site.btaPopulation of Five Regional Capitals Increases in 2017

Sofia, April 23 (BTA) - The population of five of Bulgaria's 27 regional capitals increased in 2017. These capitals were Kurdjali, Plovdiv, Sofia, Varna, and Veliko Turnovo, the last four of which also saw a population increase in 2016, according to data from the National Statistical Institute.

Out of a total of 257 urban settlements (cities and towns) in Bulgaria, only 25 had a population increase in 2017, compared with 23 in 2016. There were six urban settlements with fewer than 1,000 residents each in 2017, one more than in 2016: Melnik, Madjarovo, Pliska, Kiten, Klissoura, and the new addition Broussartsi.

In 2017, the largest absolute population increase among the country's urban settlements was recorded in the national capital and largest city, Sofia, where the population grew by 2,391 people compared with 2016, reaching 1,238,438. The second-largest increase was observed in the second-largest city, Plovdiv, up by 1,789 people to 345,213. The third-largest city, Varna, added 677 people to its population and it totalled 335,854.

The urban settlements which experienced a population rise in 2017 are situated in 13 different administrative regions. All five towns in Kurdjali Region grew in terms of population size.

Of all urban settlements in Bulgaria, Shoumen lost the largest number of residents in a year: 1,130. This is the only urban settlement which lost more than 1,000 people in 2017.

The regional capital which saw the second-largest absolute population decrease (after Shoumen) was Gabrovo, which lost 941 inhabitants, followed by Pleven in third place, with a loss of 910, and Dobrich in fourth place, with a loss of 900.

With its population of 28,851, Smolyan remained Bulgaria's smallest regional capital in 2017. The bottom three also included Razgrad (30,921) and Silistra (31,891).

In 2017, Asenovgrad remained the largest urban settlement which is not a regional capital. Its population was 49,042. It was followed by Kazanluk (44,760) and Dimitrovgrad (34,614).