | Slovakia | 70.6 |
29 | Lithuania | 69.3 |
30= | Bulgaria | 67.9 |
30= | Costa Rica | 67.9 |
32 | Qatar | 67.8 |
33 | Czechia | 67.7 |
34 | Slovenia | 67.6 |
Europe Avg | 69.6 | |
World Avg | 56.4 | |
q=180. |
Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better44 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Avg44 | |
1 | Rwanda | 0.25 |
2 | Chad | 0.26 |
3 | Tanzania | 0.31 |
... | ||
126 | Estonia | 1.56 |
127 | Bosnia & Herzegovina | 1.60 |
128 | Kazakhstan | 1.63 |
129 | Bulgaria | 1.63 |
130 | Seychelles | 1.63 |
131 | Belarus | 1.64 |
132 | St Lucia | 1.65 |
133 | S. Korea | 1.67 |
Europe Avg | 1.25 | |
World Avg | 1.23 | |
q=165. |
International Accords on the Environment Higher is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total Avg Rate | |
1 | Sweden | 83% |
2 | Canada | 82% |
3 | Norway | 81% |
... | ||
99 | Bangladesh | 57% |
100 | UAE | 57% |
101 | Belize | 57% |
102 | Bulgaria | 57% |
103 | Honduras | 57% |
104 | Poland | 57% |
105 | Mozambique | 57% |
106 | Romania | 57% |
Europe Avg | 62.7% | |
World Avg | 57.5% | |
q=197. |
Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better42 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2011 %42 | |
1 | Argentina | 78.3% |
2 | Greece | 77.6% |
3 | Brazil | 77.1% |
... | ||
83 | Luxembourg | 33.3% |
84 | Togo | 33.3% |
85 | Benin | 32.6% |
86 | Bulgaria | 32.5% |
87 | Kyrgyzstan | 32.0% |
88 | Georgia | 31.9% |
89 | Australia | 31.8% |
90 | Austria | 31.8% |
Europe Avg | 33.6% | |
World Avg | 39.9% | |
q=145. |
Meat Consumption Lower is better43 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 kg43 | |
1 | Congo, DR | 03.0 |
2 | Burundi | 03.5 |
3 | Bangladesh | 04.3 |
... | ||
105 | Suriname | 60.8 |
106 | Colombia | 60.9 |
107 | Slovenia | 61.2 |
108 | Bulgaria | 61.8 |
109 | Moldova | 61.9 |
110 | Costa Rica | 62.2 |
111 | China | 63.6 |
112 | Uruguay | 62.8 |
Europe Avg | 71.1 | |
World Avg | 52.5 | |
q=185. |
Green Future Index Higher is better40 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 Score40 | |
1 | Iceland | 6.7 |
2 | Finland | 6.7 |
3 | Norway | 6.4 |
... | ||
20= | Switzerland | 5.4 |
20= | Poland | 5.4 |
22 | Austria | 5.4 |
23 | Bulgaria | 5.3 |
24 | Costa Rica | 5.3 |
25 | S. Africa | 5.2 |
26 | Uruguay | 5.1 |
27 | China | 5.1 |
Europe Avg | 5.6 | |
World Avg | 4.8 | |
q=76. |
#angola #bulgaria #capitalism #charity #corruption #economics #education #english #extremism #germany #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #intelligence #life_expectancy #maths #modernity #morals #peace #politics #religion #religiosity #religious_violence #research #science #secularisation #social_development #technology #terrorism #the_internet
Compared to Europe (2020)45 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank45 | |
1 | Finland | 7.1 |
2 | Belgium | 12.9 |
3 | Denmark | 13.6 |
... | ||
26 | Slovakia | 42.9 |
27 | Malta | 45.9 |
28 | Ukraine | 47.7 |
29 | Bulgaria | 47.8 |
30 | Croatia | 47.8 |
31 | Liechtenstein | 48.8 |
32 | Romania | 51.0 |
33 | Belarus | 51.5 |
34 | Cyprus | 55.6 |
Europe Avg | 39.81 | |
q=45. |
Modernity & Learning (2020)45 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank45 | |
1 | Finland | 7.1 |
2 | Belgium | 12.9 |
3 | Denmark | 13.6 |
... | ||
40 | Barbados | 47.4 |
41 | Palau | 47.4 |
42 | Ukraine | 47.7 |
43 | Bulgaria | 47.8 |
44 | Croatia | 47.8 |
45 | Liechtenstein | 48.8 |
46 | St Kitts & Nevis | 48.8 |
47 | Chile | 48.8 |
World Avg | 86.31 | |
q=190. |
The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark46. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone46. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots47.
“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)48
15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe46, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia46.
