National Statistics: Bulgarian population is currently under 7 million

At the end of 2018, the population of Bulgaria is 7 million and 39 people, results of an annual demographic survey by National Statistics Institute shows. Compared to 2017, the country’s population is down by 50,000. The trend of demographic processes shows that the Bulgarians are currently under 7 million.

According to the demographic survey, women are still more than men: there are 1000 men per 1061 women.

The process of the population's aging continues. The share of people aged 65 and over is 21% and is increasing. The highest share of people aged 65 and over is in the regions of Vidin and Gabrovo, the lowest is in Varna and Sofia.

The population's aging leads to an increase in its average age which now is 43.8 years.

73.7% of the population lives in the cities and 26.3% live in the villages. The number of places without population is 164, most of them being in Gabrovo and Veliko Turnovo region.

Most Bulgarians, over a million and 320,000 people live in Sofia-city, the district with smallest number of people is Vidin - 84,000.

Since 1990, the rate of natural growth in Bulgaria has been negative and is currently minus 6.5 per 1000. For comparison in the EU it is minus 0.4. Birth rate in Bulgaria continues to decline.

The number of children born decreases in 2018. They are just over 62,000, and 2.7% less than the previous year.

Although the mortality rate in Bulgaria is still the highest in the EU, the number of deaths continues to decline. It is good that child mortality is decreasing and reaches its lowest level of 5.8 per 1000.

Unfortunately, the average life span instead of increasing remains the same and is 74.8 years.

And something more optimistic - in 2018 there are 368 more marriages than in the previous year.