History of Bulgaria in Timeline

Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe, located on the eastern Balkans, south of the Danube River, and west of the Black Sea. Bordered by Greece, Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Romania, it covers 110,994 square kilometers, making it the tenth-largest EU country. Sofia is its capital and largest city, with other major cities including Plovdiv, Varna, and Burgas.

1905: Historical high fertility rate

In 1905, Bulgaria reached a historical high fertility rate of 5.83 children per woman.

October 1908: Proclamation of Independence

On October 5, 1908, Bulgaria proclaimed itself an independent state, incorporating the Ottoman territory of Eastern Rumelia after winning a war against Serbia.

1908: Independence from the Ottoman Empire

In 1908, Bulgaria declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire, marking the formation of the third Bulgarian state.

1912: Involvement in Conflicts

In 1912, Bulgaria became involved in a series of conflicts starting with the Balkan Wars.

1918: Capitulation in World War I

In 1918, Bulgaria capitulated in World War I, resulting in significant territorial losses and a large number of soldiers killed.

1918: Establishment of Authoritarian Dictatorship

In 1918, the political unrest resulting from the war led to the establishment of a royal authoritarian dictatorship by Tsar Boris III.

1921: Death of Ivan Vazov

In 1921, Ivan Vazov, whose works covered every genre and facet of Bulgarian society, passed away.

1929: Refugee Crisis

By 1929, more than 253,000 refugees from lost territories had immigrated to Bulgaria since 1912, placing strain on the national economy.

1937: Women's Suffrage Enabled

In 1937, women's suffrage was enabled in Bulgaria.

1941: Entry into World War II

In 1941, Bulgaria entered World War II as a member of the Axis powers but declined to participate in Operation Barbarossa and saved its Jewish population.

1943: Death of Boris III

In mid-1943, the sudden death of Boris III pushed Bulgaria into political turmoil as the war turned against Germany.

September 1944: Invasion by USSR

In September 1944, Bulgaria did not comply with Soviet demands to expel German forces, resulting in a declaration of war and an invasion by the USSR.

September 1944: Left-wing coup

In September 1944, a left-wing coup d'état led to the abolition of the monarchy in Bulgaria and executions of dissidents.

1946: Bulgaria under the Soviet-led Eastern Bloc

In 1946, Bulgaria came under the Soviet-led Eastern Bloc and became a socialist state.

1946: One-Party People's Republic Instituted

In 1946, Bulgaria instituted a one-party people's republic following a referendum.

1948: Largely Agricultural Country

From a largely agricultural country with a predominantly rural population in 1948, Bulgaria transformed into an industrial economy by the 1980s.

1949: Leadership of Georgi Dimitrov

By 1949, Bulgaria fell under the leadership of Georgi Dimitrov, who established a repressive Stalinist state.

1954: Leadership of Todor Zhivkov

In 1954, experimental market-oriented policies began to emerge under Todor Zhivkov.

1955: Bulgaria Joins the United Nations

In 1955, Bulgaria became a member of the United Nations.

1960: Debt Spikes

In 1960, Bulgaria experienced severe debt spikes.

1966: Non-Permanent Member of Security Council

In 1966, Bulgaria became a non-permanent member of the Security Council.

1971: Contributions to Space Exploration

Since 1971, Bulgaria has made numerous contributions to space exploration, including two scientific satellites and two cosmonauts.

1975: Founding Nation of OSCE

In 1975, Bulgaria was among the founding nations of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

1977: Debt Spikes

In 1977, Bulgaria experienced severe debt spikes.

1980: Debt Spikes

In 1980, Bulgaria experienced severe debt spikes.

1981: Nobel Prize in Literature Awarded

In 1981, Bulgarian-born Elias Canetti was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

1984: Assimilation Attempt of Ethnic Turks

In 1984, Zhivkov's government forced minority ethnic Turks to adopt Slavic names to assimilate them, resulting in emigration.

