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Thu, May 23 2013
Bulgaria's population shrank by 582 000 in a decade - official
Photo: Maria Subotinova
The population of Bulgaria has shrunk by 582 000 people in the past decade, according to preliminary results of the population census, released by the National Statistics Institute (NSI) on April 5 2011.
The figures were very close to preliminary estimates of "nearly 600 000", which were reported by Bulgarian media on March 1, immediately after the end of the census.
The population decline was equivalent to the disappearance of 28 medium-sized Bulgarian towns. In 2001, there were 7.932 million in the country, which fell to 7.351 million in the 2011 census. The 2011 census, which was launched in February 1, ended on February 28.
The highest increase was recorded by the over 65 age bracket, according to the NSI. A decade ago, they constituted about 16.8 per cent of the population, whereas now their share was 18.9 per cent. Additionally, about 193 000 Bulgarian have left the country in the past decade, NSI said.
According to official statistics based on address registration, there were 1.27 million people living in Sofia, although this figure was believed to be grossly inferior to the reality, with some estimates of the population of Sofia reaching as high as 2.5 million people.
Plovdiv was still Bulgaria's second-largest city with 332 000 residents, barely edging Varna, which had 330 500, according to the census.
According to preliminary estimates, the population of Plovdiv region alone declined by 75 000 people, a figure equivalent to the entire Assenovgrad municipality, one of the larger ones in the region.
A demographic collapse has been observed across Bulgaria over the past 10 years, with Sofia and Varna regions showing the only growth because of migration. The 2011 census showed the two cities, along with Bourgas and the towns of Blagoevgrad and Veliko Turnovo, as the only urban areas to record a population increase.
The figures were very close to preliminary estimates of "nearly 600 000", which were reported by Bulgarian media on March 1, immediately after the end of the census.
The population decline was equivalent to the disappearance of 28 medium-sized Bulgarian towns. In 2001, there were 7.932 million in the country, which fell to 7.351 million in the 2011 census. The 2011 census, which was launched in February 1, ended on February 28.
The highest increase was recorded by the over 65 age bracket, according to the NSI. A decade ago, they constituted about 16.8 per cent of the population, whereas now their share was 18.9 per cent. Additionally, about 193 000 Bulgarian have left the country in the past decade, NSI said.
According to official statistics based on address registration, there were 1.27 million people living in Sofia, although this figure was believed to be grossly inferior to the reality, with some estimates of the population of Sofia reaching as high as 2.5 million people.
Plovdiv was still Bulgaria's second-largest city with 332 000 residents, barely edging Varna, which had 330 500, according to the census.
According to preliminary estimates, the population of Plovdiv region alone declined by 75 000 people, a figure equivalent to the entire Assenovgrad municipality, one of the larger ones in the region.
A demographic collapse has been observed across Bulgaria over the past 10 years, with Sofia and Varna regions showing the only growth because of migration. The 2011 census showed the two cities, along with Bourgas and the towns of Blagoevgrad and Veliko Turnovo, as the only urban areas to record a population increase.
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Bulgaria’s population is 7.3 million – official 2011 census results
Populations of Sofia and Varna both increased, while since the 2001 census, the population of Bulgaria has decreased by about 560 000 people.
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The Sofia Echo
is the government doing anything to bring it up?
Cosmos "There are more street dogs than Bulgarians perhaps they also need to leave."
I think Cosmos should leave. The bile must be frothing from his nostrils by now.
There are more street dogs than Bulgarians perhaps they also need to leave.
@13, if you can't complete the sentence - buzz off:
"Az sum bulgarche.............."
Vincent.. the Bulgarian Academy of Science effectively states the same thing which is the official scientific representative/body of the Government!!?
Please do not be a drama queen !
Are you Greek by the way and trying to peddle some greek drama ?
13 , you must be very stupid to extrapolate ...
"...One of the Bulgarian states, the Danube Bulgaria, was destined for a longto life . At times, it lost its independence, and sometimes for long, but it revived each time. The history of the Danube Bulgaria is interesting and full of historical events. Illumination of its history wobbled from one side to another. But one aspect must not be forgotten, historically the descending into the Slavic melting pot Bulgars were the organizers of the state, they gave it their name. At the same time, the Slavic population and their adoption of Orthodox Christianity were the fertile culture that allowed Danube [...]
Read the full comment Bulgaria to survive in difficult conditions of the Middle Ages and Modern times..."
Lucky Bulgaria! It is just a shame that the entire remaining population seems intent on moving to Sofia.
600,000 every 10 years.
So basically after 80+ years BG will be instinct??
Why this huge figour. Does it matter at all since the gypsies are being jurged for having too many children by Bulgarians themselves. Even with this reduction in population Bulgaria is still unable to catar for its people. Those who cannot compete with the sharks and whales have no choice but to leave the God forsaken country and thereafter throw away their Bulgarian citizenship like Daniel from Stara Zagora who got married to a Greek woman even though the woman is barren and now owns a Greek passport. People like Daniel are everywhere with same motives because of failed government [...]
Read the full comment in Bulgaria. Why will the population not shrank then. Next time they should count the strayed dogs too.
Why this huge figour. Does it matter at all since the gypsies are being jurged for having too many children by Bulgarians themselves. Even with this reduction in population Bulgaria is still unable to catar for its people. Those who cannot compete with the sharks and whales have no choice but to leave the God forsaken country and thereafter throw away their Bulgarian citizenship like Daniel from Stara Zagora who got married to a Greek woman even though the woman is barren and now owns a Greek passport. People like Daniel are everywhere with same motives because of failed government [...]
Read the full comment in Bulgaria. Why will the population not shrank then.
I couldn't possibly imagine why anyone would want to leave Bulgaria!?