Sofia (stolitsa): population, economy and official figures

Sofia (stolitsa) is a province in Yugozapaden, Bulgaria. Sofia (stolitsa) had 1,295,931 residents on 1 January 2025, 64.1% of Yugozapaden and 20.13% of Bulgaria; the largest of 28 provinces in Bulgaria.

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Sofia (stolitsa): GDP per person was 57,300 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 144% of the EU average (66% for Bulgaria); the highest of 28 provinces in Bulgaria.
• Health in Sofia (stolitsa): At the end of 2024, 7,472 physicians worked in Sofia City district, which is 577 for every 100,000 people (national rate 468).
• Education in Sofia (stolitsa): Sofia City district had 306 educational institutions in the 2024/25 school year: 234 general education schools, 30 vocational gymnasiums and 20 universities or equivalent higher schools.
• Poverty and living standards in Sofia (stolitsa): The at-risk-of-poverty rate in Sofia City district was 21.5% in the 2025 survey (poverty line of the district itself), 7th highest of 28 districts; Bulgaria's rate was 21.2%.
• Government and politics in Sofia (stolitsa): Sofia City district elects 46 of the 240 members of the 52nd National Assembly through multi-member constituencies No. 23, No. 24, No. 25, 19.2% of all seats.

More figures

• Sofia City district covers 1,343 square kilometres, which gives 964.7 residents per square kilometre at the end of 2024 against 58.0 for Bulgaria as a whole. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

Figures come from Bulgaria's own official statistics and from Eurostat's regional statistics for NUTS 3 areas. Comparisons with the EU average use purchasing power standards (PPS), which adjust for price differences.

Other provinces in Yugozapaden

• Blagoevgrad 286,333
• Sofia 224,701
• Pernik 109,886
• Kyustendil 106,131

Up a level: Yugozapaden · all regions of Bulgaria · how local power works in Bulgaria

Sources

• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjangrp3: Population on 1 January (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4c748d3cba3a…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d3dens: Population density, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f4b59fe9d121…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP per person, PPS (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3bf0fc662f56…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP, million euros (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 096e15e5fdb3…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment, thousand people (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 664e4e3a6dc0…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Median age of the population (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7bf6ade55a0d…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Share of people aged 65 or over (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 17aa0d08ab9c…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_fagec3: Live births (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cfda9b5f4ebd…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset reg_area3: Area, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 75302b0aafe9…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_gind3: Population change: demographic balance and crude rates by NUTS 3 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7548e948e15c…)
• National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI): Regions, districts and municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria 2024 (yearbook tables by statistical region, district and municipality), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81cba27bb0cc…)
• National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria: Members of the 52nd National Assembly by parliamentary group and multi-member constituency (list as of 24 October 2026), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 85cb8b3368bb…)
• National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI): Poverty and Social Inclusion Indicators by District, survey years 2008-2025 (EU-SILC), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cc02ad48dd42…)

Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.