Statistical data

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute at the end of March 2017 the number of employees under labour contract increased by 0.3% as compared to the end of December 2016 and reached 2.28 million.

In the first quarter of 2017 in comparison with the fourth quarter of 2016 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 1.6% getting 1 006 BGN.

In the first quarter of 2017 the unemployment rate was 6.9% and the employment rate of population aged 20 - 64 was 68.6%.

The consumer price index in April 2017 compared to March 2017 was 100.7%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 0.7%.

Life expectancy at birth of the Bulgarian population calculated for the period 2014 - 2016 is 74.7 years.

Life expectancy at birth for male population is 71.2 years, while for female it is 7.0 years higher - 78.2 years.

The number of detached crèches and groups in kindergartens functioning in the country as of 31.12.2016 was 829 with 32 611 places in them. The number of places in the country has increased with 571, or with 1.8% compared to the previous year.

The number of children accommodated in crèches at the end of the year was 32 476. 16 851 of them were boys, and 15 625 - girls.

The total number of places in crèches per 100 children aged up to 3 years as of 31.12.2016 was 16.5 and the coverage of children brought up in crèches - 16.4 per 100 children aged up to 3 years.

In March 2017, 1 884 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with more than 10 bed-places were functioned in the country. The total number of the rooms in them was 55.1 thousand and the bed-places were 111.8 thousand. In comparison with March 2016, the total number of accommodation establishments (functioned during the period) decreased with 1.8%, and the bed-places in them - by 3.5%.

The total number of the nights spent in all accommodation establishments registered in March 2017 was 782.6 thousand, or by 5.5% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year.

The total revenues from nights spent in March 2017 reached 39.8 million BGN or by 13.9% more compared to March 2016.

According to preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute in the first quarter of 2017 the number of newly built residential buildings was 462 and the newly built dwellings in them were 1 751. Compared to the first quarter of 2016 the buildings were by 79 or 14.6% less and the newly built dwellings in them decreased by 559 or by 24.2.%. 

In the period January - March 2017 the Bulgarian exports to third countries increased by 20.1% compared to the same period of 2016 and amounted to 4 243.3 Million BGN while the imports grew by 41.8% and added up to 5 158.3 Million BGN.

In the period January - March 2017 the total value of all exported goods (both for third countries and EU) amounted to 12 161.3 Million BGN and in comparison with the corresponding period of the previous year the exports increased by 14.8% while the total value of all imported goods added up to 13 927.7 Million BGN and grew by 21.0%.

In the period January - February 2017 the Bulgarian exports to the EU increased by 9.0% compared to the same period of 2016 and amounted to 4 957.2 Million BGN while the imports grew by 12.2% and added up to 5 461.2 Million BGN.

In February 2017 the exports to the EU increased by 10.7% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and added up to 2 531.2 Million BGN while the imports grew by 8.4% and amounted to 2 820.1 Million BGN.

According to the preliminary data, in March 2017 the index of production in section ‘Construction’ calculated on the base of seasonally adjusted data was 1.7% above the level of the previous month. In March 2017 the working day adjusted index of production in construction increased by 5.6% in comparison with the same month of 2016.