Quick facts
Bucharest overview
Bucharest (orange) and the other large cities of Romania
Bucharest lies in Romania at 44.43°N, 26.11°E, about 83 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Bucharest (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a national capital.
It is the biggest urban centre of Romania: the next largest cities are Iaşi (378,954), Constanţa (317,832), Cluj-Napoca (286,598). Together, the three largest cities hold 13.7% of the national population.
The nearest large city is Ploieşti, about 58 km away, followed by Buzău (98 km).
Romania as a whole has a live population of 18,768,237 (-0.6% a year) and ranks #69 of 238 countries — see the Romania population page for the full statistics and the Romania atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Bucharest
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Ploieşti Prahova | 58 km | 180,540 |
| Buzău Buzău County | 98 km | 103,481 |
| Piteşti Arges | 109 km | 141,275 |
| Braşov Brașov County | 141 km | 253,200 |
| Râmnicu Vâlcea Vâlcea County | 156 km | 93,151 |
| Brăila Brăila County | 174 km | 154,686 |
| Craiova Dolj | 184 km | 234,140 |
| Galaţi Galați County | 189 km | 217,851 |
Largest cities in Romania
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BucharestCapital | Bucharest | 1,877,155 |
| 2 | Iaşi | Iași County | 378,954 |
| 3 | Constanţa | Constanța County | 317,832 |
| 4 | Cluj-Napoca | Cluj County | 286,598 |
| 5 | Braşov | Brașov County | 253,200 |
| 6 | Timişoara | Timiș County | 250,849 |
| 7 | Craiova | Dolj | 234,140 |
| 8 | Galaţi | Galați County | 217,851 |
| 9 | Târgu Mureş | Mureș County | 212,752 |
| 10 | Oradea | Bihor County | 183,105 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bucharest?
Bucharest has about 1,877,155 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Bucharest the capital of Romania?
Yes — Bucharest is the national capital of Romania.
How big is Bucharest compared with the rest of Romania?
Its 1,877,155 residents are 10% of the 18,768,237 people living in Romania today. It is the largest city in the country.
Where is Bucharest?
In Romania, at latitude 44.43 and longitude 26.11, 83 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Ploieşti (58 km), Buzău (98 km), Piteşti (109 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Bucharest Population 2026 — Romania. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/romania/bucharest/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/romania/bucharest/">Bucharest Population 2026 — Romania</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.