1987: Aspirations to Leave Warsaw Pact

By 1987, the communist leadership of Bulgaria had aspirations of leaving the Warsaw Pact and joining the European Communities.

1987: Territorial Management Units

In 1987, Bulgaria's administrative structure consisted of nine provinces (oblasti).

1987: World Record in Women's High Jump

In 1987, Stefka Kostadinova achieved a world record in women's high jump at the World Championships.

November 1989: End of Communist Party Monopoly

In November 1989, the Communist Party was forced to give up its political monopoly, and Bulgaria began its transition to a parliamentary democracy.

1989: Post-Cold War Economic Collapse

In 1989, Bulgaria experienced a post-Cold War economic collapse that triggered a long-lasting wave of emigration.

1989: End of Communist Monopoly

In 1989, the ruling Communist Party gave up its monopoly on power after the revolutions and allowed multiparty elections, transitioning Bulgaria into a democracy.

1989: Resignation of Zhivkov

In 1989, under the influence of the Revolutions of 1989, Zhivkov resigned.

1989: Bulgaria's Wine Export Position

Until 1989, Bulgaria was the world's second-largest wine exporter, but has since lost that position.

June 1990: First Free Elections

In June 1990, the first free elections were won by the Communist Party, rebranded as the Bulgarian Socialist Party.

1990: Drop in Output

Between 1990 and 2008, cereal and vegetable output dropped by 40% in Bulgaria.

1990: Grammy Award for State Television Female Vocal Choir

In 1990, The State Television Female Vocal Choir won a Grammy Award for its performances of Bulgarian folk music.

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1990: Loss of COMECON markets

In 1990, the loss of COMECON markets and the subsequent "shock therapy" caused a steep decline in industrial and agricultural production in Bulgaria.

1990: Underinvestment in Research

Since 1990, chronic government underinvestment in research has forced many professionals in science and engineering to leave Bulgaria.

July 1991: Adoption of New Constitution

In July 1991, a new constitution was adopted, providing for a relatively weak elected president and a prime minister accountable to the legislature.

1991: Adoption of Democratic Constitution

In 1991, Bulgaria adopted a democratic constitution, establishing itself as a parliamentary republic.

1994: FIFA World Cup Performance

In 1994, the Bulgarian national football team achieved its best performance with a 4th-place finish at the FIFA World Cup, led by Hristo Stoichkov.

1997: Economic Collapse

In 1997, Bulgaria experienced an economic collapse.

1997: All-time low fertility rate

In 1997, the fertility rate hit an all-time low of 1.1 children per woman in Bulgaria.

1998: Government Debt

In 1998, Bulgaria's government debt was 79.6% of GDP.

1998: Improvement in Water Quality

In 1998, Water quality in Bulgaria began to improve.

1998: Adoption of Conservation Strategy

In 1998, the Bulgarian government adopted the National Biological Diversity Conservation Strategy.

1999: New Administrative Structure

In 1999, a new administrative structure was adopted in Bulgaria, including 27 provinces and a metropolitan capital province (Sofia City), alongside the decentralisation of the economic system.

2001: Improvement of Conditions

After 2001, economic, political and geopolitical conditions improved greatly in Bulgaria.

2001: Irreligious Population

In 2001, 3.9% of Bulgarians were either irreligious or unaffiliated with any religion.

2001: High Reading Scores in Bulgaria

In 2001, Bulgarian students scored among the highest in the world in reading, outperforming students from Canada and Germany.

2001: Foreign Troops on Bulgarian Soil

In 2001, the first deployment of foreign troops on Bulgarian soil since World War II occurred, with Bulgaria hosting six KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft and 200 support personnel for the war effort in Afghanistan.

2002: Security Council Membership

From 2002, Bulgaria was a non-permanent member of the Security Council.

2003: Balanced Budget Achieved

In 2003, Bulgaria achieved a balanced budget.

2003: High Human Development Status

In 2003, Bulgaria achieved high Human Development status.

2003: Security Council Membership

Until 2003, Bulgaria was a non-permanent member of the Security Council.

