People group profile · PG024544
The Bulgarians of Turkiye
The Bulgarians of Turkiye, numbering about 8,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a South Slavic people of the Balkan Peninsula whose identity emerged through the historical blending of Slavic-speaking populations with earlier Balkan inhabitants, particularly the Thracians, and the medieval Bulgars from whom they derive their name.
They are a diaspora people in the Slav, Southern people cluster of the Eurasian Peoples. Their primary religion is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and they primarily speak Bulgarian.

Fast facts
- Country
- Turkiye
- Population
- 8,000
- Affinity group
- European Peoples
- People cluster
- Slav, Southern
- Primary language
- Bulgarian (bul)
- Primary religion
- Eastern Orthodox Christianity
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Bulgarians are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Bulgarians
- Pray that God would send workers to this people group
- Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
- Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice
Primary religion
Eastern Orthodox Christianity · Christianity
85% adherents
Primary language
Bulgarian · Indo-European family
100% speak Bulgarian
Gospel resources in Bulgarian
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- 1924 Protestant Bible · audio
- 1940 Bulgarian Bible · text
- Bulgarian Orthodox Bible · audio, text
- Contemporary Bulgarian · audio, text
- Protestant Revised Bible / Библия, ревизирано издание · video, audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Bulgarians
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
Bulgarian in other countries
The same people (ROP3 101722) is reported in 9 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulgarians | Bulgaria | 5,610,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Bulgarians | Germany | 418,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Bulgarians | Spain | 123,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Bulgarians | United States | 77,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Bulgarians | Belgium | 49,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Bulgarians | Canada | 33,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Bulgarians | Kazakhstan | 9,200 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Bulgarians | Uzbekistan | 1,800 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Bulgarians | Tajikistan | 950 | Unengaged and Unreached |
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