The population is rapidly declining in Bulgaria, especially in the younger age brackets, leaving many older residents to struggle as the social security system is on the verge of no longer sustaining itself.
The quality of life in Bulgaria is pushing many to emigrate, creating the most extreme case of depopulation worldwide. The few who've stayed behind have been convinced that having children is not economical. The younger population is rapidly fleeing the struggling country and many of the old have no means to leave.
"According to a projection by the Population Reference Bureau, a nongovernmental organization in Washington, Bulgaria's population will decline by 34 percent from 2005 to 2050, from 7.7 million to 5 million."
"The bureau projected that the only country likely to lose more of its people in that span was Swaziland, where 38 percent of the population has HIV."
"Bulgaria's demographic dilemma is evident in the 144 villages that now have populations of 0. An additional 337 villages have 10 or fewer residents."
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Read the full story: In shrinking Bulgaria, where are the people?
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Greater Baltimore Committee
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Harvard University Graduate School of Design
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University of Cincinnati Online
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Journal of the American Planning Association