March 2004: Bulgaria Joins NATO

In March 2004, Bulgaria acceded to NATO, expanding its international military relations.

2004: NATO Membership

In 2004, Bulgaria became a member of NATO and participated in the War in Afghanistan.

April 2005: EU Treaty of Accession Signed

On April 25, 2005, Bulgaria signed the European Union Treaty of Accession.

2005: Large-scale Emigration

By 2005, Bulgaria had seen a significant wave of emigration due to the post-Cold War economic collapse, with an estimated 937,000 to 1,200,000 people, primarily young adults, leaving the country.

April 2006: US-Bulgarian Defence Cooperation Agreement Signed

In April 2006, the US-Bulgarian Defence Cooperation Agreement was signed, leading to joint military training facilities.

2006: Decline in Student Scores

By 2006, Bulgarian students' scores in reading, math, and science had declined from their high levels in 2001.

January 2007: Bulgaria Becomes EU Member

On January 1, 2007, Bulgaria became a full member of the European Union.

2007: EU Membership

In 2007, Bulgaria joined the European Union and the single market.

2007: Commitment to Join Eurozone

When Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007 it committed to join the eurozone and replace its currency, the lev, with the euro.

2008: Drop in Output

Between 1990 and 2008, cereal and vegetable output dropped by 40% in Bulgaria.

2008: Financial Crisis Repercussions

In 2008, repercussions of the financial crisis began, resulting in a contraction of GDP in 2009 and increased unemployment.

2008: Government Debt Reduced

In 2008, strong economic performance reduced government debt in Bulgaria to 14.1% of GDP.

2009: Kyoto Protocol Objective Achieved

By 2009, Bulgaria achieved its Kyoto Protocol objective of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 30% from 1990.

2009: Election win for GERB

In 2009, Boyko Borisov's GERB won the general election and formed a minority government.

2009: GDP Contraction

In 2009, Bulgaria experienced a 3.6% contraction of GDP and increased unemployment due to the financial crisis.

2009: Deterioration of Democratic Governance

In 2009, Freedom House reported a continuing deterioration of democratic governance in Bulgaria, citing reduced media independence, stalled reforms, abuse of authority and increased dependence of local administrations on the central government.

2010: Positive Growth Restored

In 2010, positive growth was restored in Bulgaria, but intercompany debt remained high.

2011: Survey of Muslims in Bulgaria

A 2011 survey of 850 Muslims in Bulgaria indicated that 30% considered themselves "deeply religious" and 50% as just "religious".

2011: Irreligious Population

In 2011, 9.3% of Bulgarians were either irreligious or unaffiliated with any religion.

2012: Intercompany Debt Increase

By 2012, intercompany debt in Bulgaria had increased to $97 billion, or 227% of GDP.

February 2013: Resignation of Government

In February 2013, the government resigned after nationwide protests over low living standards and corruption.

July 2014: Resignation of Oresharski Government

In July 2014, the Oresharski government resigned amid large-scale protests.

October 2014: Third GERB victory

In October 2014, GERB won a third election, and Borisov formed a coalition.

2014: Ludogorets's Advancement

In 2014, Ludogorets advanced from the local fourth division to the UEFA Champions League group stage in nine years.

2015: Forest Ownership

For the year 2015, 88% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership and 12% private ownership in Bulgaria.

2015: R&D Expenditures

In 2015, private businesses accounted for more than 73% of R&D expenditures in Bulgaria.

2016: Presidential Election and Resignation

In 2016, Borisov resigned after his party's candidate failed to win the Presidential election.

2016: National PPP GDP

In 2016, Bulgaria's National PPP GDP was estimated at $143.1 billion, with a per capita value of $20,116.

2016: Wine harvest

The 2016 harvest yielded 128 million litres of wine, of which 62 million was exported mainly to Romania, Poland and Russia.

March 2017: GERB victory in snap election

In March 2017, the snap election was won by GERB, leading to a coalition with the United Patriots.

