© Tsvetelina Belutova, Capital
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Only three of the regional cities in the country – Kardzhali, Plovdiv and Sofia, have increased their population in the last ten years. The largest increase is in the capital. During this period, the population there has grown with the number of inhabitants of a small town. This is shown by the calculations of BTA when comparing the data of the National Register of Settlements of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) as of December 31, 2011 and the same date last year.
According to the report, their residents have increased another 23 Bulgarian cities. The population of the remaining 231 cities has decreased, ie. almost 90 percent of all major settlements in the country have fewer people than 10 years ago. The most accurate demographic picture in the settlements in the country will become known after the upcoming census.
The largest increase in the population – in Sofia, the smallest – in Kableshkovo
The data show that for the 10-year period the largest increase in the population was registered in Sofia. The capital increased by 13,688 people and from 1,208,097 inhabitants at the end of 2011 to December 31 last year they were already 1,221,785. The population of the second largest city in the country – Plovdiv, for this period increased by 3864 people . Thus, its inhabitants became 342,048 people. Nessebar ranks third among the settlements with the most serious increase in population. The inhabitants of the seaside town have increased by 3549 people and are now 14,080. The inhabitants of another Black Sea town – Sveti Vlas, where the registered number is 1364 more, are increasing by more than 1000 people.
In two cities the population is increasing by over 700 people – Ardino and Harmanli. With a three-digit number “jumps” and the population in other 13 cities. These are Simeonovgrad (426 inhabitants), Pomorie (401 inhabitants), Chernomorets (396 inhabitants), Bansko (393 inhabitants), Kardzhali (338 inhabitants), Bankya (301 inhabitants), Momchilgrad (277 inhabitants), Dzhebel (259 inhabitants), Bozhurishte (258 inhabitants), Obzor (247 inhabitants), Sozopol (228 inhabitants), Byala, Varna (193 inhabitants) and Marten (177 inhabitants). The increase in the population in other seven cities is by less than 100 people – Nikolaevo (81 people), Elin Pelin (58 people), Kaolinovo (50 people), Kuklen (37 people), Kiten (32 people), Varbitsa (25 people) and Kableshkovo (4 people).
Eight of the cities with an increased population are in the Burgas region
The cities in which an increase in population is reported during the 10-year period are located on the territory of 11 districts in the country. Most are in the Burgas region – 8. These are Kableshkovo, Kiten, Nessebar, Obzor, Pomorie, Sveti Vlas, Sozopol and Chernomorets. In the district of Kardzhali, which has a total of five large settlements, there are four of the cities with increased population. Besides the regional center, these are Ardino, Djebel and Momchilgrad. In five regions there are two cities with increased population. In Plovdiv – Kuklen and the regional center, Sofia-city – Bankya and the capital, Sofia-region – Bozhurishte and Elin Pelin, Haskovo – Simeonovgrad and Harmanli, and Shumen – Varbitsa and Kaolinovo. The other four cities are in the districts of Blagoevgrad – Bansko, Varna – Byala, Stara Zagora – Nikolaevo, and Ruse – Marten.
Pleven, Ruse and Stara Zagora have lost over 10,000 people
Among the regional centers in the country, Pleven, Ruse and Stara Zagora have lost more than 10,000 inhabitants in the last 10 years. The population of Pleven is declining by 14,554 people or almost as many as the people in Rakovski are now. The inhabitants of Ruse have decreased by 13,694, and those of Stara Zagora – by 11,684 people.
More than 9,000 inhabitants lost Dobrich and Gabrovo, 9439 and 9192 people, respectively. In two other regional centers the population decreased by more than 8000 inhabitants – Yambol, by 8833, and Vratsa – by 8680. In five of the regional cities the decrease of the inhabitants is by more than 7000 people. Vidin lost 7814 inhabitants, Sliven – 7671, Pernik – 7665, Shumen – 7514, and Haskovo – 7343.
For the 10-year period Montana decreased by 6253 people, and Lovech, Kyustendil and Silistra – respectively by 5847, 5482 and 5061. Pazardzhik lost 4747 inhabitants, Razgrad – 4017, and Smolyan – 3595. In four of the regional centers the population decreased by more of 2000 people – Veliko Tarnovo (2632 people), Blagoevgrad (2477 people), Varna (2387 people) and Targovishte (2202 people). Burgas has 891 fewer inhabitants than 10 years ago.
Svishtov has lost the most inhabitants among the non-regional cities
Among the non-regional cities for the period under study, Svishtov lost the most inhabitants. The Danube town is decreasing by 6,270 people and at the end of last year had a population of 23,576 people. It is followed by Dimitrovgrad – with 5682 people less, and Dupnitsa – with 4324 people. Gorna Oryahovitsa and Lom have decreased by 3561 and 3273 inhabitants, respectively.
In six non-district cities, the population is decreasing by more than 2,000 people. Kazanlak has lost 2724 people, Sevlievo – 2641, Karlovo – 2381, Asenovgrad – 2354, Nova Zagora – 2261 and Troyan – 2114. In another 33 of the largest settlements in the country the population has decreased by more than 1000 inhabitants.
In 14 of the non-regional cities the number of inhabitants decreases by less than 100 people. The population of Tvarditsa decreased by 96 people, and in Ahtopol, Krumovgrad and Kilifarevo by 87, 84 and 82 people respectively. Two of the smallest Bulgarian cities – Pliska and Madjarovo, lost 78 and 68 inhabitants respectively. Boboshevo dropped by 66 people, Suvorovo – by 65, and the smallest Bulgarian town – Melnik, by 54 people. Ignatievo lost 45 inhabitants, Shivachevo – 30, Gurkovo – 25, and Pravets – 21 people. With a single-digit decline in population over the 10-year period is only Primorsko – 9 people less.
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