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The long-awaited start of the 18th population and housing census in Bulgaria will be signalled at 0:00 on 7th September 2021. Then the Census Information System will be launched and everyone who lives permanently in Bulgaria can get counted online. We recommend this way because it is fast, easy, comfortable and in pandemic conditions – safe. After that the meeting with an enumerator will be only for submitting the unique 15-digit code to be generated by the system when successful counting is completed.

For almost century and a half censuses in our country have been following all significant events in Bulgarian history. In 1880 by virtue of the Decree issued by Prince Alexander I the Statistical Department at the Ministry of Finance was established and its first task was to organize and conduct a census. On 1st January 1881 the first population census in the Principality of Bulgaria was conducted. In the young Bulgarian state at that time 2 007 919 persons lived while the average number of people per household was 6.

The electronic questionnaire comprises questions in four main sections – address, dwelling, household and population. The fifth one – temporarily present persons – is filled in only in case that during the census there are people who do not usually live in the dwelling – for example, guests for a few days. You could see a paper questionnaire sample on the link. The electronic questionnaire comprises the same information with only the information about the building excluded.

Exhibition with infographs and data about all population censuses held in our country was opened in Ruse. It is located at the town central square, in front of the Court Palace and it was opened at the presence of Ruse Municipality Mayor Pencho Milkov and representatives of the regional statistical office.

The exhibition is related to the 18th population and housing census in Bulgaria to start on 7th September 2021.

Over 400 officers of the central and regional offices of NSI will answer the citizens during the national population and housing Census between 7th September and 3rd October. In case of questions related to the questionnaire or technical hitches people could call *2021 or 02/907-84-30. NSI has a modern call centre to respond to the phone calls. Trained experts will answer the questions asked and the calls will be recorded. The feedback by people will enable NSI to improve the census process in a timely manner.  

Population and Housing Census has always been a source of unique data which could not be collected otherwise. The same will be by conducting the 18th census in Bulgaria.

Along with the traditional data for the number of people, households and dwellings, the life conditions and the mountains of information to be collected and processed, in the Census 2021 Programme there will be conducted as accompanying ones, surveys of the births and the reproduction attitudes, as well as for the migration and the migration behaviour of people in Bulgaria.

With getting closer of 7th September more often people ask us the question: “My child is abroad and should they be counted in Bulgaria?”

The answer to this question is: “It depends on the circumstances”.

Census makes a specific “high-resolution” snapshot of people and life conditions all over the country. It shows what the situation is as to a certain moment – 0:00 of 7th September 2021.

The population and housing e-census starts on 7th September. Every Bulgarian citizen can get counted online by themselves. You can count the whole household with a single registration. The system allows also distant counting of elder relatives. ‘E-census is the safest one and we appeal to the Bulgarian citizens to get counted electronically. Filling in the questionnaire will not take more than 20 minutes,’ emphasized in an interview to “24 hours” newspaper NSI President Sergey Tsvetarsky.

On September 7, 2021, the 18^th census of the population and dwelling stock in Bulgaria begins. On the eve of the most comprehensive statistical survey, the National Statistical Institute and Sofia Municipality in partnership with the Archives State Agency are organizing an exhibition at the Lovers’ Bridge near the National Palace of Culture, which will present historical and contemporary data from all censuses in the country. Sofia residents and guests of the capital will be able to view the posters from August 23 to September 6.

This week in strict compliance with the anti-epidemic measures start the training sessions of the enumerators and controllers to be employed for Census 2021.

The training sessions are one-day and are organized by the municipal census commissions and the regional statistical offices. The first meetings with the enumerators will be held in all municipalities of the country during the period 17th August – 7th September in halls rented especially for this aim, which are with large enough capacity so that to meet the requirements for preventing the COVID-19 distribution.