Statistical data

In 2016, the government budget allocations for R&D amounted to 187.5 million BGN and decreased by 11.8% compared to 2015.

Total Producer Price Index in May 2017 decreased by 1.2% compared to the previous month; compared to the same month of 2016 the prices rose by 3.9%. Producer Price Index on Domestic Market in May 2017 fell by 0.5% compared to the previous month; compared to the same month of 2016 the domestic prices grew by 3.5%. 

In April 2017 compared to March 2017 an increase is reported for the production of liquefied petroleum gases - by 22.2%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 26.6% and transport diesel - by 39.7%. At the same time a decrease is reported for the production of solid fuels by 1.3%, natural gas - by 10.0% and electricity - by 13.4%.

In April 2017 compared to March 2017 an increase is reported for the deliveries of liquefied petroleum gases - by 18.4%, unleaded motor gasoline - by 2.5%, and transport diesel - by 17.8%. At the same time a decrease is reported for the deliveries of solid fuels - by 2.0%, natural gas - by 17.1% and electricity - by 10.3%. 

In June 2017, the total business climate indicator decreases by 0.7 percentage points compared to the previous month as a result of the unfavourable managers’ opinions in industry and services.

In May 2017, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 653.3 thousand or by 15.7% above the registered in May 2016. The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in May 2017 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 38.2%, followed by the trips with holiday and recreation purpose - 36.0%, and with professional purpose - 25.8%.

In May 2017, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 866.3 thousand or by 7.2% more in comparison with May 2016. An increase was registered in the trips by all observed purposes: with professional purpose - by 22.4%, with holiday and recreation purpose - by 5.3%, and with other purposes - by 3.9%.

According to the data from the NSI ‘Social Inclusion and Living Conditions’ (EU-SILC) survey in 2016 the average monthly poverty line for the country is 308.17 BGN per person. The number of persons who are below this line is 1 638.7 thousand representing 22.9% of the population in Bulgaria. In 2016 the share of children aged 0 - 17 years in at-risk-of-poverty is 31.9%, or 385.4 thousand.

Preliminary data of the NSI for the first quarter of 2017 indicate that the total hourly labour cost rose by 10.1% compared to the first quarter of 2016. 

The number of health establishments for hospital aid as of 31.12.2016 was 345 with 51 816 beds. 321 of them were hospitals with 49 589 beds.

The number of out-patient health establishments was 2 029 with 1 163 beds and other health establishments were 140 with 2 193 beds in them.

At the end of 2016 29 539 physicians were in practice under the basic labour contracts in health establishments. Dentists were 8 011, as 7 174 worked in practices that had signed contract with National Health Insurance Fund. Medical specialists on 'Health cares' who worked on a basic labour contract in health establishments were 46 930. 30 976 of them were nurses and 3 254 - midwives.