Population
date: 20.04.2004
POPULATION OF BULGARIA
According to the data from the last Census conducted in March 2001, the total number of the population in Bulgaria is 7 928 901 people.
The next table presents data from official censuses carried out in the country over the last 100 years.
The final right column of the table indicates the relative percentage share of the urban versus the rural population in the respective year. The data clearly show the dynamic shift toward urbanization of the country. To compare in a historical context - the present urban-rural proportion of the Bulgaria's population is the same as that in one of the most-rapidly developing industrial countries in Europe, England, however at the beginning of 20th century.
The next table displays the main demographic characteristics and their shift over the last decade. Some important trends stand out - the birth rate has reduced with a little more than 3%, the number of the active-age population has increased due to the rise of the retire-age ceiling, and also due to the lower birth-rate. Again due to the lower birth-rate, there is a higher share of the people of post-active age.
The next table presents the main demographic characteristics of the country for 1999.
Age Dependency Rate - indicates the number of the population of a "dependent age" /below 15 and above 65/ per 100 persons of an "independent age" /from 15 to 65/.
Aging Index - the speed of increase of the relative share of the population of a post-active age /55 and above for women, 60 and above for men/ compared to the previous year.
The next table indicates the population of the 27 districts of the country, the number of municipalities in each district, the share of the urban population in a district, and the natural growth rate in absolute figures per 1000 persons.
