Economic development
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Blagoevgrad district’s economy has been developing very well. GDP has been growing faster than the country’s average, though it is yet to reach that level. Incomes have exceeded national averages and in 2018 labor market trends remained favorable. Blagoevgrad is among the districts with the highest economic activity, employment continues to be high and unemployment low. Investment activity has improved slightly but is still far below the average level of the country as a whole. The quality of the road infrastructure has improved. Local taxes and fees remain lower than the national averages. In 2020 the assessment of the functioning of the local e-administration and the provision of one-stop shop services in the district’s municipalities continued to improve and once again reached levels slightly above the average ones of the country as a whole.
Both GDP per capita and salaries in the district of Burgas continued to grow in 2018, though at a slower pace than in the other districts, and remained slightly below the national average. The labor market did relatively well in 2019. The district is among the leaders in investment and business activity. The number of enterprises per person went slightly up and remained above the national average. Foreign investment continued to increase, while local investment remained stagnant. The quality of the road infrastructure keeps deteriorating. Local tax rates are higher than the national average. In 2020, the functioning of e-administration in the district again received relatively good evaluation. However, the Active transparency rating of local government is still low.
GDP per capita in the district of Varna rose sharply in 2018, exceeding the average growth rate in the country and again bringing the district close to the average GDP rates. Salaries also grew considerably. These two processes resulted in the reduction of poverty levels in the region. Labor market trends remained favorable in 2019. The district also reported moderate investment activity. Against the general background in the country, the district of Varna performed very well as regards its infrastructure. Local tax rates were extremely high, exceeded only by those in the capital. In 2020 the functioning of e-administration and one-stop shop services in the district municipalities were evaluated less positively, bringing the district below the national averages.
GDP per capita in the district of Veliko Tarnovo rose considerably in 2018 but it still remained well below the national average. The positive developments in the economy and in household income resulted in the reduction of poverty levels in the region. Labor market indicators continued to improve in 2019, placing the district among the top-ranking ones in the country. Local tax rates were relatively high. The AIP Active transparency ratings of the local administration achieved ratings comparable to the national averages.
Vidin is among Bulgaria’s districts with the worst indicators for incomes and quality of life. Salaries and incomes have been rising too slowly, remaining far below the national averages. In 2019, as previously, the district also performed poorly as regards the indicators for the labor market, which faces the additional challenge of population ageing. Vidin is one of Bulgaria’s regions with the lowest FDI figures. Similar to other districts with low economic activity, the local municipalities keep tax rates relatively low. Vidin district also shows the worst results in the whole country in the Administration category.
In 2018 GDP per capita in Vratsa district grew three times faster than the average rate of increase in the country and almost reached the national average. At the same time, due to the unfavourable conditions of the labor market, the rate of increase in both salaries and incomes was below the country’s averages. Economic activity and employment figures were on the rise, too, but they still remained far beneath the average ones for the country as a whole. The labor market faces the additional challenge of the population’s deteriorating educational structure. Investment activity in Vratsa district is relatively low. In 2020 the municipalities kept local taxrates relatively low. The district administration has performed relatively well.
The growth of the economy and the rise in incomes explain the relatively low poverty levels in Gabrovo district. Its economic activity has been intensifying, reaching levels higher than the country’s average, and this growth has been accompanied by an increase in employment rates. Expectedly for the district’s economic profile, a majority of the workforce has secondary education. Investment activity figures place Gabrovo among the leaders in the country. The district also occupies one of the top places in terms of the utilization of EU funds, where it is outranked only by Sofia (capital city). Although it has a relatively well developed economy, local taxes in Gabrovo remain comparatively low, as is evident from the 2020 figures. The transparency ratings of the local administration have been traditionally good.
In 2018, GDP per capita in Dobrich district registered one of the lowest growth rates in the country. The situation regarding the growth in household incomes was not much different. Still, in spite of the lag in incomes and salaries, poverty levels in Dobrich district were close to the national average. Economic activity rose, accompanied by a growth in employment rates and a decline in unemployment, yet those indicators still remained unfavorable. The local labor market continues to face the problem of the low educational status of the workforce. Investment activity in Dobrich district is not sufficiently high. There has been a serious lag in production value and FDI. Local tax rates are among the lowest in the country. The transparency ratings for the district administration are on the decline but remain considerably above the national average.
In 2018, GDP in Kardzhali district registered a considerable increase, but it still remained far below the national average. Salaries had also been rising at a fast rate, yet they too remained relatively low. On a national scale, Kardzhali continues to be the district with the lowest economic activity and the most unfavorable educational structure of the workforce. In 2018, investment activity again remained weak. Utilization of European funds in the district is low. Kardzhali is among the districts with relatively low taxation. The performance of the district in the indicators for local administration and the services it provides remained extremely weak in 2020.
GDP per capita in Kyustendil district has registered the third highest annual growth rate in the country, yet its value is still relatively small. Both salaries and incomes have been growing as well, though at rates below the national average ones, and their amounts have remained considerably below average. The educational profile of the workforce is dominated by a significant share of people with secondary education. Kyustendil district is characterized by weak investment activity. Road quality is traditionally higher than in the country on average. Households still have limited internet access. The average rate for each of the monitored local taxes in the municipalities of Kyustendil district is lower than the national average. The local administration’s transparency ratings remain relatively low.
