Bulgaria Lags in Reading Rates, Ranked 25th in Europe

Bulgaria ranks 25th in Europe for the number of people who read, according to a Eurostat study from 2022. With just under 40% of Bulgarians engaging in reading, the country is positioned fourth from the bottom in Europe, with Italy, Cyprus, and Romania demonstrating even lower interest in books.

Released on August 9, 2024, in conjunction with International Book Lovers' Day, the statistics examine reading habits among citizens of 28 European countries aged 16 and over. The survey includes reading activities over the past year, regardless of genre (excluding technical literature and textbooks), and considers both paper and digital media.

Across the EU, the average reading rate is just above 50%, with half of the population reading fewer than five books per year. The data reveals that younger individuals, aged 16 to 29, are more avid readers at 60.1%, compared to those aged 30 to 54 at 53.5%. Conversely, those aged 65 and older read the least, with a rate of 47.2%.

Women are more likely to read than men, with 60.5% of women engaging in reading compared to 44.5% of men. Additionally, 17.4% of women read more than 10 books annually, while only 9.9% of men reach that level.

Switzerland and Norway lead Europe in reading rates, with 80% and 71% respectively. Within the European Union, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Estonia top the list with reading rates of 75.2%, 72.1%, and 70.7%. At the other end of the spectrum, Romania has the lowest reading rate, with only 29.5% of its population managing to read more than 10 books per year.