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Analysis of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences with alarming insights

Bulgaria in 10 years - overcrowded cities and depopulated territories

published on 5/31/24 6:16 PM

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.

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