Despite its low starting point, GDP per capita in Lovech district has been growing at a rate similar to the country’s average and so its amount remains smaller than the national average. Poverty rates in the district are falling, but they are still higher than the country averages. In 2019 the labor market picked up a lot of speed. Economic activity in the district intensified and its growth was accompanied by a sharp increase in employment and a decline in unemployment. Investment activity in the district is not very strong. Households’ access to the Internet remains relatively limited. The average rate of local taxes in the municipalities of Lovech district was still relatively low in 2020. The figures for the performance of the local administration place the district among the leaders in the country.
Montana is among Bulgaria’s districts that have the worst indicators for incomes and quality of life: a prerequisite for the high poverty levels among its population. The unfavorable trends in the local labor market place Montana last in the country in this category. The rise in economic activity in 2019 led to an increase in the unemployment rate. Investment activity in the district is relatively weak. Montana performs well in terms of the utilization of European funds. This is the region with the smallest share of highways and first-class roads in the country. The average municipal taxes for 2020 gave the district the top place in the ranking for the lowest taxation rates. The performance of the district administration has received relatively good ratings.
Both GDP and salaries in Pazardzhik district have recorded an increase, but they still remain below the national average. As a result, poverty levels in the region are high. In 2019, economic activity in Pazardzhik district went up significantly, which was accompanied by a leap in employment and a slight rise in unemployment. The local labor market is still facing the challenge presented by the educational profile of the workforce. Investment activity in the district is not very strong. The density of the road network, as well as the share of first-class roads and highways, is lower than the national average. The average rate of local taxes in the municipalities of Pazardzhik district is relatively low.
In 2018, GDP per capita in Pernik district grew at a rate twice the national average, although it remained far below the average level. Salaries and incomes have also been rising fast, which has had a positive effect on the relatively low poverty rates in the district. In 2019 the labor market also gathered a lot of momentum. Economic activity recorded a serious growth, accompanied by a simultaneous rise both in employment and unemployment rates. Population ageing, however, still remains a major challenge facing the local labor market. Investment activity is relatively weak. The average rate of the local taxes in the municipalities of Pernik district is relatively low. The transparency of the local administration is estimated as relatively poor.
Although in 2018 GDP per capita in Pleven district again recorded considerable growth, it has still remained relatively low. The labor market has not picked up appreciably. Investment activity in the district is relatively weak. Pleven is among the districts with the least FDI, but it performs well in terms of the utilization of European funds. Against the background of its relatively weak economic development, Pleven district maintains rates of local taxation that are close to the national averages but are also significantly higher than the average ones in north-western Bulgaria. The ratings for the transparency of the local administration are declining, but they still remain higher than the national average.
GDP per capita in Plovdiv district is the seventh highest in the country. Household incomes are growing relatively fast. Employment rates remain relatively high and unemployment rates low. The number of enterprises, FTA expenditures and production value all equal the national average. Infrastructural development in the district has achieved very good ratings. As in most districts with better developed economy, the level of local taxation in Plovdiv district remained relatively high in 2020. The development of e-government and the provision of one-stop shop administrative services remain significantly lower than the national average.
Despite the low base, GDP per capita in Razgrad district has been growing at a slower pace than in the country on average. Poverty levels in the district also suffer the effect of the insufficiently fast growth rate of the local economy and incomes. In 2019, the labor market picked up considerable speed, although the district still failed to bridge the significant lag. Investment activity remained low. The development of the district’s infrastructure is assessed as poor. The share of road surfaces in good condition is the lowest in the country. In 2020, the average local tax rates in the municipalities of Razgrad district again remained lower than the national average. The ratings for the transparency of the local administration remained relatively high.
GDP per capita in Ruse district has been growing, but at a significantly lower rate, and so the district is increasingly lagging behind the national averages. Poverty levels in the district are similar to the average ones in the country. Economic activity has been rising slowly but steadily in recent years, accompanied by rising employment and declining unemployment. Investment activity in Ruse district is moving closer to the national average. The infrastructural development of the district can be categorized as good. The average level of the tax burden is relatively low. Ruse district has registered a huge improvement in the assessment of the local administration and ranks among the leaders in the country.
Despite the low base, GDP per capita in Silistra district has been growing at a relatively slower pace compared to the rest of the country. Salaries, too, remain below average. The development of the local labor market is unsatisfactory. Economic activity has been going up, but this has been accompanied by a parallel drop in employment and a rise in unemployment. Silistra is among the districts with the lowest investment activity in the country. The quality of the road surfaces is relatively good. As is typical of the less economically developed districts, the average level of local taxes in Silistra district is relatively low. The ratings of the local administration’s self-assessment on the development of e-government went up considerably in 2020 and for the first time rose above the country’s average.
