Statistical data

The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries decreased by 3.5% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 22 536.2 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries increased by 7.5% and added up to 31 067.5 million BGN.

Тhe most notable growth in the exports was recorded in the section ‘Chemical and related products n.e.c.’ (10.1%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (37.0%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the section ‘Crude materials, inedible (except fuel)’ (26.1%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Machinery and transport equipment’ (6.1%). 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 63 156.4 million BGN in the period January - September 2024, which is 3.6% 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 71 973.3 million BGN and dropped by 0.1%.

In the period January - August 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 3.4% compared to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 36 269.0 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 5.6% and amounted to 36 374.7 million BGN.

In August 2024, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU decreased by 2.4% compared to the same month of 2023 and amounted to 4 286.5 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU decreased by 10.6% and amounted to 4 011.0 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’ (36.1%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Food and live animals’ (18.0%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (42.9%), while the most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material’ (12.3%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

From July 2024, NSI 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 up by 1.2% in September 2024 compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

In September 2024, compared to the previous month, a rise was seen in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 24.5%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 9.8%, while a decrease was registered in the manufacturing - by 1.3%.

In comparison with September 2023, an increase of 1.0% was reported in the calendar-adjusted Industrial Production Index.

On an annual basis, a growth of the Industrial Production Index was observed in the mining and quarrying industry - by 30.9%, and in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 13.0%, while a decrease was registered in the manufacturing - by 1.9%.

Since July 2024, NSI has started publishing Construction 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.

In September 2024, the production index in the ‘Construction’ section increased by 0.4% compared to the previous month. An increase was seen in the production of specialized construction activities and in the building construction - both by 0.5%, and in the production of civil engineering - by 0.2%. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

The calendar-adjusted data showed an increase of 5.1% in the construction production compared to the same month of 2023. Specialized construction activities rose by 10.2%, civil engineering - by 6.0%, and construction of buildings - by 0.3%.

In 2022, among the member states of the European Union (EU), the highest number of thefts per 100 000 population was recorded by police authorities in Sweden - 2 858.48 per 100 000 people, followed by Luxembourg - 2 520.00, and Denmark - 2 496.21. Croatia, Slovakia and Cyprus had the lowest rates - 287.06, 250.21 and 67.76 per 100 000 people, respectively. In the same year, Bulgaria recorded 28 250 thefts, or 413.08 per 100 000 population, which places our country 19th among EU countries. Compared to 2021, there is an increase of 16.9%.

International comparisons are based on statistical information provided annually by member states in the framework of a joint questionnaire of Eurostat and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UN-CTS).

Detailed up-to-date data can be found on the NSI website under the section 'Justice and crime'.

In October 2024, the total consumer confidence indicator decreases by 3.8 percentage points in comparison with July (from -8.4% to -12.2%). A decrease of the consumer confidence among both urban and rural inhabitants - by 3.3 and 5.0 percentage points respectively is reported.

Since July 2024, NSI has started publishing Turnover Indices in Retail trade 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.

In September 2024, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices increased by 0.4% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

A growth was reported in ‘Retail sales of non-food products (except fuel)’ - by 1.4% and in ‘Retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco’ - by 0.5%. In ‘Retail sales of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ a decrease was noted - by 3.6%.

The trade turnover rose by 4.8% compared to September 2023 according to the calendar-adjusted data.

In September 2024, compared to the same month of 2023, an increase of the turnover was registered in ‘Retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco’ - by 10.5% and in ‘Retail sales of non-food products (except fuel)’ - by 7.4%. А drop was reported in ‘Retail sales of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ - by 13.8%.

Since July 2024, NSI has started publishing Services 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.

In August 2024, the total production index in Services of the business economy increased by 1.5% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

Compared to August 2023, an increase of 7.3% was registered in the calendar-adjusted index according to preliminary data.

According to preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute, in the third quarter of 2024, the number of newly built residential buildings was 1 177, and the newly built dwellings in them were 4 398.

In the third quarter of 2024, 73.2% of the newly built residential buildings had steel-concrete construction, 22.8% had solid structure, 3.1% had ‘other’ and 0.9% had a panel construction. The highest is the relative share of newly built houses (78.6%), followed by blocks of flats (14.4%).

The highest is the number of residential buildings built in Plovdiv district - 156 residential buildings with 431 dwellings, followed by Sofia (stolitsa) district - 153 residential buildings with 1 086 dwellings, and Burgas district - 137 buildings with 681 dwellings in them.

The highest is the number of newly built dwellings with two rooms (39.7%), followed by the number of those with three rooms (32.9%), and the lowest is the number of dwellings with six and more rooms (4.1%).

In the third quarter of 2024, the total useful space of newly built dwellings was 410.2 thousand sq. m, and the living floor space was 318.9 thousand square meters. The average useful floor space of a newly built dwelling was 93.3 square meters.

The largest average useful floor space of a newly built dwelling was recorded in the districts of Smolyan - 162.3 sq. m, and Vidin - 162.0 sq. m, and the smallest ones in Shumen - 65.3 sq. m, and Targovishte - 68.7 square meters.

In the third quarter of 2024, the municipal authorities issued building permits for the construction of 2 113 residential buildings with 9 215 dwellings, 18 administrative buildings/offices and 1 162 other buildings.

The issued building permits for new residential buildings increased by 0.3% compared to the third quarter of 2023. The issued building permits for administrative buildings and other buildings have shown a decrease by 28.0 and 7.3% respectively.

The construction of 1 553 residential buildings with 6 707 dwellings, 12 administrative buildings/offices and 578 other buildings has started.

The number of started new residential buildings went up by 1.6% compared to the third quarter of 2023. The number of started administrative buildings and other buildings decreased by 29.4 and 6.5% respectively.