Press releases

The total income average per household member during the fourth quarter of 2018 is 1 557 BGN and increases by 7.5% compared to the same quarter of 2017.

The total expenditure average per household member during the fourth quarter of 2018 is 1 509 BGN and increases by 10.3% in comparison to the same quarter of 2017.

The consumption of main food products average per household member is without considerable change during the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the same quarter of 2017.

In the fourth quarter of 2018 the unemployment rate was 4.7% and the employment rate of population aged 20 - 64 was 72.5%.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2018 is 3.1% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute at the end of December 2018 the number of employees under labour contract decreased by 1.1% as compared to the end of September 2018 and reached 2.29 million.

In the fourth quarter of 2018 in comparison with the third quarter of 2018 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 4.8% getting 1 171 BGN.

In the period January - November 2018 the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU increased by 9.5% compared to the same period of 2017 and amounted to 35 059.0 Million BGN while the imports of goods grew by 6.8% and added up to 36 874.1 Million BGN.

In November 2018 the exports of goods to the EU increased by 7.0% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 3 445.2 Million BGN while the imports of goods dropped by 0.1% and added up to 3 606.6 Million BGN.

In 2018 the exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries decreased by 12.5% compared to 2017 and amounted to 17 550.6 Million BGN while the imports of goods from third countries increased by 7.4% and added up to 23 012.3 Million BGN.

In 2018 the total value of all exported goods to third countries and EU amounted to 55 275.7 Million BGN, which is 1.2% more than 2017, while the total value of all imported goods from third countries and EU added up to 62 945.5 Million BGN and grew by 6.3%.

In December 2018, 1 997 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 59.0 thousand and the bed-places were 119.9 thousand. In comparison with December 2017, the total number of accommodation establishments (functioned during the period) increased by 2.6% and the bed-places in them - by 2.8%.

The total number of the nights spent in all accommodation establishments registered in December 2018 was 844.2 thousand, or by 1.3% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year.

The total revenues from nights spent in December 2018 reached 48.4 million BGN or by 9.3% more compared to December 2017.

According to preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute in the fourth quarter of 2018 the number of newly built residential buildings was 721 and the newly built dwellings in them were 2 345. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2017 the buildings were by 67 more (or by 10.2%) and the newly built dwellings in them increased by 304 or by 14.9%. 

According to the preliminary data, in December 2018 the index of production in section ‘Construction’ calculated on the base of seasonally adjusted data was 2.4% below the level of the previous month. In December 2018 the working day adjusted index of production in construction decreased by 1.4% in comparison with the same month of 2017.

According to the preliminary seasonally adjusted data in December 2018 the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices decreased by 0.3% compared to the previous month.