Bulgarian Lev flag

Bulgarian Lev

Лев

Currency Code

BGN

ISO 975

Symbol

BGN

Native: лв

Decimal Digits

2

Rounding: 0

Countries

BG

Using this currency

Currency Units

Major Unit

Name: lev

Symbol: лв

Minor Unit

Name: stotinka

Symbol: ст

Value: 0.01

Banknotes

Frequently Used

2 лв5 лв10 лв20 лв50 лв100 лв

Coins

Frequently Used

1 ст2 ст5 ст10 ст20 ст50 ст1 лв2 лв

Plural Forms

English Plural

Bulgarian leva

Native Plural

Лева

Overview

The Bulgarian Lev is the currency of Bulgaria, pegged to the euro since 1999. It is managed by the Bulgarian National Bank and Bulgaria is preparing for eurozone adoption.

Economy

  • Bulgaria is a member of EU, NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe, BSEC.
  • Main industries include: Electricity, Gas, Water, Food, Beverages, Tobacco, Chemicals, Machinery, Metals.
  • Bulgaria is part of the World Trade Organization.
  • Imports are energy, machinery, metals, chemicals, plastics, food, textiles.
  • Major exports include clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery, fuels, agriculture.
  • GDP: $84.1 billion (2023 est.).
  • GDP per capita: $12,221 (2023 est.).
  • Unemployment rate: 4.3% (2023 est.).
  • Inflation rate: 8.6% (2023 est.).
  • Main trading partners: Germany, Turkey, Italy, Romania, Greece, Serbia.
  • Trade agreements: EU Single Market, Various bilateral agreements.

History

  • Previous currencies used: Ottoman Turkish lira, Old Bulgarian lev.
  • The current lev was introduced in 1999 during economic stabilization, replacing the old lev at 1000:1. The lev has been Bulgaria's currency since 1881, with the name meaning 'lion' in Bulgarian.
  • 1881: First lev introduced
  • 1952: Communist-era monetary reform
  • 1999: New lev introduced (1000:1 redenomination)
  • 1999: Currency board arrangement with EUR peg
  • 2007: EU membership achieved
  • 2020: Entry into ERM II (eurozone waiting room)
  • Exchange rate peg: EUR (1999-present) at 1.95583 BGN = 1 EUR.
  • Currently pegged to EUR at 1.95583 BGN = 1 EUR.

General Information

  • ISO 4217 Code: BGN
  • Symbols: BGN/лв
  • Currency Subunits: 100 stotinki
  • Central Bank: Bulgarian National Bank
  • Monetary Policy: Currency board system maintaining EUR peg. Preparing for eurozone adoption with focus on meeting convergence criteria.
  • Bills: 2 leva, 5 leva, 10 leva, 20 leva, 50 leva, 100 leva
  • Coins: 1 stotinka, 2 stotinki, 5 stotinki, 10 stotinki, 20 stotinki, 50 stotinki, 1 lev, 2 leva
  • USD Exchange Rate: Variable (approximately 1.80 BGN per USD)
  • Pegged To: EUR at 1.95583 BGN = 1 EUR
  • Capital: Sofia
  • Population: 6,916,548 (2023 est.)
  • Area: 110,879 km²
  • Languages: Bulgarian (official), Turkish, Romani
  • Time Zones: UTC+2 (EET), UTC+3 (EEST in summer)
  • Government Type: Parliamentary republic
  • Head of Government: Prime Minister (head of government), President (head of state)
  • Independence: March 3, 1878 (from Ottoman Empire)
  • Ethnic Groups: Bulgarian 76.9%, Turkish 8%, Romani 4.4%, Other 0.7%, Unspecified 10%
  • Religions: Eastern Orthodox 59.4%, Muslim 7.8%, Other 1.7%, None 16.3%, Unspecified 14.7%
  • Literacy Rate: 98.4% (2015 est.)
  • Transport: Sofia Airport, Burgas and Varna ports, road and rail networks, metro system in Sofia
  • Communications: Good telecommunications, 71% internet penetration, 4G/5G networks
  • Energy: Coal 38%, Nuclear 35%, Natural gas 13%, Renewables 14%
  • Countries Using This Currency: Bulgaria
  • Data Sources: Central Bank: Bulgarian National Bank (bnb.bg), Economic Data: National Statistical Institute Bulgaria, World Bank, IMF, Trade Data: Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Demographic Data: National Statistical Institute Bulgaria, Geographic Data: National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, Historical Data: Bulgarian National Bank archives
  • Last Updated: 2025