Quick facts
Varna overview
Varna (orange) and the other large cities of Bulgaria
Varna lies in Bulgaria at 43.22°N, 27.91°E, about 83 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Sofia (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Plovdiv (329,489) and larger than Burgas (210,646). The largest city in Bulgaria is Sofia with 1,152,556 people; the capital, Sofia, has 1,152,556.
The national capital, Sofia, is about 378 km away; the nearest large city is Dobrich, 39 km from Varna.
Bulgaria as a whole has a live population of 6,653,669 (-0.7% a year) and ranks #110 of 238 countries — see the Bulgaria population page for the full statistics and the Bulgaria atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Varna
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Dobrich Dobrich | 39 km | 69,434 |
| Shumen Shumen | 80 km | 72,342 |
| Burgas Burgas | 87 km | 210,646 |
| Targovishte Targovishte | 108 km | 34,793 |
| Silistra Silistra | 113 km | 29,498 |
| Razgrad Razgrad | 118 km | 28,931 |
| Yambol Yambol | 141 km | 63,656 |
| Sliven Sliven | 142 km | 83,740 |
Largest cities in Bulgaria
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Varna?
Varna has about 318,737 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Varna the capital of Bulgaria?
No. The capital of Bulgaria is Sofia (1,152,556 people), about 378 km away. Varna is the 3rd largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Varna compared with the rest of Bulgaria?
Its 318,737 residents are 4.8% of the 6,653,669 people living in Bulgaria today. Sofia is larger with 1,152,556 people.
Where is Varna?
In Bulgaria, at latitude 43.22 and longitude 27.91, 83 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Dobrich (39 km), Shumen (80 km), Burgas (87 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Varna Population 2026 — Bulgaria. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/bulgaria/varna/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/bulgaria/varna/">Varna Population 2026 — Bulgaria</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.