Statistical data

GDP per capita ranged from 59% to 261% of EU average.

At the end of 2022, the number of health establishments for hospital aid was 341 with 54 707 beds. The number of beds in these establishments has increased by 216, or by 0.4% compared to the previous year.

The number of hospital beds was 848.5 per 100 000 persons of the total population as the highest values of that indicator were registered in districts Pleven (1 184.5 per 100 000 persons of the population), Smolyan (1 135.5) and Plovdiv (1 069.5).

The number of out-patient health establishments was 2 172 with 1 303 beds. In comparison with the previous year the number of these establishments has increased by 39 (1.8%), and the number of beds by 18 (1.4%).

The other health establishments were 148 with 1 751 beds in them, as they has decreased by 9.7% in comparison with 2021.

As of 31.12.2022, 29 599 physicians were in practice under a basic labour contract in health establishments as the number remains relatively constant in recent years. Dentists were 7 602, as 6 624 worked in practices that had signed а contract with the National Health Insurance Fund. Medical specialists on ‘Health cares’ who worked on a basic labour contract in health establishments were 44 493. 28 827 of them were nurses and 3 285 - midwives.

The number of physicians per 10 000 persons of the total population was 45.9. In a regional aspect, the indicator varied from 26.2 to 72.4 per 10 000 as the highest values were registered in districts with Medical universities and Universities’ hospitals - Pleven (72.4 per 10 000 persons of the population), Sofia (stolitsa) (55.9), Plovdiv (55.3) and Varna (54.6).

In the structure of physicians by age, the highest number and share of physicians is in the age group 55 - 64 years - 10 015 persons, or 33.8%. At second place, is the group of elderly (aged 65 and over) - 5 943, or 20.1%. The young practicing physicians, aged up to 35 years, were 5 170 persons or 17.5%.

Only in five districts is the relative share of young physicians aged up to 35 years higher than the national share, and these are the districts with Medical universities - Sofia (stolitsa) and Varna (24% each), Pleven (23.6%), Plovdiv (23.4%) and Burgas (18.9%). In all other districts, the indicator is less favourable than the national one, with Vidin, Lovech and Montana standing out in particular, where the share is 0.7%, 2.1% and 2.5%, respectively.

In May 2023, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was -0.1% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in May 2023 compared to May 2022 was 10.1%.

In May 2023, compared to the previous month, the highest decrease was recorded in the prices for Recreation and culture (-3.4%), Transport (-2.5%) and Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (-0.4%). The highest increase was registered for Alcoholic beverages and tobacco (+1.1%), Clothing and footwear (+1.0%), Miscellaneous goods and services (+0.5%), Health (+0.5%) and Food and non-alcoholic beverages (+0.5%).

In May 2023, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was -0.2% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in May 2023 compared to May 2022 was 8.6%.

In the period January - March 2023, the exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU increased by 5.1% compared to the same period of 2022 and amounted to 14 673.3 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU grew by 8.2% and reached 14 959.9 million BGN.

In March 2023, the exports to the EU decreased by 7.5% compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 5 090.9 million BGN, while the imports grew by 3.8% and added up to 5 488.4 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU in the period January - March 2023 compared to the same period of 2022 was recorded in the section ‘Miscellaneous manufactured articles’ (40.3%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (43.8%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Machinery and transport equipment’ (29.9%), while the most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (61.6%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries increased by 13.3% compared to the period January - April 2022 and amounted to 10 851.6 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries dropped by 7.9% and added up to 13 230.3 million BGN.

Тhe most notable growth in the exports of goods to third countries compared to the period January - April 2022 was recorded in the sections ‘Machinery and transport equipment’ (78.6%) and ‘Food and live animals’ (38.9%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (12.4%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the sections ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (44.0%) and ‘Food and live animals’ (27.0%). The most notable fall was reported in the section ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (30.1%). The data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 29 811.1 million BGN in the period January - April 2023, which is 3.6% more than the same period of the previous year, while the total value of all imported goods from third countries and the EU added up to 32 790.5 million BGN and grew by 0.05%.

In April 2023, 2 239 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with 10 or more bed-places, functioned in the country with 68.5 thousand rooms and 144.3 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with April 2022, the total number of accommodation establishments (functioned during the period) increased by 12.5% and the bed-places in them - by 6.6%.

The total number of nights spent in all accommodation establishments in April 2023 was 1 032.8 thousand, or by 16.3% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year.

In April 2023, the number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 19.8% compared to the same month of 2022 and reached 471.1 thousand.

The total revenues from nights spent in April 2023 reached 76.7 million BGN, or by 37.3% more compared to April 2022.

Тhe index of production in the ‘Construction’ section decreased by 1.0% in April 2023 compared to the previous month. The production of civil engineering fell by 1.3% and the production of building construction - by 0.8%.

Compared to April 2022, the index of production in construction went down by 2.3%. A decrease was registered both in civil engineering - by 4.7%, and in building construction - by 0.5%.

The Industrial Production Index decreased by 2.9% in April 2023 compared to March 2023. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

Compared to the previous month, a drop was reported in the mining and quarrying industry - by 8.4%, in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 6.9%, and in the manufacturing - by 3.0%.

In April 2023, a decline of 12.6% was registered in the calendar-adjusted Industrial Production Index in comparison with the same month in 2022.

Compared to April 2022, a drop was observed in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 38.7%, in the mining and quarrying industry - by 10.5%, and in the manufacturing - by 8.2%.

In April 2023, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices decreased by 2.0% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

A decline was reported in all major groups: ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ - by 2.3%, ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ - by 2.1% and ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ - by 1.1%.

The calendar-adjusted turnover went down by 2.7% compared to the same month in 2022.

А decrease of 6.7% was observed in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’, while in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ was reported a growth of 7.3%. The ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ kept the level of the previous month.

In the first quarter of 2023, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 2.3% and Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2.7% compared to the first quarter of 2022 (data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted).

The increase in Gross Value Added is determined by the growth in the following economic activities:

Construction - 7.0%, Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; transportation and storage; accommodation and food service activities - 5.9%, Information and communication - 3.2%, Real estate activities - 3.2%, Public administration and defence; compulsory social security; education; human health and social work activities - 1.6%, Financial and insurance activities - 1.1%, Agriculture, forestry and fishing - 1.1%, Mining and quarrying; manufacturing; electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; water supply, waste management and remediation activities - 0.1%.

A decline was registered in Arts, entertainment and recreation, repair of household goods and other services - 0.8%.

Regarding the expenditure components of GDP, contributors to the registered positive economic growth are the Final consumption, with a growth of 2.1% and gross fixed capital formation - 1.8%.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, in the first quarter of 2023, exports of goods and services increased by 2.3%, while the imports of goods and services decreased by 2.3% compared to the first quarter of 2022.