2017: Corruption Perceptions Index Ranking

In 2017, Bulgaria ranked 71st in the Corruption Perceptions Index, experiencing the worst levels of corruption in the European Union.

2017: Launch of BulgariaSat-1

In 2017, Bulgaria's first geostationary communications satellite—BulgariaSat-1—was launched by SpaceX.

2017: Government Expenditures and Revenues

In 2017, Bulgaria's government expenditures amounted to $21.15 billion and revenues were $21.67 billion.

2017: Grain Output

The 2016–2017 season registered the biggest grain output in a decade.

2018: Functionally Illiterate Students

By 2018, Programme for International Student Assessment studies found that 47% of 9th-grade pupils in Bulgaria were functionally illiterate in reading and natural sciences.

2018: Presidency of the Council of the European Union

In 2018, Bulgaria hosted the Presidency of the Council of the European Union at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia.

2018: Global Gender Gap Report Ranking

In 2018, Bulgaria ranked 18th in the Global Gender Gap Report, demonstrating high gender equality.

2018: Bulgaria's Highest-Ranked Club in UEFA

In 2018, Ludogorets was Bulgaria's highest-ranked club in UEFA, placed 39th.

2018: Public Perception of Elections

In 2018, a survey by the Institute for Economics and Peace revealed that less than 15% of respondents in Bulgaria considered elections to be fair.

2018: Bloomberg Health Care Efficiency Index Ranking

In 2018, the Bloomberg Health Care Efficiency Index ranked Bulgaria last out of 56 countries.

2018: Yugozapaden Planning Area GDP

In 2018, the Yugozapaden planning area in Bulgaria had a per capita gross domestic product (PPP) of $29,816.

2018: Fertility Rate in Bulgaria

In 2018, the average total fertility rate (TFR) in Bulgaria was 1.56 children per woman.

2019: Most Populated Urban Centre

As of 2019, Sofia is the most populated urban centre with 1,241,675 people.

2019: GDP per capita

In 2019, Bulgaria's GDP per capita (in PPS) stood at 53% of the EU average.

2020: Mass Protests

In 2020, Borisov's last cabinet saw a decrease in press freedom and corruption revelations, triggering mass protests.

2020: Internet Penetration

In 2020, Internet penetration in Bulgaria stood at 69.2% of the population aged 16–74 and 78.9% of households.

April 2021: Regular Election

In April 2021, GERB came out first in the regular election with its weakest result.

April 2021: Fifth Parliamentary Election

In April 2021, due to political deadlock, Bulgaria held its fifth parliamentary election.

July 2021: Another Election

In July 2021, another election was called after the April election failed to break the political stalemate.

2021: Population Census

According to the last official census in 2021, the population of Bulgaria was 6,519,789.

2021: Religious Denominations Census

According to the most recent census of 2021, the religious denominations of the population are as follows: Christian (71.5%), Muslim (10.8%), other religions (0.1%).

2021: Borisov served as prime minister

From 2009 to 2021, Boyko Borisov served three terms as prime minister.

2021: Irreligious Population

In 2021, 15.9% of Bulgarians were either irreligious or unaffiliated with any religion.

2021: Best European Country for Women to Work

In 2021, Bulgaria was ranked as the best European country for women to work by Reboot Online, a market research agency.

2022: Population Estimate

According to the government's official 2022 estimate, the population of Bulgaria consists of 6,447,710 people.

2022: Government Debt Increased

By 2022, Bulgaria's government debt had increased to 22.6% of GDP, but remained the second lowest in the EU.

2022: Assistance to Ukraine

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Bulgaria assisted Ukraine.

April 2023: GERB wins 69 seats

In April 2023, GERB won the election with 69 seats, while the bloc led by We Continue the Change won 64.

June 2023: New Coalition Formed

In June 2023, Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov formed a new coalition between We Continue The Change and GERB.

2023: Stoppage of Russian Oil and Gas Imports

In 2023, after Gazprom illegally stopped exporting gas to Bulgaria, the country in turn stopped importing Russian oil and gas.

