Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

Analysis of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences with alarming insights

Bulgaria in 10 years - overcrowded cities and depopulated territories

Photo: BGNES

Huge territories in Bulgaria are already abandoned, their people are gradually dying out. This is shown by an analysis of the declining demographic and economic viability of 75% of the municipalities in Bulgaria by the Institute for Population and Human Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
The main reasons for this are advanced biological ageing and lack of birth rates in some settlements. There are areas where not a single child has been born in the last 30 years, BTA reported. 

In the next decade, Bulgaria will end up with several overpopulated urban centres at the expense of depopulated remaining territories that are losing population and resources, the analysis shows. The regions most affected by depopulation are Western and North-Western Bulgaria, the Strandzha-Sakar and Central Balkan regions, the towns of Gabrovo and Lovech. 

According to the experts, in order to solve this problem, information needs to be gathered and a development strategy needs to be drawn up for the specific regions. Among the ideas is the creation of "model" settlements to attract people to live there. 

According to the researchers, the period around the Covid-19 pandemic saw a so-called "reverse migration" - from cities to villages - but these were short-term waves.


Read also:




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Hungarian Minister of Interior Sandor Pinter

Romania and Bulgaria have a chance to join Schengen by land as of January 2025

Romania and Bulgaria have a chance to join the Schengen area by land as  of January 2025 , Hungarian Interior Minister Sándor Pinter said after an informal meeting in Budapest of the interior ministers of Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Austria ...

published on 11/22/24 4:37 PM

Sofia Christmas festival will kick off tonight in front of National Palace of Culture

The Sofia Christmas Festival will open tonight in the park in front of the National Palace of Culture in the heart of Sofia . The third edition of the festival starts at 6.30 pm with a rich program and attractions - а Ferris wheel, a carousel and..

published on 11/22/24 4:24 PM

MPs fail to elect a Speaker of Parliament at fifth attempt

Yet another, already fifth attempt by MPs to elect a Parliamentary Speaker has failed. Four candidates were put to the vote - Natalia Kiselova from BSP-Unified Left, Petar Petrov from Vazrazhdane, Raya Nazaryan from GERB and Silvi Kirilov from ITN...

published on 11/22/24 3:40 PM