GDP and salaries in Sliven district have been growing, but at a relatively slow pace and the regional economy continues to lag behind the national trends. The most serious challenge facing the local labor market is the deteriorating educational structure of the workforce. Investment activity is extremely weak and the district ranks last in the country in this category. Sliven is also the district with the lowest utilization rate of European funds. The basic infrastructure retains its high level. Sliven is the area with the highest share of road surfaces in good condition. The average rate of local taxes in the municipalities of Sliven district differs significantly from the average rates in the country. The transparency of the local administration continues to improve.
GDP in Smolyan district has been growing though at a slower rate than the country’s average, and the margin between them has widened over the past twenty years. Incomes continue to exceed the national averages. Employment rates sustain relatively low levels, and unemployment rates are high. A major challenge for the future development of the local labor market is population ageing. Investment activity in the district is low. The specific geographic location of the district as a border region and its mountainous terrain account for its relatively poorly developed infrastructure. In 2020 Smolyan again ranked among the districts with the lowest local tax rates. The transparency ratings of the local administration remain below the average ones of the country.
GDP per capita in Sofia district remains the third highest in the whole country. Salaries are rising, which is a precondition for relatively low poverty levels. The development of the local labor market is very good, with the employment and unemployment rates both reaching record levels for the district. The good economic development is also manifested in the local investment activity. Sofia district reports the second highest figures in the country for FTA acquisition expenditure and foreign investment. The district has a relatively well-developed infrastructure. The average level of local taxes in the municipalities of Sofia district is generally close to, but lower than the national average. The performance of the administration in the district is extremely poor.
Sofia (capital city) is the district with the highest GDP per capita, as well as the highest salaries and incomes. This accounts for the low levels of poverty in the district. Its economic development is also interrelated with the favorable trends in the local labor market. Employment and unemployment rates have reached record levels for the capital. Sofia is a leader in investment activity. Sofia Central Railway Station is a major railway hub in the country. In 2020, the capital was once again the district with the highest local taxes in the country. The work of Sofia city’s local administration is assessed as the most transparent in the country. Sofia is also the district whose administration received the highest assessment ratings for the development of e-government and the provision of one-stop shop services.
Stara Zagora district ranks second in the country after the capital in GDP per capita, and third in average salaries. Poverty indicators are close to the national average. In 2019, there was practically no unemployment in the district, and employment figures were among the highest in the country. However, this did not result in overcoming the existing deficits in the educational structure of the workforce. Stara Zagora is among the leaders in production value and attracts a relatively large volume of investment. Thanks to the Trakia highway, the share of first-class roads and highways is relatively large, but road quality is gradually deteriorating. Local taxes in the district remain below the national average, despite some increases. The results of the municipal administrations’ self-assessment of the administrative services they provide are deteriorating and so are the ratings of the municipal authorities’ transparency.
Economic growth in Targovishte district has accelerated over the last four years, but this has not led to any significant reduction of poverty levels or an increase in household incomes. This is mainly due to the negative dynamics of the labor market, characterized by rising unemployment and low employment. At the same time, the share of the workforce with primary or lower education has been growing. The district attracts foreign investment at a relatively high level, but has not made enough progress in the utilization of European funds. There is significant improvement in the quality of road surfaces and in the expansion of households’ access to the internet. Despite some increases, local taxes remain low compared to most districts. The self-assessments of the municipal administrations of their capacity to provide electronic and one-stop shop services are inconsistent, but their transparency is improving.
Haskovo district is among the least economically developed regions in southern Bulgaria. Both GDP per capita and average salaries are significantly lower than the respective national averages. Household incomes have been gradually rising, yet the problems of high poverty levels and material deprivation remain. The dynamics of the labor market is favorable, with very low unemployment rates and employment already above average, too. There is a visible shortage of university graduates in the district, while the share of people with primary education has been growing in recent years. Investment activity can be described as “timid”. The infrastructure is relatively well developed and its quality is gradually improving. Local taxes remain lower than the national average, and in 2020 some of them got reduced even further.
The dynamics of both GDP per capita and of the average salary in Shumen district in recent years have been favorable though not sufficient to converge with the national averages. Poverty levels are a challenge. In 2019, unemployment was still high and employment growth relatively slow so that the difference with the best performing districts remained. The district attracts little foreign investment and is not doing very well in the utilization of European funds. Thanks to the Hemus highway and the well-developed railway system, the infrastructure assessment is good. Local taxes in the district are below the national average despite some increases in 2020, but municipalities in the country face problems with the transparency of their work.
Yambol remains among the districts with a low level of economic development. Both GDP per capita and salary levels have remained significantly below the national average, but in 2018 they underwent rapid improvement. Unemployment rates remained more than twice as high as the national average, and employment shrank. Low economic activity inevitably leads to very high levels of poverty and material deprivation. FDI has remained quite low, but on the other hand the district has been doing relatively well in the utilization of European funds. Yambol has a well-developed road network, but almost no railroads. Despite some increases in 2020, local taxes in Yambol district remain low, and the assessment of the municipalities’ administrative capacity has also been improving.
Categories
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Income and living conditions
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Labour market
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Investments
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Infrastructure
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Taxes and administration
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Administration
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