2023: Population Density

Population density is 55–60 per square kilometre in Bulgaria as of 2023, almost half the European Union average.

March 2024: Government Rotation Fails

On March 20, 2024, the planned government rotation and signing of a renewed government failed due to disagreements between the two alliances on the cabinet and breaking down of relations. Negotiations ensued, but failed to produce any governments that could reach a majority support. GERB rejected the chance to form a government. PP–DB made a limited attempt to respect the original rotation agreement. The final chance to form a government, chosen by president Rumen Radev, went to ITN, which was immediately rejected. On March 5, 2024, Denkov resigned to allow Gabriel to become the new Prime Minister.

April 2024: Glavchev presented his proposal for the caretaker government

On 5 April 2024, Glavchev presented his proposal for the caretaker government, accepted by the President following negotiations and scheduling the election for 9 June 2024. Glavchev and his cabinet were inaugurated on 9 April 2024 by the National Assembly.

April 2024: Appointment of Caretaker Prime Minister

On April 6, 2024, the President appointed Dimitar Glavchev as the candidate for caretaker prime minister and gave him one week to propose the composition of the government. On 29 March, as per Article 98 of the constitution, the President appointed the Chairman of the National Audit Office, Dimitar Glavchev, as the candidate for caretaker prime minister.

June 2024: Scheduling the election

On 5 April 2024, Glavchev presented his proposal for the caretaker government, accepted by the President following negotiations and scheduling the election for 9 June 2024.

November 2024: New Parliament Sworn In

On 11 November 2024, the new elected 51st Parliament replaced the 50th Parliament when all elected members were sworn in.

December 2024: Election of Speaker

On 6 December 2024, after 11 voting rounds, Natalia Kiselova was elected as speaker of the National Assembly.

2024: Environmental Performance Index

In 2024, Bulgaria ranks 37th in the Environmental Performance Index, but scores low on air quality.

2024: End of Women's High Jump world record

In 2024, Stefka Kostadinova's world record in women's high jump, achieved at the 1987 World Championships, was broken.

2024: Fertility Rate in Bulgaria

In 2024, the average total fertility rate (TFR) in Bulgaria was 1.59 children per woman.

January 2025: Full Member of Schengen Zone

Bulgaria officially became a full member of the Schengen Zone in January 2025.

January 2025: Formation of Minority Government

On 15 January 2025, President Rumen Radev granted the first negotiation mandate to GERB-SDS, which formed a minority government led by Rosen Zhelyazkov.

February 2025: Request for Convergence Assessments

In February 2025, Bulgaria officially requested off-cycle assessments of their convergence by the European Commission and ECB to determine the country's readiness.

June 2025: Convergence Reports Published

The 2025 convergence reports published on 4 June 2025 concluded that Bulgaria met the convergence criteria.

July 2025: European Parliament Endorsed Entry in Eurozone

On 8 July 2025, the European Parliament endorsed Bulgaria's entry in the eurozone and the Council of the European Union adopted the final three legislative acts required for the admission.

2025: Bulgaria's Rank in Weightlifting Championships

As of 2025, Bulgaria ranks 2nd in the all-time medal table of the European Weightlifting Championships.

2025: Global Innovation Index Ranking

Bulgaria was ranked 37th in the Global Innovation Index in 2025.

January 2026: Bulgaria Adopts the Euro

Bulgaria adopted the euro as currency, becoming a part of the euro area on 1 January 2026.

January 2026: Presidential Resignation

In January 2026, Radev resigned ahead of Bulgaria's eighth national election in five years, succeeded by Iliana Iotova, who became the first female President of Bulgaria.

February 2026: Euro becomes Sole Currency

The lev and euro were in dual circulation until 31 January 2026; after 1 February 2026, the euro has been the nation's sole currency.

2026: National Currency issued

From 1880 to 2026, the Bulgarian National Bank issued its own national currency, lev, which was pegged to the euro at a rate of 1.95583 leva per euro.