For more, see:
Modernity and Education:
Research & Development Higher is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 % RDP PPP | |
1 | S. Korea | 4.2949 |
2 | Israel | 4.1149 |
3 | Japan | 3.5849 |
... | ||
49= | Egypt | 0.6850 |
50 | Belarus | 0.6750 |
51 | Mali | 0.6651 |
52 | Bulgaria | 0.6550 |
53 | Ethiopia | 0.6150 |
54 | Latvia | 0.6050 |
55= | Gabon | 0.5852 |
55= | Argentina | 0.5853 |
Europe Avg | 1.32 | |
World Avg | 0.84 | |
q=126. |
Secondary Education Higher is better54 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201854 | |
1= | Luxembourg | 100.0% |
1= | Estonia | 100.0% |
1= | Austria | 100.0% |
... | ||
25 | USA | 95.6% |
26 | Norway | 95.4% |
27 | S. Korea | 95.2% |
28 | Bulgaria | 95.1% |
29 | Lithuania | 94.9% |
30 | Ukraine | 94.6% |
31 | Tonga | 93.7% |
32 | Japan | 93.6% |
Europe Avg | 88.3% | |
World Avg | 63.0% | |
q=169. |
Length of Schooling Higher is better55 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years55 | |
1 | Australia | 21.1 |
2 | New Zealand | 20.3 |
3 | Greece | 20.0 |
... | ||
85 | Sri Lanka | 14.1 |
86 | Brunei | 14.0 |
87 | Seychelles | 13.9 |
88 | Bulgaria | 13.9 |
89 | Bosnia & Herzegovina | 13.8 |
90 | Egypt | 13.8 |
91 | Indonesia | 13.7 |
92 | Swaziland | 13.7 |
Europe Avg | 16.1 | |
World Avg | 13.5 | |
q=193. |
Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better31 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank31 | |
1 | Ukraine | 1 |
2 | Czechia | 2 |
3 | Hungary | 3 |
... | ||
11 | Switzerland | 11 |
12 | New Zealand | 12 |
13 | Latvia | 13 |
14 | Bulgaria | 14 |
15 | Iceland | 15 |
16 | Bosnia & Herzegovina | 16 |
17 | Sweden | 17 |
18 | Lithuania | 18 |
Europe Avg | 31.3 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Maths, Science & Reading Higher is better56 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2015 Score56 | |
1 | Singapore | 1655 |
2 | Hong Kong | 1598 |
3 | Japan | 1586 |
... | ||
42 | Slovakia | 1389 |
43 | Greece | 1376 |
44 | Chile | 1329 |
45 | Bulgaria | 1319 |
46= | Romania | 1313 |
46= | Cyprus | 1313 |
48 | UAE | 1298 |
49 | Uruguay | 1290 |
Europe Avg | 1417 | |
World Avg | 1389 | |
q=70. |
Religiosity Lower is better57 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 %57 | |
1 | China | 3 |
2 | Estonia | 6 |
3 | Czechia | 7 |
... | ||
19= | Russia | 16 |
20 | Australia | 18 |
21= | Vietnam | 18 |
22 | Bulgaria | 19 |
23= | Norway | 19 |
24 | Netherlands | 20 |
25= | Italy | 21 |
25= | Belarus | 21 |
Europe Avg | 25.8 | |
World Avg | 54.3 | |
q=106. |
IQ Higher is better58 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 200658 | |
1= | Hong Kong | 108 |
1= | Singapore | 108 |
3 | S. Korea | 106 |
... | ||
44= | Romania | 94 |
44= | Georgia | 94 |
46 | Argentina | 93 |
47= | Bulgaria | 93 |
48 | Ireland | 92 |
49= | Malaysia | 92 |
49= | Greece | 92 |
51 | Brunei | 91 |
Europe Avg | 96.6 | |
World Avg | 85.6 | |
q=138. |
Technology and Information:
Internet Users Higher is better59 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201659 | |
1 | Iceland | 100% |
2 | Faroe Islands | 99% |
3 | Norway | 98% |
... | ||
78 | Belarus | 61% |
79 | St Vincent & Grenadines | 60% |
80 | St Lucia | 59% |
81 | Bulgaria | 59% |
82= | Turkey | 58% |
82= | Romania | 58% |
84 | Venezuela | 58% |
85= | Seychelles | 58% |
Europe Avg | 76.7% | |
World Avg | 48.1% | |
q=201. |
IPv6 Uptake Higher is better60 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Ratio60 | |
1 | Belgium | 55.4 |
2 | Germany | 41.8 |
3 | Switzerland | 35.1 |
... | ||
45 | Argentina | 1.4 |
46 | Faroe Islands | 1.4 |
47 | Russia | 1.3 |
48 | Bulgaria | 1.3 |
49 | S. Korea | 1.2 |
50 | Dominican Rep. | 1.1 |
51 | Slovakia | 0.8 |
52 | Hong Kong | 0.7 |
Europe Avg | 8.11 | |
World Avg | 3.82 | |
q=176. |
Digital Quality of Life Higher is better61 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202461 | |
1 | Germany | 77.9% |
2 | Finland | 76.9% |
3 | France | 73.9% |
... | ||
15 | Lithuania | 67.8% |
16 | Romania | 67.8% |
17 | USA | 67.5% |
18 | Bulgaria | 66.3% |
19 | Belgium | 66.1% |
20= | Poland | 66.0% |
20= | S. Korea | 66.0% |
22 | Ireland | 65.9% |
Europe Avg | 61.0% | |
World Avg | 48.4% | |
q=121. |
Bulgaria has very cheap entry-level internet (only Germany and Angola is cheaper)62.
