The depopulation of the Bulgarian villages

Abstract

Abstract. The depopulation process in Bulgaria, especially in rural areas, is intensifying due to deepening unfavourable trends in the dynamics of demographic processes. Depopulation is a typical process in the fourth phase of demographic transition in rural areas of Bulgaria. The death rates exceed birth rates in the rural areas in the mid-1970s. The size of rural population and the number of villages in the country has been decreasing in the last decades. A large part of the villages were affected by depopulation processes during the period 1985-2007. A high depopulation level is observed in border and mountainous regions. The depopulation generates an array of different negative trends in the spatial aspect -in socio-economic development, technical and social infrastructure, as well as the erasure of many small villages. The regional development plans need to embed measures for infrastructural development in order to attract and retain residents, utilise natural and cultural-historical heritage, and to stimulate economic activities and the development of various types of tourism, etc.

The Demogeographic Crisis in Racha, Georgia: Depopulation in the Central Caucasus Mountains

“…In southeastern Europe, for example, Macedonia's mountain population has declined by 50% since the 1950s, reducing the size of villages and ultimately the ability of self-governance (Madzevic and Toshevska 2016). For Bulgaria, high depopulation rates in border and mountains regions have been reported for the period since the end of World War II and especially since 1985 (Mladenov and Ilieva 2012). A similar picture appears in Romania, judging from the situation in the mountains of Apuseni, where population peaked in 1941 but has declined ever since, with depopulation rates accelerating after the change of the political regime in 1990.…”

Depopulation tendencies and territorial development in Lithuania

“…Another example of SPTs is the Aragón region (Comunidad Autónoma de Aragón) in Spain, one of the most sparsely populated regions in Europe (Escalona-Orcao-Díez-Cornago 2007). Bulgaria is another country suffering from intensive depopulation (Mladenov-Ilieva 2012). Mladenov and Ilieva (2012) point out that depopulation in Bulgaria hit mountainous and border villages the most.…”

“…Bulgaria is another country suffering from intensive depopulation (Mladenov-Ilieva 2012). Mladenov and Ilieva (2012) point out that depopulation in Bulgaria hit mountainous and border villages the most. Dozens of villages were excluded from the national settlement registry 1 in Bulgaria.…”

Villages on the Edge of Extinction - the Hungarian Situation

“…The situation in the smallest villages is the worst. These problems are not peculiar to Hungary; the situation is very similar in other Eastern and Southern European countries [12], [43], [44], [45]. Often under population is critical as villages could die out in time [46], [47].…”