Statistical data

Тhe exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU increased by 42.7% compared to the same period in 2021 and amounted to 52 805.5 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU grew by 32.4% and reached 49 402.2 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU compared to the same period of 2021 was recorded in sections ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (218.8%) and ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (156.0%). A fall was reported in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (10.7%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (119.8%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The exports to the EU increased by 33.5% in October 2022 compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 5 636.9 million BGN, while the imports grew by 29.3% and added up to 5 336.3 million BGN.

The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries increased by 38.0% compared to the same period of 2021 and amounted to 29 003.8 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries grew by 62.8% and added up to 44 835.7 million BGN.

Тhe most notable growth in the exports of goods to third countries compared to the same period of 2021 was recorded in the sections ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (224.6%) and ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (195.8%). A fall was reported in the section ‘Crude materials, inedible (except fuel)’[1] (4.6%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the sections ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (525.5%) and ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (140.8%). The data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 87 460.4 million BGN in the period January - November 2022, which is 40.2% more 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 99 985.3 million BGN and grew by 44.1%.

In November 2022, 2 072 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with more than 10 bed-places, functioned in the country with 57.5 thousand rooms and 118.3 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with November 2021, the total number of accommodation establishments (functioned during the period) increased by 32.1% and the bed-places in them - by 26.3%.

The total number of nights spent in all accommodation establishments in November 2022 was   855.0 thousand, or by 98.3% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year.

In November 2022, the number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 97.4% compared to the same month of 2021, and reached 402.6 thousand.

The total revenues from nights spent in November 2022 reached 61.2 million BGN, as 39.2 million BGN were from Bulgarian residents and 22.0 million BGN - from non-residents.

Тhe index of production in section ‘Construction’ increased by 0.4% in November 2022 compared to the previous month. The production of civil engineering rose by 0.9% and the production of building construction remained unchanged.

Compared to November 2021, the index of production in construction went up by 1.6%. An increase was registered both in civil engineering by 3.0% and in building construction - by 0.5%.

In November 2022, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices increased by 2.2% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

A growth in turnover was reported in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ by 5.6% and in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ by 3.1%, while in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ was observed a decrease by 0.5%.

The calendar adjusted turnover increased by 4.7% compared to the same month in 2021.

Growth was seen in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ by 14.9% and in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ by 8.8%. A drop was noted in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ by 6.4%.

The Industrial Production Index increased by 0.7% in November 2022 compared to October 2022. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

Compared to the previous month a growth was reported in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 33.6% while a decrease was seen in the manufacturing - by 1.9% and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 0.1%.

In November 2022, the calendar adjusted Industrial Production Index rose by 4.7% in comparison with the same month in 2021.

Growth compared to November 2021 was registered in the manufacturing - by 8.7%, while a drop was observed in the mining and quarrying industry - by 10.4% and in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 5.6%.

In August 2022 The National Statistical Institute completed successfully the work on the “Improving data for circular economy - packaging waste and construction waste” project in accordance with Grant Agreement with the European Commission № 101023440 - 2020-BG-CEPCW. The duration of the project was18 months –  fromMarch 2021 to August 2022, as the work of the project was distributed in two work packages: WP1 “Packaging waste” and WP2 “Construction waste”.

The planned activities were carried out, which enabled a more complete analysis of the applied approach regarding the two types of waste. The results provide a good basis for future development and further improvement of the quality of data, reported in accordance with the requirements of European legislation.

The specific purposes and main goals of the project are achieved:

• Improvement of the quality of the sub-indicators of the circular economy;
• Development of methodology for calculation of placed on the market packaging (including lightweight plastic carrier bags);
• Development of experimental accounts for construction and demolition waste according Regulation (EU) No. 691/2011;
• As a result of intensive communication with more respondents better quality primary data is available.

The birth rate is one of the main factors influencing the number and structures of the population. Since the beginning of the 1950s, a permanent trend of decreasing birth rates has been observed in the country. The reasons for this are many and different during the different periods of the demographic development of Bulgaria. The change in the family model, the changing socio-economic environment, the general reduction of the population, in particular of the fertile contingents, the postponement of marriage and the birth of the first child and, last but not least, the emigration from the country mainly of the working-age population.

As of September 7, 2021, 748 000 or 24.7% of women aged 12 and over have had one live birth. This share is higher among women who live in cities (27.1%) than among those who live in villages - 17.6%.

The absolute number and the relative share of women with two children are the highest - 1 353 thousand (44.6%).

204 000 or 6.7% of women have three children each, and this share is twice as high in rural as in urban areas - 11.3 and 5.1%, respectively. 78 000 or 2.6% of women have four or more children.

A little more than a fifth of women - 650 thousand (21.4%) do not have children at the critical moment of the census.

The average number of live births per woman aged 12 and over is 1.47. This indicator is higher in rural (1.75) than in urban areas (1.37).

The phenomenon of daily labour migration closely relates to the economic condition of settlements, their location and infrastructure, as well as the presence and characteristics of the labour force in them. The importance of this process for society is great, since participation in daily trips, unlike permanent resettlement, does not lead to depopulation of settlements or to disruption of the age structure of the population.

Employed

As of September 7, 2021, 121 235 individuals, or 5.1% of those who answered the question, indicated that they mostly work from home. There are 100 547 persons without a fixed workplace, or 4.2%. The highest is the absolute number and the relative share of persons who work in the same settlement where they live - 1 661 017 (69.5%). 494 719 people, or 20.7%, travel to the place where they work. There are 13 086, or 0.5% of the employed who travel outside the country.

Daily labour migrants represent 18.6% of all employed persons aged 15 and over. Of these, 262 238 people, or 53.0%, live in villages, and 232 481, or 47.0%, live in cities, with men predominating - 56.9%, compared to women - 43.1% of all labour migrants.

Students

As of September 7, 2021, 21 522 individuals, or 2.6% of respondents, indicated that they study mainly from home. The absolute number and the relative share of persons who study in the same settlement where they live is the highest - 610 621 (75.1%). 176 440 people, or 21.7%, travel to the settlement where they study. Students who travel outside the country are 4 242, or 0.5%.

Mobile students represent 21.7% of all students. 59 621 people, or 33.8%, live in the cities, and 116 819, or 66.2% of the migrant students live in the villages.

Population migration is a major factor that affects the number and structures of the population both for the country as a whole and for individual regions and territories.

As of September 7, 2021, 395 690 persons declared that they had changed the place of their habitual residence within the country during the period 2011 - 2021. Migrant women are 213 558, or 54.0%, and men - 182 132, or 46.0% of the migrated persons.

As of September 7, 2021, 354 138 persons declared that they resided outside the country for more than one year during the period 1980 - 2021 and returned or arrived in the country during the same period.

Bulgarian citizens who returned to the country during the observed period are 314 285, or 88.7% of all who indicated that they had resided abroad. Men are 164 833 (52.4%), and women - 149 452 (47.6%).