Bulgaria is last in the European Union for the third consecutive year in Gross Domestic Product, GDP, measured by the purchasing power of the population.

In 2010, the GDP per capita in Bulgaria, measured by the Purchasing Power Standard (PPS) was 44% below the EU average.

In comparison, in 2010, the GDP per capita in Luxembourg, expressed in PPS, was more than two and a half times the EU average, while the Netherlands recorded a level one third above the average.

Ireland, Denmark, Austria and Sweden were between 20% and 30% above the EU average, while Belgium, Germany and Finland were between 15% and 20% above average.

The United Kingdom and France registered GDP per capita around 10% above the EU average, while Italy, Spain and Cyprus were around the average.

Greece, Slovenia, Malta, Portugal and the Czech Republic were between 10% and 20% lower than the EU average, while Slovakia was around 25% below.

Hungary, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia were between 35% and 50% lower, while Romania and Bulgaria were 46% and 44%, respectively, below the EU27 average.

The data for 2010, 2009 and 2008, was released Tuesday by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. It is based on revised purchasing power parities, and the latest GDP and population figures. In addition to the 27 EU Member States, they cover three EFTA Member States, four EU Candidate Countries and three Western Balkan countries.

Eurostat point out that while GDP per capita is often used as an indicator of countries' level of welfare, it is not the only such indicator. An alternative welfare indicator, better adapted to reflect the situation of households, is Actual Individual Consumption (AIC) per capita.

Generally, levels of AIC per capita are more homogeneous than those of GDP but still there are substantial differences across the Member States.

In 2010, AIC per capita expressed in PPS ranged between 50% above the EU27 average in Luxembourg and nearly 60% below average in Bulgaria.