The trend of increase in Bulgaria’s life expectancy continues, according to the 2017 report for the implementation of the updated National Strategy for the Demographic Development of Bulgaria (2012-2030), the government press office said, reports Focus News Agency. 

The average life expectancy at birth for the Bulgarian population for 2015 - 2017 was 74.8 years, an increase of 0.1 years compared to the previous period (2014 - 2016). For males it was 71.3 years, while for females life expectancy was 78.4 years; it was 75.6 years for urban residents and 72.8 years in rural areas. 

Regarding quality of life, there had been positive changes. In 2017, the annual average income per household member was BGN 5,586, which was an increase of 8.1% compared to 2016. For the period 2008-2017, the average income per household member increased nearly 1.6 times.

In 2017, 64,359 children were born, of which 63, 955 (99.4%) were born alive. The average age of first-time mothers increased from 27.0 in 2016 to 27.1 in 2017. Last year the average number of live births per woman was 1.56. For comparison, in 2001 it was 1.24.

According to data of the National Statistical Institute as of 31 December 2017, Bulgaria’s population is 7,050,034 people, which represents 1.4% of the population of the European Union. Compared to 2016, the country's population has declined by 51,825 people.

The most significant demographic trend is population aging. At the end of 2017, people aged 65 or over were 1,481,908, or 21.0% of the country’s population.

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