Statistical data

At the end of each year, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) of Bulgaria publishes a comprehensive set of main indicators that represent the demographic, social, and economic development of different regions in the country. The indicators cover various topics, including demographic statistics, labour market, health care, education, investment, non-financial enterprises, transport, research and development (R&D), information society, housing stock, and tourism.

The data is available for the period from 2019 to 2023 on the NSI website under the heading 'Regional Statistics'. For the previous years data can be downloaded from the INFOSTAT information system.

Household material welfare varies widely in the EU

 In 2023, the levels of actual individual consumption across EU countries varied between 70% and 136% of the EU-27_2020 average.

For Bulgaria, the per capita volume indices in PPS in 2023 increase compared to 2022 - for AIC from 69 to 70% and for GDP from 62 to 64%, compared to the EU-27_2020 average.

At the end of the third quarter of 2024, the number of employees under labour contract (according to the requirements of the Сommission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 on short-term business statistics on employment) in non-financial enterprises was 1.06 million by 0.2% higher than at the end of the third quarter of 2023.

In Industry (incl. Mining and quarrying, Manufacturing, Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, Water collection, treatment and supply) the number of employees was 506.8 thousand, decreasing with 2.6% compared to the third quarter of 2023.

The number of employees in the Services of the business economy (except trade and financial and insurance activities) was 556.8 thousand, increasing with 2.8% compared with the same period of the previous year.

The National Statistical Institute (NSI) publishes data about the number of employees under labour contract in the non-financial enterprises in accordance with the requirements of the Сommission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197 with additional disaggregations by economic activities.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Labour Market'.

The National Statistical Institute has published data from the LFS module 2023 “Pension and labour market participation”, covering persons aged 50 to 74 years inclusive. The survey was jointly financed by the NSI and by the European Commission.

According to the module results, 79.1% of people aged 50 - 74 stopped working after retirement, 16.7% continued working and 4.2% were not working at the time of retirement.

Of the persons who continued to work after retirement, 62.8% worked for financial reasons, 31.3% because they enjoyed working, being productive, or being socially engaged, and 5.9% for other reasons.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Labour Market', Labour Force Survey.

In November 2024, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 0.6% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in November 2024 compared to November 2023 was 2.1%.

In November 2024, compared to the previous month, the highest increase was registered in the following groups: ‘Food and non-alcoholic beverages’ (+1.4%), ‘Recreation and culture’ (+1.3%), ‘Alcoholic beverages and tobacco’ (+0.7%) and ‘Transport’ (+0.7%). The highest decrease in the prices was recorded in the groups: ‘Clothing and footwear’ (-1.3%) and ‘Furnishings, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house’ (-0.4%).

The monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 0.3% and the annual inflation rate was 2.0%.

At the end of September 2024, the number of employees under labour contract and contract according to the Civil Servants Act reached 99.1 thousands. The employees in Central administration were 56.5 thousands (57.0%) and in Territorial administration - 42.6 thousands (43.0%).

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Labour Market'.

The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries decreased by 3.9% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 25 432.8 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries increased by 7.1% and added up to 34 703.6 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports was recorded in the section ‘Chemical and related products n.e.c.’ (11.4%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (38.9%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the section ‘Crude materials, inedible (except fuel)’ (26.4%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (2.6%). The data are according to the Standard International Trade Classification.

The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 70 946.7 million BGN in the period January - October 2024, which is 3.1% less than the same period of the previous year, while the total value of all imported goods from third countries and the EU added up to 80 829.4 million BGN and increased by 0.2%.

In the period January - September 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 3.6% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 40 590.3 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 5.4% and amounted to 40 817.6 million BGN.

In September 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 5.0% compared to the same month of 2023 and amounted to 4 350.9 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 1.7% and amounted to 4 528.8 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU compared to the same month of 2023 was recorded in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (30.5%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Food and live animals’ (16.7%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (70.9%), while the most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material’ (13.0%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

In October 2024, 2 237 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation, with 10 or more bed-places, functioned in the country with 70.3 thousand rooms and 148.5 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with the same month of the previous year, the number of accommodation establishments increased by 0.2%, while the bed-places in them decreased by 1.4%.

The total number of nights spent was 1 081.1 thousand, or 1.4% more in comparison to a year earlier, and the number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 3.6% and reached 511.1 thousand.

The total revenues from nights spent reached 97.6 million BGN, or by 16.5% more compared to the same month of the previous year.

Since July 2024, NSI has started publishing Industrial Production Indices by base year 2021 = 100 in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council for European Business Statistics and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1197.

The Industrial Production Index went down by 0.7% in October 2024 compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

In October 2024, compared to September 2024, a decline was seen in the mining and quarrying industry - by 22.9%, in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 4.8%, while an increase was registered in the manufacturing - by 1.3%.

In comparison with October 2023, a decrease of 1.6% was reported in the calendar-adjusted Industrial Production Index.

On an annual basis, a decline of the Industrial Production Index was observed in the mining and quarrying industry - by 10.0%, and in the manufacturing - by 0.1%, while an increase was registered in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 7.9%.