Press releases

The number of detached crèches and groups in kindergartens functioning in the country as of 31.12.2019 was 835 with 33 764 places in them.

The number of children accommodated in crèches at the end of the year was 32 185. 16 677 of them were boys, and 15 508 - girls.

The total number of places in crèches per 100 children aged up to 3 years as of 31.12.2019 was 17.9 and the coverage of children brought up in crèches - 17.1 per 100 children aged up to 3 years.

The producer price index in agriculture in the first quarter of 2020 increased by 6.0% in comparison with the same quarter of 2019. The crop output index increased by 5.9% and the animal output index increased by 6.3%. In comparison with previous year, the prices of agricultural output went up by 7.7% as the increase in crop output price index was by 9.4% and in animal output price index increase was by 4.4%.

The index of prices of goods and services currently consumed in agriculture in the first quarter of 2020 was by 2.4% higher compared to the same quarter of previous year and by 0.1% compared to 2019.

In the first quarter of 2020 the unemployment rate was 4.6%, and the employment rate of population aged 20 - 64 was 73.0%.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2020 is 2.4% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

The total income average per household member during the first quarter of 2020 is 1 712 BGN and increases by 12.7% compared to the same quarter of 2019.

The total expenditure average per household member during the first quarter of 2020 is 1 486 BGN and increases by 5.9% in comparison to the same quarter of 2019.

The consumption of main food products average per household member does not change considerable during the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same quarter of 2019.

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute at the end of March 2020 the number of employees under labour contract decreased by 1.1% as compared to the end of December 2019 and reached 2.26 million.

In the first quarter of 2020 in comparison with the fourth quarter of 2019 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 0.3% getting 1 317 BGN.

Life expectancy at birth of the Bulgarian population calculated for the period 2017 - 2019 is 74.9 years.

Life expectancy at birth for male population is 71.5 years, while for female it is 7.0 years higher - 78.5 years.

In the period January - February 2020 the Bulgarian exports to the EU grew by 4.3% compared to the same period of 2019 and amounted to 6 377.6 Million BGN while the imports from the EU increased by 3.2% and reached 6 294.5 Million BGN.

In February 2020 the exports to the EU increased by 4.1% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 3 175.1 Million BGN while the imports grew by 1.4% and added up to 3 207.1 Million BGN.

In the period January - March 2020 the exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries decreased by 2.7% compared to the same period of 2019 and amounted to 4 809.9 Million BGN while the imports of goods from third countries dropped by 1.1% and added up to 6 023.3 Million BGN.

In the period January - March 2020 the total value of all exported goods to third countries and EU amounted to 14 062.6 Million BGN, which is 1.1% less than the same period of the previous year, while the total value of all imported goods from third countries and EU added up to 15 524.0 Million BGN and dropped by 1.1%.

In March 2020, in a state of emergency declared on 13.03.2020, 1 662 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 rooms in them was 51.6 thousand and the bed-places were 104.3 thousand. In comparison with March 2019, the total number of accommodation establishments (functioned during the period) decreased by 15.4% and the bed-places in them - by 10.3%.

The total number of the nights spent in all accommodation establishments registered in March 2020 was 381.0 thousand, or by 56.4% less in comparison with the same month of the previous year.

The total revenues from nights spent in March 2020 reached 21.1 million BGN or by 56.6% less compared to March 2019.