Statistical data

Since 2024 NSI has started publishing monthly Indices of production in services in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2019/2152 of the European Parliament and of the Council for European Business Statistics. The purpose of the production index is to measure changes in the volume of output at monthly intervals.

Production indices in services are calculated by deflating the turnover indices for each activity with the corresponding producer price indices.

The total production index in Services of the business economy increased by 0.8% in January 2024 compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

During January 2024, the production index in Services of the business economy increased by 3.3% compared to the same month of 2023. The data are preliminary and calendar-adjusted.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 1.6% compared to the fourth quarter of 2022.

In Janyary 2024, the total consumer confidence indicator increases by 6.7 percentage points compared to October 2023.

During the fourth quarter of 2023, 69.6% of GDP was spent on individual consumption.

The relative share of gross fixed capital formation in GDP in the fourth quarter of 2023 is 20.6%.

The employment rate for the population aged 15 years and over was 53.1%.

The unemployment rate was 4.2% (compared to 3.7% in the fourth quarter of 2022), the same for men and women.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to the fourth quarter of 2022 the total hourly labour cost rose by 11.7% (preliminary data).

In the fourth quarter of 2023, the house price index increased by 10.1% compared to the same quarter of 2022.

In February 2024, revenues of the subsector ‘Central Government’ were reported in the amount of BGN 3 206.73 million and expenditures - BGN 2 969.53 million, and for the subsector ‘Social Security Funds’, the revenues amounted to BGN 2 698.56 million, and the expenditures are BGN 2 604.75 million.

The data of the ‘Central Government’ subsector are formed on the basis of the monthly cash statements of the budget units, as well as estimates of the state enterprises reclassified in the subsector, and the data of the ‘Social Security Funds’ subsector - on the basis of the monthly cash statements of the National Insurance Institute and the National Health Insurance Fund.

The information is published on the basis of Article 3(2) of Directive 2011/85 of the EU.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Government Finance Statistics'.

In January 2024, compared to December 2023, an increase is reported for the production of: liquefied petroleum gases - by 33.3%, and motor gasoline - by 6.6%. A decrease is reported for the production of: solid fuels - by 27.4%, transport diesel - by 14.5%, and electricity - by 1.3%. There is no change in the production of natural gas.

Compared to the same month of the previous year, an increase is not reported for the production of any of the products. A decrease is reported for the production of: solid fuels - by 48.8%, liquefied petroleum gases - by 42.9%, transport diesel - by 25.8%, electricity - by 16.1%, and motor gasoline - by 11.5%. There is no change in the production of natural gas.

In January 2024, compared to December 2023, an increase is reported for the deliveries of: motor gasoline - by 36.8%, electricity - by 9.2%, transport diesel - by 8.4%, and natural gas - by 1.7%. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 27.7%, and liquefied petroleum gases - by 11.4%.

Compared to the same month of 2023, an increase is reported for the deliveries of: natural gas - by 14.2%, electricity - by 10.3%, and liquefied petroleum gases - by 5.4%. A significant increase is observed in motor gasoline, due to reduced deliveries in January 2023, as currently reaches its usual levels. A decrease is reported for the deliveries of: solid fuels - by 44.1%, and transport diesel - by 6.8%.

In March 2024, the total business climate indicator remains approximately to its February level. An increase of the indicator is observed in the retail trade and service sector, while in the industry and construction a reduction is registered.

The uncertain economic environment, shortage of labour, competition in the branch, insufficient demand and costs of materials continue to be the main factors limiting the business development in the sectors.

The Total Producer Price Index in Industry fell by 0.6% in February 2024 compared to the previous month. Lower prices were registered in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 7.1%. Increase was observed in the mining and quarrying industry by 4.1%, and in the manufacturing industry by 1.4%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market decreased by 1.5% in February 2024 compared to January 2024. The domestic prices went down in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 6.8%. In the mining and quarrying industry, the prices grew by 4.1%, and in the manufacturing industry - by 1.4%.

The Total Producer Price Index went down by 9.3% in February 2024 compared to the same month in 2023. There was a considerable decrease in prices in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 32.0%, and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 3.9%, while the manufacturing industry marked a rise of 0.4%.

The Producer Price Index on the Domestic Market fell by 12.1% compared to February 2023. A drop was reported in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 29.5%, and in the mining and quarrying industry - by 4.6%, while prices in the manufacturing industry increased by 0.8%.

In the period July - December 2023, the electricity and natural gas prices, including all taxes, levies and VAT (incl. state compensations) for non-household customers decreased compared to the period January - July 2023. The largest decrease in electricity is recorded in group I5 with annual consumption between 20 000 and 70 000 MWh - 16.2%, and in natural gas - in group I4 with annual consumption between 100 000 and 1 000 000 GJ and group I5 with annual consumption between 1 000 000 and 4 000 000 GJ, respectively with 28.9% and 28.6%.

In the same period, for household customers, opposite trends are observed for the two energy products. Electricity prices, including all taxes, levies and VAT, show a slight increase compared to the previous six-month period, as the highest is recorded in group D4 with annual consumption between 5 000 and 15 000 kWh - 5.7%. The natural gas prices, including all taxes, levies and VAT, decrease in all groups compared to the previous six-month period, with the largest decrease in group D3 with annual consumption over 200 GJ - 22.1%.

On an annual basis, in 2023, compared to the previous year 2022, the electricity and natural gas prices with all taxes, levies and VAT (including state compensations) for non-households customers decrease for all groups. The largest decrease in the final electricity price is registered in group I7 - the biggest consumers, by 26.5%, and in natural gas in group I5 with annual consumption between 1 000 000 and 4 000 000 GJ by 51.9%. The main reason for this is the decrease in the value of the ‘Energy and Supply’ component, and more specifically the prices of electricity and natural gas, which are its main element.

For households customers, on annual basis in 2023 versus 2022, opposite trends are also observed for the two energy products. Electricity prices including all taxes, levies and VAT show a slight increase compared to the previous year, which is related to an increase in the value of the ‘Network Costs’ component by more than 10% in each group. The largest increase is registered in group D4 with annual consumption between 5 000 and 15 000 kWh - 4.3%. The natural gas prices, including all taxes, levies and VAT, decrease as the largest decrease is registered in group D3 - the biggest consumers, by 21.1%. The reason is the decrease in the value of the ‘Energy and Supply’ component, and more specifically in the price of natural gas, which is its main element, by more than 30% for all groups.

Data are representative for the country - all suppliers of electricity/natural gas provide data on household and final non-household customers, for the quantities delivered through transmission/distribution network. They are calculated as weighted average prices by the actual delivered quantities of electricity/natural gas and the corresponding invoiced values to final customers, by standard annual consumption bands,  for the observed six-month period in the following two directions:

• By levels of taxation - data is reported twice а year, for the periods January to June and July to December.
• By components and sub-components - data is collected every semester, but is reported annually as arithmetic average prices.

The information is published pursuant to REGULATION (EU) 2016/1952 on European statistics on natural gas and electricity prices.

Detailed data on electricity and natural gas prices are published on the NSI website under the heading ‘Energy’.

Expenditure on tourist trips of persons 15 years and over in 2023 was estimated at 3 406.0 million BGN and increased by 24.2% in comparison to 2022. Those made in the country amount to 2 036.2 million BGN, and abroad - BGN 1 369.8 million BGN.

Expenditure for private trips represents 96.3% (including tourist packages) and increased by 26.3% compared to 2022, while those for professional travel are 3.7% of all expenses and decreased by 13.5%.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Tourism'.

In 2022, according to the final data on emissions into the atmosphere, there is an increase in emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide and a decrease in emissions of methane and carbon monoxide compared to 2021. There is no change in emissions of nitrogen dioxide and ammonia.

Emissions of sulphur oxides in 2022 are 73 thousand tons, of nitrogen oxides - 96 thousand tons, and of non-methane volatile hydrocarbons - 76 thousand tons.

Combustion processes are the main contributors to emissions of sulphur oxides (82%) and carbon dioxide (67%). Production processes are the predominant contributor to non-methane volatile hydrocarbon emissions (51%). The main contributor to the emissions of ammonia (97%), carbon monoxide (85%), nitrous oxide (95%), methane (78%), non-methane volatile organic compounds (47%) and nitrogen oxides (62%) is the group ‘Other sources’, which includes agriculture, transport, household fuel combustion, waste and wastewater treatment activities and services.

Detailed data can be found on the NSI website under the heading 'Environment'.

In February 2024, the number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 499.0 thousand, or 10.7% above the registered in February 2023.

The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visiting cultural and sports events) composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 49.4%, followed by those with holiday and recreation purposes - 26.6%, and with professional purpose - 23.0%.

The number of visits of non-residents to Bulgaria was 698.9 thousand, or 15.6% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year. The predominant share of the visits was with other purposes - 47.2%, followed by trips with holiday and recreation purposes - 39.1%, and with professional purpose - 13.7%.

Transit passes through the country were 31.5% (220.0 thousand) of all visits of non-residents to Bulgaria.