National Culture:
World Giving Index Higher is better63 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 %63 | |
1 | Indonesia | 68.0 |
2 | Kenya | 61.0 |
3 | USA | 59.0 |
... | ||
52= | Colombia | 42.0 |
52= | China | 42.0 |
52= | Ecuador | 42.0 |
55 | Bulgaria | 41.0 |
56= | Slovakia | 41.0 |
56= | Germany | 41.0 |
58 | Nepal | 40.0 |
59= | Malaysia | 40.0 |
Europe Avg | 39.0 | |
World Avg | 39.6 | |
q=125. |
Corruption Higher is better64 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Points64 | |
1 | Denmark | 90.0 |
2= | Finland | 87.0 |
2= | New Zealand | 87.0 |
... | ||
71 | Bahrain | 44.0 |
72 | Senegal | 43.0 |
73= | S. Africa | 43.0 |
73= | Bulgaria | 43.0 |
73= | Benin | 43.0 |
73= | Ghana | 43.0 |
77 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 42.0 |
78= | Vietnam | 42.0 |
Europe Avg | 57.61 | |
World Avg | 42.98 | |
q=180. |
Happiness Higher is better65 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2024 Score65 | |
1 | Finland | 7.7 |
2 | Denmark | 7.5 |
3 | Iceland | 7.5 |
... | ||
82 | Venezuela | 5.7 |
83 | Indonesia | 5.6 |
84 | Algeria | 5.6 |
85 | Bulgaria | 5.6 |
86 | Macedonia | 5.5 |
87 | Armenia | 5.5 |
88 | Hong Kong | 5.5 |
89= | Albania | 5.4 |
Europe Avg | 6.37 | |
World Avg | 5.58 | |
q=147. |
Creativity & Culture Lower is better31 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank31 | |
1 | Belgium | 1 |
2 | Netherlands | 2 |
3 | Estonia | 3 |
... | ||
36 | Belize | 36 |
37 | Iceland | 37 |
38 | Croatia | 38 |
39 | Bulgaria | 39 |
40 | Marshall Islands | 40 |
41 | Malaysia | 41 |
42 | Namibia | 42 |
43 | St Vincent & Grenadines | 43 |
Europe Avg | 35.0 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better31 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank31 | |
1 | Ireland | 1 |
2 | Denmark | 2 |
3 | Sweden | 3 |
... | ||
36 | Italy | 36 |
37 | Estonia | 37 |
38 | Cyprus | 38 |
39 | Bulgaria | 39 |
40 | Turkey | 40 |
41 | Marshall Islands | 41 |
42 | Malta | 42 |
43 | Morocco | 43 |
Europe Avg | 42.6 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Peace Versus Instability:
Global Peace Index Lower is better66 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 Score66 | |
1 | Iceland | 1.12 |
2 | Denmark | 1.31 |
3 | Ireland | 1.31 |
... | ||
27 | Latvia | 1.58 |
28 | Sweden | 1.63 |
29 | Poland | 1.63 |
30 | Bulgaria | 1.64 |
31= | Spain | 1.65 |
31= | Romania | 1.65 |
31= | Taiwan | 1.65 |
34 | Italy | 1.66 |
Europe Avg | 1.70 | |
World Avg | 2.07 | |
q=163. |
Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better31 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank31 | |
1 | Samoa | 1 |
2 | S. Africa | 2 |
3 | Tunisia | 3 |
... | ||
66 | Ghana | 66 |
67 | Sweden | 67 |
68 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 68 |
69 | Bulgaria | 69 |
70 | Zimbabwe | 70 |
71 | Spain | 71 |
72 | USA | 72 |
73 | Cyprus | 73 |
Europe Avg | 84.6 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better31 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Rank31 | |
1 | Austria | 1 |
2 | Germany | 2 |
3 | Netherlands | 3 |
... | ||
29 | USA | 29 |
30 | Singapore | 30 |
31 | Greece | 31 |
32 | Bulgaria | 32 |
33 | S. Korea | 33 |
34 | Mauritius | 34 |
35 | Bosnia & Herzegovina | 35 |
36 | Romania | 36 |
Europe Avg | 37.8 | |
World Avg | 82.0 | |
q=163. |
Impact of Terrorism Lower is better67 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2019 Score67 | |
1 | Togo | 0.00 |
2 | Mongolia | 0.00 |
3 | Swaziland | 0.00 |
... | ||
36 | Macedonia | 0.30 |
37 | Zambia | 0.31 |
38 | Djibouti | 0.32 |
39 | Bulgaria | 0.37 |
40= | Albania | 0.42 |
40= | Cyprus | 0.42 |
