Bulgaria Lags Behind in European Internet Services

Despite increased internet access, Bulgaria still lags behind many EU member states in terms of broadband connections and online shopping. Photo by BGNES

Over a half of the European Union’s households have access to broadband internet connection, but Bulgaria’s take-up is among the lowest, at 30%.

A report by Eurostat, published on Tuesday, shows that Bulgarian access to the internet has increased since 2007, from 19% of households to 30%. During the same time, broadband access has grown from 15% to 26%.

These figures are, however, among the lowest of the 27 EU member states. Serbia shows a growth from 26% to 37% in internet access, with 23% now on broadband. Romania currently has 38% internet penetration, with 24% broadband access.

Across the European Union, 65% of households had internet access, compare with 60% at the start of 2008. Broadband connections accounted for 56%, a rise from 49% in 2008.

The highest rates of internet access are in the Netherlands (90%), Luxembourg (87%), and Sweden (86%). The most prolific broadband users are in Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark, with between 76% and 80% access.

Almost 75% of the population between 16 and 24 used the internet daily, compared with almost 50% in the age group between 16 and 74. Of this wider group, some 5% of Bulgarians used the internet for online shopping, compared with an average of 37% across Europe, and 66% in Lithuania.

Overall, men were more likely to shop online than women.

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