Bulgaria Bulgaria vs France France development indicators, 2024

Indicator
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, Value
France
France, Value
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, Rank
France
France, Rank
Bulgaria Bulgaria as % of
France France
Current account balance (% of GDP) -1.79 0.392 71 49
Exports of goods and services (% of GDP) 55.8 33.2 33 75 168 %
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) 3.12 1.75 40 63 178 %
GDP per capita (current US$) 17,412 46,150 62 26 37.7 %
GDP per capita, PPP (current international US$) 41,086 61,322 56 28 67 %
Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) 53.5 34 49 85 157 %
Inflation, consumer prices (annual %) 2.45 2 97 114 122 %
Net migration 524 90,527 74 20 0.579 %
Population, total 6,444,366 68,516,699 110 23 9.41 %

Demography and Health

Bulgaria has a crude birth rate of 8.9 per 1,000 people, which ranks it 45th globally, slightly lower than France’s 9.9, where it ranks 19th. However, Bulgaria leads in the crude death rate, with a significant 15.7 per 1,000, placing it 9th in the world, in stark contrast to France's much lower rate of 9.2, which ranks 65th. In terms of life expectancy, Bulgarians live up to 75.7 years, while the French enjoy a longer lifespan at 82.9 years. Bulgaria also faces challenges with a mortality rate of 6.1 per 1,000 live births for children under five, ranking 6th globally, compared to France’s better rate of 4.3, which ranks 19th. Bulgaria shows a net migration figure of 524, signifying a smaller movement of people compared to France’s substantial inflow of 90,527. The prevalence of undernourishment is similar in both countries at 2.5% of the population. Notably, Bulgaria has a suicide mortality rate of 9.5 per 100,000, lower than France’s notably higher 16.6 rate.

Economy

The economic landscape reveals that Bulgaria's GDP per capita is significantly lower than that of France, standing at $17,412 compared to France's $46,150, ranking Bulgaria 103rd globally while France ranks 37th. The GDP per capita in terms of purchasing power parity also reflects a similar disparity, with Bulgaria at $41,086, while France reaches $61,322. Bulgaria's economy heavily relies on exports, with 55.8% of its GDP stemming from goods and services, ranking 68th globally, whereas France's reliance is lower at 33.2%, ranking 105th. Inflation rates are slightly higher in Bulgaria at 2.4% compared to France at 2%. Unemployment rates in Bulgaria stand at 4.3%, which is favorable compared to France at 7.3%.

Trade and Investment

Bulgaria shows a promising foreign direct investment inflow, with 3.1% of GDP, ranking 56th, whereas France lags behind at 1.8%, ranking 80th. The current account balance reveals Bulgaria facing a deficit of -1.8% of GDP, ranking 76th, contrasted by France's surplus of 0.4%, ranked 49th. Both countries have a significant reliance on imports, with Bulgaria at 53.5% and France at 34% of GDP, indicating a broader economic challenge in managing trade balances.

Governance and Institutions

In governance metrics, Bulgaria’s performance is concerning, with a Control of Corruption score of -0.1, ranking it at 79th while France enjoys a higher score of 1.2, ranking 32nd. Similarly, Government Effectiveness is rated at 0 for Bulgaria, ranking 76th, whereas France scores 1.1, placing it at 31st. Both countries show similar political stability, rated at 0.3, with both ranking close to each other at 74th for Bulgaria and 73rd for France. The regulatory quality measures further highlight the disparity, with Bulgaria at 0.4 and a ranking of 75 compared to France's 1.2, which ranks it 42nd. The rule of law remains weak in Bulgaria (-0) versus France's robust score of 1.2, ranking 34th.

Infrastructure and Technology

In terms of technology, Bulgaria trails significantly with high-tech exports totaling $3.2 billion, ranking 57th, while France excels immensely with $115.3 billion in high-tech exports, ranking 4th. Internet usage is relatively high in Bulgaria, with 80.4% of the population connected, though still lower than France's 86.8%. The logistics performance index indicates a moderate level of efficiency in Bulgaria at 3.1, ranked 22nd, whereas France performs better at 3.8, ranking 8th.

Environment and Sustainability

Bulgaria's renewable energy consumption stands at 20.4%, which is higher than France’s 16.2%, indicating Bulgaria's commitment to sustainable energy practices, ranking 14th compared to France's 20th. The country faces concerns regarding water stress, with 37.5% of its freshwater resources being withdrawn, ranking it 4th in this regard compared to France's much lower level of 21.6%, ranked 11th. On greenhouse gas emissions, Bulgaria emits 8.3 tons of CO2 equivalent per capita, ranking 33rd, while France has a lower emission rate of 5.6 tons, ranking 71st. These contrasting figures present a clear challenge for Bulgaria in balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability.