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

Repair works on the Danube bridge near Ruse to be carried out without stopping traffic

The major repair works on the Danube bridge near Ruse, which will begin on 10 July, will be carried out without stopping traffic and without closing the facility, the Road Infrastructure Agency said, refuting false information published in the Romanian..

published on 7/5/24 6:13 PM

160 more workers laid off at ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 coal-fired power plant

ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 TPP has announced that another 160 people from the coal-fired power plant will be laid off in the coming months after the procedure for notifying the institutions and the workers has been completed, the company’s..

published on 7/5/24 4:40 PM
Dimitar Glavchev

Bulgaria to offer Ukraine EUR 80 million but only if parliament approves it (update)

The position Bulgaria is going to the NATO summit with indicates that Bulgaria could offer Ukraine EUR 80 million , caretaker PM Dimitar Glavchev told reporters in parliament. However, he added that whatever the sum, it can only become fact..

published on 7/5/24 2:55 PM