Statistical data

In the first quarter of 2011 the employment rate of population aged 15 - 64 recorded a fall by 1.5 percentage points compared to the first quarter of 2010 and stood at 57.3%. For the same period the unemployment rate went up by 1.8 percentage points to 12.0%.

According to preliminary data during the first quarter of 2011 in comparison with the corresponding period in 2010 аn increase at goods carriages in transport was observed. The goods carried increased by 29.1% and the transport performance in tonnekilometres by 16.2%. In comparison with corresponding period in the previous year a decrease was observed, both in transported passengers and in the transport performance by 6.9 and 4.6%, respectively.

Statistical surveys conducted by the National Statistical Institute are providing information on activities of museums, theaters, libraries, cinemas, radio and television programs and film productions. Main indicators and coverage are designed in accordance with methodological requirements of UNESCO and Eurostat.

The index of producer prices in agriculture increases by 22.0% in the first quarter of 2011 as compared to the same quarter 2010. Increases were registered in the crop production by 54.7%, and in the livestock – by 10.1% compared with the corresponding quarter of previous year.

The index of prices of means of production used in agriculture in the first quarter of 2011 is 11.4% above the same quarter of 2010.

In the first quarter of 2011, 2 041 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 nights spent in all accommodation establishments in the first quarter of 2011 was 1 558.6 thousand and rose by 63.7 thousand (4.3%) compared to same period of 2010.

By preliminarily data, 539.5 thousand Bulgarian residents were travelled to the country or abroad in the first quarter of 2011. A person of 15 years and over spent on the average 165.2 BGN for its private domestic trip and 479.1 BGN for outbound trip.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2011 is 0.4%, compared with the fourth quarter of 2010 and 2.5%, compared with the same quarter of the previous year.

The consumer price index (CPI) in April 2011 compared to March 2011 was 100.2%, i.e. the monthly inflation was 0.2%. The group ‘Food and non-alcoholic beverages’ had the largest upward impact on the total CPI that measures the change in prices of the goods and services, used by Bulgarian households for private (non-production) consumption.
The harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) in April 2011 compared to March 2011 was 99.9%, i.e. the monthly inflation was -0.1%. The group ‘Transport’ had the biggest downward impact on the total HICP that measures the change in prices of the goods and services, consumed by all households (including foreign households) on the economic territory of the country. Differences between CPI and HICP are due to different coverage of the HICP and CPI in respect of treatment of the consumption by both non-resident and institutional households.

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) at the end of March 2011 the number of employees under labour contract decreased by 0.1% as compared to the end of December 2010 and reached to 2.15 millions. In first quarter of 2011 in comparison with the fourth quarter of 2010 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 0.3% getting 671 levs.

In April 2011 the total consumer confidence indicator decreases by 3.1 percentage points in comparison with January 2011, which is mostly due to a decrease of confidence among the rural inhabitants by 8.5 percentage points. The value of the indicator for the urban inhabitants decreases by 0.5 percentage points.