Bulgarian Capital Sofia Registers Baby Boom in 2009

Bulgaria's capital Sofia has registered a positive natural population growth for the first time in 18 years. Photo by BGNES

In 2009, Bulgaria’s capital Sofia had more births than deaths for the first time since 1991, according to data of the National Statistical Institute.

There were a total of 15 309 live births in Sofia in 2009, which 928 more than in 2008, a 6.5% increase. This is almost 19% of the total number of births in Bulgaria in 2009.

Thus, the birth rate in Sofia has grown from its lowest point of 7.2 per 1000 people to 12.3 per 1000 in 2009 (compared to 10.7 per 1000 for Bulgaria in 2009).

The total number of deaths in Sofia in 2009 was 15 078, 107 fewer compared to 2008. Thus, the death rate in the Bulgarian capital was 12.1 per 1000 people, compared to 14.2 per 1000 for Bulgaria in 2009.

Thus, the population of the Bulgarian capital Sofia registered a natural growth of 231 persons, or 0.2 per 1000, in 2009.

As a whole, however, Bulgaria’s total population declined by 42 841 in 2009 down to 7 563 700 people. Nevertheless, this is the lowest decline since the early 1990s.

The average life expectancy in Sofia is 74.6 years – 71.06 for men, and 77.96 for women.

According to the official data of the National Statistical Institute, the total population of Sofia (including several villages and three small towns in the suburbs) is 1249 000, about one-sixth of the population of Bulgaria.

The figure, which is based on permanent address registrations of the Sofia residents is significantly lower by unofficial estimates which claim that somewhere near 2-2.5 million or even up to 3 million people reside in Sofia, a huge number of those being residents of other Bulgarian cities and towns who keep their permanent home addresses elsewhere in the country and do not register as Sofia residents.

According to the National Statistical Institute, a total of 20 702 people moved to Sofia in 2009, whereas a total of 18 194 moved from the capital to the rest of the country.

The new Sofia residents are said to come mostly from the Districts of Pleven, Blagoevgrad, Vratsa, Veliko Tarnovo, and Plovdiv, whereas Sofia residents are most often moving to the Districts of Sofia Region, Pernik and Burgas.

The NSI forecast states that in 2020 Sofia will have a population of 1 275 000, in 2025 – 1 277 000, and then in 2030 – again 1 275 000.

According to the official statistics taking into account the number of new residents and the positive natural growth, in 2009, the population of Sofia increased by 2 739 people.

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