Bulgaria can respond to its shrinking and ageing population while building on gains in health, education and labour market participation, a World Bank Group report said on Monday.
The report was prepared as part of a project to assess Bulgaria’s National Strategy for Demographic Development.
The project is funded by the European Union through the Technical Support Instrument and carried out in cooperation with the European Commission.
In Pathways Toward Demographic Resilience: An Evaluation of Bulgaria’s National Strategy for Demographic Development (2012-2030), the authors trace a worsening demographic picture between 1988 and 2024. Bulgaria’s population fell from 8.9 million to 6.4 million over that period. Rural areas lost residents twice as fast as urban areas, while the population became increasingly concentrated in certain cities and regions.
The populations of Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas, the country’s second-, third- and fourth-largest cities, remained broadly stable between 2001 and 2024, changing by no more than 5%. Sofia’s population grew by about 10% over the same period.
Most small and medium-sized towns in Bulgaria, along with rural areas, recorded population declines.
The authors also identify significant opportunities. They find that Bulgarians are healthier and better educated than ever, labour force participation is at its highest level since the late 1990s, emigration has slowed and more Bulgarians are returning to the country.
The report proposes stronger support for families, expanded early childhood education and care, measures to keep older workers in employment, pension reforms, broader access to better long-term care, and services tailored to the population’s needs. It also calls for greater capacity to manage and monitor demographic change.
The report says the National Strategy for Demographic Development (2012-2030) could serve as a central document for managing the effects of demographic change, helping Bulgaria adapt to the challenges and make use of the opportunities.
World Bank Group Report Outlines Ways for Bulgaria to Adapt to Demographic Change 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-09-28 13:52:45
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BULGARIA NEWS – NEWS AGENCY 2009–2026 2026-09-28 13:52:45