The birth rate dropped to 8.5 per mille from a level of 8.8 a year earlier
Rising mortality and deepening population aging process are the leading trends in the demographic picture in Bulgaria, according to data of the National Statistical Institute.
As of December 31, 2020, the population of Bulgaria was 6,916,548 people, which is a decline of half a percent compared to a year earlier. Nearly 125,000 people passed away in Bulgaria in 2020, which is 18 per mille mortality rate. Compared to 2019, or before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 16,600 more deaths. The birth rate dropped to 8.5 per mille from a level of 8.8 a year earlier.
In 2001 the average age of the population was a little over 40 years, but in 2020 it is over 44 years. More than 5 million people live in cities.
