Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 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

Bulgaria’s position on the Gaza Strip remains unchanged

Bulgaria’s position on the Gaza Strip remains unchanged. The priority is direct dialogue with Israel, aimed at improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza and achieving a lasting peace based on the two-state solution, the Bulgarian Ministry of..

published on 7/24/25 10:51 AM

Parliament approves new measures and penalties against road traffic offenders

Bulgaria’s National Assembly has passed, at second reading, amendments to the Road Traffic Act. Municipal cameras and those from the national toll system will now be used to detect speeding violations.  The changes allow for the introduction of..

published on 7/24/25 9:53 AM

The Bulgarian passport grants visa-free access to 177 countries and destinations

Bulgaria retains 13th place in the Henley Passport Index, having climbed 8 positions over the past 10 years, according to the website of the London-based citizenship and residency consultancy Henley & Partners.  The Henley Passport Index ranks 199..

published on 7/24/25 9:16 AM