Bulgaria is among the 9 countries of the EU where the population in rural and in urban areas is expected to decline by 2050, Eurostat data show.

The urban population of Bulgaria is expected to shrink by 1.4% by 2050, the shrinkage being most drastic in Poland (-10.3%), Greece (-16.7%) and Latvia (-17.7%). The urban population is expected to increase in 15 member countries by 2050, in Ireland and Sweden by 29.2% and 25.1% respectively. The rural population in these countries will also go up by (+ 24.5%) and (+ 10.9%). In another 24 countries it is expected to go down, the biggest shrinkage being in Austria (-43.5%), Latvia (-37.6%) and Bulgaria (-26.8%), according to Eurostat.