42 | Lithuania | 0.46 |
43= | Sierra Leone | 0.46 |
Europe Avg | 1.62 | |
World Avg | 2.78 | |
q=150. |
Economic Inequality and Poverty:
Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better68 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201968 | |
1 | Iceland | 2.40 |
2= | Singapore | 2.50 |
2= | Hong Kong | 2.50 |
... | ||
46 | Kuwait | 5.90 |
47 | Maldives | 6.00 |
48= | Malaysia | 6.10 |
48= | Bulgaria | 6.10 |
50 | Chile | 6.30 |
51= | USA | 6.30 |
51= | Romania | 6.30 |
53 | Saudi Arabia | 6.40 |
Europe Avg | 4.86 | |
World Avg | 14.59 | |
q=184. |
Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better69 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 %69 | |
1 | Slovakia | 24.1%70 |
2 | Slovenia | 24.3%70 |
3 | Belarus | 24.4%71 |
... | ||
111= | El Salvador | 38.8%72 |
111= | Gambia | 38.8%71 |
111= | Laos | 38.8%73 |
114 | Bulgaria | 39.0%70 |
115 | Tuvalu | 39.1%74 |
116 | Suriname | 39.2%72 |
117 | Morocco | 39.5%75 |
118 | Micronesia | 40.1%75 |
Europe Avg | 30.7% | |
World Avg | 36.5% | |
q=167. |
#belief #buddhism #christianity #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion #religiosity #secularisation
Religiosity (2018)57 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better %57 | |
1 | China | 3 |
2 | Estonia | 6 |
3 | Czechia | 7 |
... | ||
19= | Russia | 16 |
20 | Australia | 18 |
21= | Vietnam | 18 |
22 | Bulgaria | 19 |
23= | Norway | 19 |
24 | Netherlands | 20 |
25= | Italy | 21 |
25= | Belarus | 21 |
27 | Ireland | 22 |
28= | Kazakhstan | 22 |
28= | Spain | 22 |
30 | Slovakia | 23 |
31= | Ukraine | 23 |
32 | Canada | 27 |
33= | Uzbekistan | 29 |
33= | Uruguay | 29 |
World Avg | 54.3 | |
q=106. |
Disbelief In God (2007)76 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better %76 | |
1 | Vietnam | 81 |
2 | Japan | 65 |
3 | Sweden | 64 |
... | ||
11= | UK | 42 |
12 | Cuba | 40 |
13 | Slovenia | 35 |
14 | Bulgaria | 34 |
15 | Hungary | 32 |
16 | Norway | 31 |
17 | S. Korea | 30 |
18 | Finland | 28 |
19 | Russia | 27 |
20 | Australia | 25 |
21 | Taiwan | 24 |
22= | New Zealand | 22 |
22= | Canada | 22 |
24 | Latvia | 20 |
25= | Ukraine | 20 |
25= | Mongolia | 20 |
World Avg | 9.9 | |
q=137. |
Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below77:
Christian | 82.1% |
Muslim | 13.7% |
Hindu | 0.1% |
Buddhist | 0.1% |
Folk Religion | 0.1% |
Jewish | 0.1% |
Unaffiliated | 4.2% |
By adding up the Pew Forum data for the major monotheistic religions we can see that these make up 95.9% of the population. Yet there are simply too many who disbelieve in God for this to be true (34%). This is due to the so-called 'Census Effect', whereby many put down a religion for cultural reasons rather than because it reflects their beliefs. In highly Christian countries, as many as half of those who say they're a Christian lack any connection to a Church, and do not hold Christian beliefs (such as believing in God!).
It appears that when asked "What religion are you" many give pollsters the 'correct' answer despite how they actually feel, and despite what they actually believe. Although 96.2% of the populace say they belong to a religion, only 19% say that they are religious when the question is phrased as "Is religion an important part of your daily life?".
For more on this phenomenon, see:
The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Eastern Orthodox 59.4%, Muslim (Sunni) 7.4%, Muslim (Shia) 0.4%, other (including Catholic, Protestant, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox, and Judaism) 1.7%, other (unknown) 27.4%, none 3.7% (2011 census)78.
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