Number of prisoners fell 5.87% to 7,408 persons in Bulgaria in 2015, according to the United Nations.
Historically, number of prisoners in Bulgaria reached an all time high of 16,169 persons in 1987 and an all time low of 7,294 persons in 1991. When compared to Bulgaria's main peers, number of prisoners in Greece amounted to 9,716 persons, 28,334 persons in Romania, 10,064 persons in Serbia and 177,262 persons in Turkey in 2015.
Bulgaria has been ranked 63rd within the group of 105 countries we follow in terms of number of prisoners, 2 places above the position seen 10 years ago.
| Number of Prisoners | Unit | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| Albania | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 4,667 | 4,657 | 4,659 | 4,618 | 4,998 | ||||||||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 2,743 | 2,757 | 2,928 | 2,898 | |||||
| Bulgaria | persons | 9,006 | 9,379 | 9,885 | 9,493 | 8,834 | ||||||||||||||||
| Croatia | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 4,891 | 5,165 | 5,084 | 4,741 | 4,352 | |||||||||||
| Greece | persons | 11,364 | 12,349 | 12,479 | 12,475 | 12,693 | ||||||||||||||||
| Hungary | persons | 15,432 | 16,328 | 17,210 | 17,179 | 17,841 | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Iran | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 168,516 | ... | 250,000 | ... | 226,220 | ... | ||||
| Iraq | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 20,104 | 24,965 | 26,369 | 31,187 | 30,499 | ... | ... | |
| Macedonia | persons | ... | ... | 2,516 | 2,515 | 2,543 | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Moldova | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 6,535 | 6,324 | 6,480 | 6,583 | 6,853 | ... | ||||||
| Romania | persons | 26,716 | 28,244 | 30,694 | 31,817 | 33,434 | ||||||||||||||||
| Serbia | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 10,975 | 11,211 | 11,070 | 10,226 | 10,031 | |||||||||
| Turkey | persons | 115,920 | 120,194 | 128,253 | 136,638 | 144,098 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ukraine | persons | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 147,716 | 154,027 | 154,029 | ... | 147,112 | ... | ... |
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