Bulgaria has achieved a solid ranking in the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI), coming in at 55th out of 193 countries. This index takes into account various factors such as life expectancy, education, income, and living standards. Bulgaria's HDI score stands at 0.845, which is similar to that of Romania. However, Bulgaria outperforms its neighbor in terms of educational attainment, with the average years of schooling reaching 15.3 years.

According to the latest UN report, released on May 6, Bulgaria's life expectancy is 75.6 years, and the national income per capita is ,175. In comparison, Romania's income per capita is higher at ,374. The report notes that while wealthier nations consistently lead the rankings, the overall pace of improvement in living standards globally has slowed, marking the slowest rate of advancement ever recorded.

At the top of the HDI rankings, Iceland holds the number one spot, followed by Switzerland and Norway. Denmark ranks fourth, with Germany and Sweden tied in fifth. The United States stands in 17th place, alongside Liechtenstein and New Zealand, just below Canada.

In stark contrast, countries like India and Bangladesh are ranked 130th, while Pakistan is further down at 168th. The lowest rankings belong to nations such as Chad, the Central African Republic, Somalia, and South Sudan, which occupy the last four spots at positions 190 to 193.

The UN's annual Human Development Report highlights that, despite a recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the progress in improving human development is now slowing. While life expectancy and income have seen increases, the rise is tempered by ongoing global conflicts and a general slowdown in development improvements.