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Sat, May 26 2012
How many foreigners live in Bulgaria?
Photo: Nadezhda Chipeva
European Union statistics office Eurostat, in figures released on September 7 2010, proclaimed Bulgaria to be among the EU countries with the lowest numbers of foreigners – but there is a significant difference between Eurostat’s figures and those held locally.
According to the Eurostat statistics, for January 1 2009, there were 23 800 foreigners in Bulgaria, of whom 20 300 were from non-EU countries and 3500 were from EU countries.
This meant that foreigners resident in Bulgaria made up 0.3 per cent of the country’s population, making it one of three EU states with less than one per cent foreigners, according to Eurostat.
Eurostat's definition of foreigners includes those who are non-citizens, or those whose citizenship is "unknown" or who are stateless.
However, Bulgaria’s National Statistics Institute has very different figures – even if allowance is made for the fact that the two numbers are dated a year apart. Bulgaria's definition of a foreigner, for statistical purposes, is similar to that used by Eurostat.
Quoting the country’s Interior Ministry as its source, the institute said that as December 31 2009, there were 69 423 foreigners permanently resident in Bulgaria.
Of these, according to the Bulgarian figures, 47 436 were from Europe (6948 from EU countries and 42 431 from non-EU countries), 9888 from Asia, 651 from Africa and 890 from the Americas, including 412 from the United States.
The Interior Ministry figures quoted by the National Statistical Institute identified those from Australia and New Zealand as the smallest category of foreigners with permanent residence, while other numbers included 2171 stateless people, 6372 listed as "ex-USSR" and 23 as "unknown citizenship".
According to the Eurostat statistics, for January 1 2009, there were 23 800 foreigners in Bulgaria, of whom 20 300 were from non-EU countries and 3500 were from EU countries.
This meant that foreigners resident in Bulgaria made up 0.3 per cent of the country’s population, making it one of three EU states with less than one per cent foreigners, according to Eurostat.
Eurostat's definition of foreigners includes those who are non-citizens, or those whose citizenship is "unknown" or who are stateless.
However, Bulgaria’s National Statistics Institute has very different figures – even if allowance is made for the fact that the two numbers are dated a year apart. Bulgaria's definition of a foreigner, for statistical purposes, is similar to that used by Eurostat.
Quoting the country’s Interior Ministry as its source, the institute said that as December 31 2009, there were 69 423 foreigners permanently resident in Bulgaria.
Of these, according to the Bulgarian figures, 47 436 were from Europe (6948 from EU countries and 42 431 from non-EU countries), 9888 from Asia, 651 from Africa and 890 from the Americas, including 412 from the United States.
The Interior Ministry figures quoted by the National Statistical Institute identified those from Australia and New Zealand as the smallest category of foreigners with permanent residence, while other numbers included 2171 stateless people, 6372 listed as "ex-USSR" and 23 as "unknown citizenship".
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More than six per cent of EU residents are foreigners
More than seven million from non-EU states and close to five million from Africa. Bulgaria has one of the lowest numbers of foreigners.
EU states gave citizenship to 696 000 in 2008
Close to 30 per cent of the EU's new citizens in 2008 came from Africa, and 22 per cent from non-EU states in Europe; France, the UK and Germany together granted about half the citizenships
Bulgarian citizenship: the latest numbers
About 9800 people have been granted Bulgarian citizenship since the start of 2010, Minister without portfolio responsible for Bulgarians abroad Bozhidar Dimitrov said on July 2.
Fast-track Bulgarian citizenship should not be limited to athletes – minister
The law should also apply to people who contribute to Bulgaria’s spiritual culture, economic, culture and scientific life, Bozhidar Dimitrov says
Bulgarian citizenship: the latest numbers
Macedonian and Moldovan nationals account for most applications for Bulgarian passports
2000 foreigners received Bulgarian citizenship in January 2010 - Minister
Approvals of Bulgarian citizenship doubled in January 2010 compared to the year before. "Still much work to be done," Dimitrov says.
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To Odysseos:
Why Greco? Why only you don't understand why? FYROM is a false country, with a false identity. They have the right to obtain Bulgarian citizenship because they are ethnic Bulgarians. Like the Pomaks in Xanthi by the way. Why is it that only Greece has no minorities? Where are the Gypsies in Greece - what did you do to them? Because you did something. Between 1913 and 1941 and then from 1945 onwards. All other Balkan countries have Gypsies.
I agree with Mollie.
Bulgaria is the only country in Europe and maybe on the planet whose population has declined by 15% (1.4 million) in the last 25 years. The reasons for that are mass migration abroad for economic reasons (and in the case of ethnic Turks in 1989 -- ca. 300,000 --) for reasons of mass discrimination.
The low percentage of foreigners here is also due to economic reasons -- few come to BG to work, given the low wages. Bulgarian education has the lowest salaries for ex-pat teachers anywhere in Europe, except perhaps for Moldova. That is why [...]
Read the full comment there are almost no foreign teachers of English working on contract in the country.
Equally for economic reasons, Bulgaria is attracting retirees and maybe even the jobless from EU countries to live here cheaply. They (and tourists) should remember that cheap prices for certain things -- including village houses -- are because the salaries here are among the lowest in Europe, and many pensioners and unemployed Roma are living literally on the edge.
Village properties are 'cheap' property because few Bulgarians want to live where they have no income -- no matter how beautiful the scenery and friendly the neighbors.
Anyhow, there is a very clear POLITICAL ECONOMY to the question of foreigners living here, or using BG as a springboard to later migration to the EU.
The FYROMIANs are Bulgarian dont even count them ;)
About the FYRM - it's mostly to get an EU passport so they travel visa-free. It is a logical choice for them as most of their ancesstors were ethnic Bulgarians for a thousand years before they began being brain-washed by the serbs under Tito.
Other than that they must declare their Bulgarian identity in order to get a passport - which poses the question: is their questionable national identity leading them back to the mother country?
Its always hard to publish reliable statistics on persons as it is a very fluid demographic. I for one am one of the UK citizens living here.
Although it is not so clear as to why so many people from FYROM have been acquiring Bulgarian passports, it does raise some poignant questions as to the future status of this region.
Even more alarming is the contradiction of statistics, with the notion that the people of FYROM have been trying to establish their identity as “Macedonians”. If this is the case, then why are thousands of people from FYROM acquiring Bulgarian passports ?
Bulgaria is wonderfull country!
There is a lot of mounatins with ultar modern hotels to paly ski, big river Danube and thousends of small rivers, full with fish and sea beach with the finest sands and ultra modern hotels
And everything is very cheap!
The boutle of wine, 750 ml - 1 evro, beer, 2.5 L - 1.5 evro and a lot of pubs and bars, full with yong girls and boys!
With 500 pounds you can spend tehre one month in luxory hotel, to eat and drink in the pubs every [...]
Read the full comment night!
I am Canadian citizen and I bought an apartment in the Black Sea hotel, because there is not a sharks like in Florida and I am telling you the thruth!
its reasonable guess work at best
How many British living in Bulgaria
?
Is the number increasing or decreasing ? reflecting the Property current market slowdown slowdown ?
How many British living in Bulgaria
?
Is the number increasing or decreasing ? reflecting the Property current market slowdown slowdown ?
it would be nice to see what both institutions base their numbers on, beyond the definition.
as for believability ... that's a different matter all together ;)