Statistical data

In the first quarter of 2024, the municipal authorities issued building permits for the construction of 1 823 residential buildings with 10 487 dwellings, 27 administrative buildings/offices and 1 094 other buildings.

The issued building permits for new residential buildings increased by 4.3% as compared to the first quarter of 2023. The issued building permits for administrative buildings and other buildings rose by 42.1% and 5.7%, respectively.

The construction of 1 389 residential buildings with 9 089 dwellings, 6 administrative buildings/offices and 550 other buildings has started.

As compared to the first quarter of 2023, the number of started new residential buildings and other buildings increased by 9.2% and 6.4%, respectively. The number of started administrative buildings decreased by 25.0%.

The Total Producer Price Index in Industry fell by 1.6% in March 2024 compared to the previous month and by 8.7% compared to March 2023.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market decreased by 3.3% in March compared to February 2024 and by 12.7% compared to March 2023.

In 2022, the total value of revenues from environmental taxes was 8 009.31 million BGN, or 106.9% more than in 2021 (3 869.93 million BGN).

Energy taxes had the largest relative share of the total environmental tax revenues for 2022 - 94.2% (7 546.39 million BGN). There was a significant increase in energy taxes in 2022 due to the inclusion of a new energy tax in the National Tax List (NTL) - Contributions from the Electric Power System Security Fund (FSES) - 3 503.01 million BGN.

Next in importance were excise taxes on fuel consumption (coal, petroleum products, natural gas and electricity) used both for stationary purposes and for transport purposes - 2 377.93 million BGN, and revenues from greenhouse gas emissions - 1 629.31 million BGN.

The share of transport taxes from the total environmental tax revenues for 2022 was 5.1% (412.07 million BGN), and the share of taxes on pollution and resources had the smallest relative share - 0.6% (50.84 million BGN).

In 2022, most of the environmental taxes were paid by the business sector - 6 727.08 million BGN, or 84% of the country’s total revenues from environmental taxes. The largest share had the services sector  - 4 271.36 million BGN or 53.3% of the total revenues from environmental taxes. On second place was the industry sector - 2 323.94 million BGN (29%), and third - agriculture, forestry and fishing sector 131.78 million BGN (1.6%).

Environmental taxes paid by households in 2022 amounted to 1 153.24 million BGN, or 14.4% of the total revenues from environmental taxes. Environmental taxes paid by the non-resident sector (Rest of the World) amounted to 129 million BGN in 2022, or 1.6% of the total paid environmental taxes.

Detailed data on revenues from the four categories of environmental taxes (energy, transport, pollution and resource taxes), distributed by economic activities, households and non-residents, can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Environmental taxes'.

As of December 31, 2023, the population of Bulgaria is 6 445 481 persons. Compared to 2022, the country’s population decreased by 2 229 persons or by 0.03%.

There are 57 478 children born in 2023, of which 57 197 (99.5%) - live born. The number of live births increased by 601 children, or 1.1% compared to the previous year.

The number of deaths in 2023 is 101 006 and compared to the previous year, decreased by 17 808, or by 15.0%.

In April 2024, the total business climate indicator increases by 1.8 percentage points in comparison with March, as a growth of the indicator is registered in all observed sectors - industry, construction, retail trade and services.

The most serious obstacles for the activity of the enterprises in the sectors remain connected with the uncertain economic environment, shortage of labour, competition in the branch, costs of materials and insufficient demand.

In March 2024, the number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 679.1 thousand, or 19.1% above the registered in March 2023.

The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visiting cultural and sports events) composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 53.2%, followed by those with holiday and recreation purposes - 29.4%, and with professional purposes - 17.4%.

The number of visits of non-residents to Bulgaria was 756.5 thousand, or 7.2% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. The predominant share of the visits was with other purposes - 50.4%, followed by trips with holiday and recreation purposes - 35.5%, and with professional purposes - 14.1%.

Transit passes through the country were 33.3% (251.8 thousand) of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.

In February 2024, compared to January 2024, an increase is reported for the production of: liquefied petroleum gases - by 25.0%, and transport diesel - by 2.5%. A decrease is reported for the production of: solid fuels - by 36.5%, electricity - by 14.4%, and motor gasoline - by 4.1%. There is no change in the production of natural gas.

Compared to the same month of the previous year, an increase is reported for the production of: motor gasoline - by 20.7%, and transport diesel - by 6.6%. A decrease is reported for the production of: solid fuels - by 64.5%, and electricity - by 22.6%. There is no change in the production of liquefied petroleum gases and natural gas.

In February 2024, compared to January 2024, for the deliveries of energy products, no increase is observed for any of the products. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 36.5%, electricity - by 20.0%, natural gas - by 16.2%, transport diesel - by 13.5%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 7.7%, and motor gasoline - by 3.8%.

Compared to the same month of 2023, an increase is reported for the deliveries of motor gasoline - by 28.2%. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 60.2%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 18.2%, transport diesel - by 10.1%, electricity - by 6.7%, and natural gas - by 3.5%.

The main results from the National Statistical Institute (NSI) annual comprehensive surveys characterizing the activity of educational institutions are as follows:

• In 2023/2024 school year in pre-primary education (kindergartens and preparatory groups at schools) were enrolled 216.9 thousand children.
• In 2023, the number of basic education graduates was 63.4 thousand students and the number of upper-secondary education graduates from general and vocational programmes was respectively 24.2 and 15.4 thousand students.
• In 2023/2024 academic year, there were 190.5 thousand students enrolled at the different tertiary education levels (professional bachelor, bachelor and master’s).
• As of 31.12.2023, for acquiring a doctor’s educational and scientific degree in the country 6 095 persons were trained, of whom 651 were non-residents.

In 2023, the average monthly poverty line for the country was 637.92 BGN per person. The number of persons who were below this line was 1 325.9 thousand, representing 20.6% of the population.

The general indicators of poverty assessment include subjective indicators related to material deprivation. They show the subjective assessment and personal attitude of the persons and households related to the possibility to meet individual needs. By 2020, nine questions related to the consumption of specific goods and services were used to assess the material deprivation of households. From 2021, a new indicator of severe material and social deprivation is included which shows the lack of necessary and desirable items for living a worthy life. It is calculated as the share of persons in the population who cannot afford 7 out of 13 items - 6 at the individual level and 7 at the household level. In 2023, 18.0% of the population live in severe material and social deprivation (limitations in 7 out of 13 items) or 0.7 percentage points less compared to 2022.

In relation to the goals set in key areas in strategy ‘Europe 2030’ a combined indicator for regular monitoring of countries’ progress in implementing the national targets is calculated using data from the Survey of Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC). The indicator includes at-risk-of-poverty rate, severe material and social deprivation rate and rate of people living in households with low work intensity. The combining of the three indicators shows that in 2023 30.0% of the population, or 1 933.1 thousand persons, were at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion.

The number of minors and juveniles registered in the Child pedagogical rooms for anti-social acts and crimes committed in 2023 was 8 520. In comparison with 2022, their number decreased by 106, or by 1.2%.

The number of minors and juveniles new entrants in the Child pedagogical rooms in 2023 was 2 772, and 2 362 persons were removed from the Child pedagogical rooms.