Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgaria top of the list of European countries in mortality rate and fifth in aging population

Iliana Iotova
Photo: BGNES

The mortality rate in Bulgaria is 60 percent higher than the birth rate. The country is top of the list of countries in Europe in mortality rate and fifth in aging population.

Almost 5 percent of the existing towns and villages are completely deserted, with not a single person living in them, 13 percent have a population of less than 20. These disturbing data were presented by Vice President Iliana Iotova at a conference on the demographic crisis in Bulgaria. In her words, over the next decade close to 1,000 towns and villages will have ceased to exist, and whole regions of the country are at risk of becoming demographic deserts. The genesis and main cause of these shocking figures lies in the fact there is no smart or realistic economic programme for the development of Bulgaria, Vice President Iotova said, and called for national consensus for addressing this problem. 



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

Delyan Dobrev

Ruling majority concerned whether it would be able to achieve 3% budget deficit

The tax laws will be revised and the budget will be revised. This is what GERB MP Delyan Dobrev, chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee in the parliament told the Bulgarian National Radio. The European Commission certainly has..

published on 1/26/25 3:33 PM
Minister Ivanov

Not enough money for all planned regional and infrastructure projects

The balance that we need between needs and realistically achievable commitments is very important because there is a real danger that some of the major infrastructure projects would be delayed at the expense of others. This was what..

published on 1/26/25 1:49 PM

Trade unions want 10% salary rise to be included in Budget 2025

By the end of next week, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) will send the government its proposals to be included in the governing coalition's management program. Trade unionists are already holding..

published on 1/26/25 10:53 AM