A recently published research of the Berlin Institute for Population and Development entitled "Europe's Demographic Future: Growing Imbalances" ranks Bulgaria as the country with the most rapidly aging population on the continent.

"The more or less constant fertility rate that Bulgaria experienced in the communist era plunged by nearly 50 percent in 1990s. Since this means that the country will lack potential parents in the future, Bulgaria is faced with the threat of an extremely aged population - and presumably growing old-age poverty as well - by the year 2030", the research points out in a side note entitled "Bulgaria: on the road to senescence".

The Berlin Institute, however, also points to Bulgaria as an example of the way Europe might be able to tackle the economic consequences of its aging population, i.e. through education after high-school, which could lead to a higher employment.

Bulgaria's six regions are at the bottom of the rankings of the research on sustainable development according to 24 demographic, economic, social, and environmental criteria.

Out of a total of 285 regions in Europe, Bulgaria's Northwest Region ranks 285th, the North Central Region is 284th, the South Central Region is 276th, the Northeast is 262nd, the Southeast - 250th, and the Southwest, which includes the capital Sofia, is 216th.

In the bottom of the sustainability rankings, Bulgaria's regions are joined by rural regions in Romania, Poland, southern Italy, and northern and western Greece. The region of Romania's capital Bucharest is ranked 217th.

According to the report of the Berlin Institute, Europe's population will drop from the current 591 million to 542 million in 2050, and the continent will remain the global leader in population aging.

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