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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.

Pray for the BulgariansPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Bulgarians people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: 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

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Bulgarians

  1. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  2. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  3. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  4. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.

Download a prayer guide

Bulgarian in other countries

The same people (ROP3 101722) is reported in 9 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
BulgariansBulgaria5,610,000Engaged yet Unreached
BulgariansGermany418,000No Longer Unreached
BulgariansSpain123,000Engaged yet Unreached
BulgariansUnited States77,000Unengaged and Unreached
BulgariansBelgium49,500Unengaged and Unreached
BulgariansCanada33,000Engaged yet Unreached
BulgariansKazakhstan9,200Unengaged and Unreached
BulgariansUzbekistan1,800Unengaged and Unreached
BulgariansTajikistan950Unengaged and Unreached

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