April 13 (BTA) - As at December 31, 2019, Bulgaria's population was 6,951,482, dropping by 48,557 (0.7 per cent) compared with December 31, 2018. The country's population as at December 31, 2018 accounted for 1.4 per cent of the population of the European Union, the National Statistical Institute says in a report, "Population and Demographic Processes in 2019," unveiled on Monday.

There were 3,369,646 men (48.5 per cent) and 3,581,836 women (51.5 per cent) in Bulgaria as at December 31, 2019, which means 1,063 women for every 1,000 men. Men were more than women in the age groups up to 53 years. The number and percentage of women were higher among older people.

As at December 31, 2019, there were 1,504,088 people in Bulgaria aged 65 and over, accounting for 21.6 per cent of the total population. Compared with December 31, 2018, the share of this age group grew by 0.3 percentage points. Ageing was more prominent with women than with men. The share of women aged 65 and over was 25.1 per cent of all women, and the share of men in that age group was 17.9 per cent of all men. The difference was due to higher mortality and lower life expectancy among men.

The proportion of people aged 65 and over was lowest in Sofia City (which has the status of a region - 17.7 per cent) and Varna Region (19.2 per cent).

Bulgaria was one of nine EU member states where the share of people aged 65 and over was above 20 per cent as at December 31, 2018.

As at December 31, 2019, there were 1,002,258 children aged under 15 in Bulgaria, accounting for 14.4 per cent of the total population. Their share remained unchanged compared with December 31, 2018.

The age dependency ratio (the number of people of non-working age, 0-14 years and 65 years and over, compared with the number of those of working age, 15-65 years) was 56.4 per cent as at December 31, 2019, meaning that there were fewer than 2 people of working age for every person of non-working age. A year earlier, the age dependency ratio was 55.5 per cent. The ratio was more favourable in urban centres (52.8 per cent) than in rural areas (67.5 per cent). In all of Bulgaria's 28 regions it exceeded 50 per cent, except for Sofia City (48.1 per cent). The ratio was least favourable in the regions of Vidin (72.4 per cent), Gabrovo (68.8 per cent) and Lovech (68.1 per cent).

Population ageing implies a growing average age: from 40.4 years in 2001 to 43.9 years at the end of 2019. The process affects both urban and rural areas. As at the end of 2019, the average age in urban areas was 43 years, and in rural areas 46.5 years.

Bulgaria had 4,156,000 people of working age as at December 31, 2019, accounting for 59.8 per cent of the population. There were 2,180,000 men and 1,976,000 women of working age.

The working-age population decreased by 45,000 (1.1 per cent) as at December 31, 2019 compared with December 31, 2018. There were 1,729,000 people over working age and 1,067,000 under working age, accounting, respectively, for 24.9 per cent and 15.3 per cent of Bulgaria's total population. RI/VE

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