Bulgaria Bulgaria vs Romania Romania development indicators, 2024

Indicator
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, Value
Romania
Romania, Value
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, Rank
Romania
Romania, Rank
Bulgaria Bulgaria as % of
Romania Romania
Current account balance (% of GDP) -1.79 -8.36 71 99 21.5 %
Exports of goods and services (% of GDP) 55.8 35.6 33 70 157 %
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP) 3.12 1.92 40 57 162 %
GDP per capita (current US$) 17,412 20,072 62 57 86.7 %
GDP per capita, PPP (current international US$) 41,086 48,712 56 45 84.3 %
Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) 53.5 41.7 49 67 128 %
Inflation, consumer prices (annual %) 2.45 5.72 97 35 42.8 %
Net migration 524 -28,466 74 182
Population, total 6,444,366 19,069,340 110 66 33.8 %

Demography and Health

Bulgaria has a birth rate of 8.9 per 1,000 people, slightly higher than Romania's 8.0, but it has a significantly higher death rate of 15.7 compared to Romania's 12.7. This places Bulgaria ranks 45th in birth rate and 9th in death rate, while Romania ranks 64th and 25th, respectively. The life expectancy at birth in Bulgaria is 75.7 years, which is slightly lower than Romania's 76.6 years. The mortality rate for under-5 children is 6.1 in Bulgaria versus 6.6 in Romania, making Bulgaria rank 6th and Romania rank 1st in this indicator. Regarding net migration, Bulgaria sees a positive influx of 524, while Romania faces a negative outflow of 28,466. Both countries report a prevalence of undernourishment at 2.5%. In terms of suicide, Bulgaria shows a mortality rate of 9.5 per 100,000 population, slightly lower than Romania's rate of 9.6. Current health expenditure as a percentage of GDP is higher in Bulgaria at 7.7% compared to 5.7% in Romania, but Bulgaria's government health expenditure per capita (PPP) is 1,607 USD, lower than Romania's 1,920 USD.

Economy

Bulgaria's GDP per capita stands at $17,412, which is lower than Romania's $20,072. However, when adjusting for purchasing power parity (PPP), Bulgaria's GDP per capita is $41,086 compared to Romania's $48,712. In terms of exports of goods and services as a percentage of GDP, Bulgaria leads at 55.8%, while Romania's is significantly lower at 35.6%. On the other hand, Bulgaria's imports of goods and services also exceed those of Romania, at 53.5% compared to 41.7%. Inflation in Bulgaria is relatively low at 2.4%, while Romania faces higher inflation at 5.7%. Notably, Bulgaria's unemployment rate is 4.3% against Romania's higher rate of 5.6%, reflecting a more stable labor market.

Trade and Investment

Bulgaria shows a strong commitment to foreign direct investment, with net inflows reaching 3.1% of GDP, outperforming Romania's 1.9%. The current account balance illustrates Bulgaria's economic stability, presenting a deficit of only 1.8% compared to Romania's more concerning -8.4%. In terms of high-technology exports, Bulgaria's $3.2 billion significantly lags behind Romania's $9.7 billion, indicating a potential area for growth. Bulgaria ranks higher than Romania in patent applications, indicating a more robust innovation ecosystem.

Governance and Institutions

Both countries face challenges in governance. Bulgaria's control of corruption score is -0.1, compared to Romania's 0, indicating greater corruption challenges in Bulgaria. The effectiveness of government services is similar, with Bulgaria scoring 0 and Romania -0.1. Political stability is slightly better in Romania, which scores 0.4 against Bulgaria's 0.3. However, Bulgaria does better in regulatory quality, scoring 0.4 compared to Romania's 0.3. Regarding the rule of law, Bulgaria's score is -0, while Romania notably scores higher at 0.4. These figures reflect ongoing issues with governance in both nations.

Infrastructure and Technology

Bulgaria has an advantage in logistics performance, with a score of 3.1 in trade and transport-related infrastructure compared to Romania's 2.9. This suggests a more efficient logistical framework in Bulgaria. Internet penetration is also higher in Bulgaria, with 80.4% of the population using the Internet, contrasted with Romania at 89.2%. This indicates that while Romania may have better internet access, Bulgaria has a higher percentage of users relative to its smaller population, reflecting varying levels of digital engagement.

Environment and Sustainability

On environmental sustainability, Bulgaria consumes 20.4% of its total final energy consumption from renewable sources, while Romania leads with 23.6%. Bulgaria faces a higher level of water stress, with freshwater withdrawal constituting 37.5% of available resources compared to Romania's manageable 7.4%. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, Bulgaria emits 8.3 tons of CO2 equivalent per capita, higher than Romania’s 5.6 tons, indicating a larger environmental footprint. Investments in research and development are slightly more robust in Bulgaria at 0.8% of GDP versus Romania’s 0.5%, pointing to a commitment to technological and sustainable advancements in Bulgaria.