Over the last two decades, GDP in Smolyan district has been growing, though at a slower rate than the average one for the country’s economy, and so the margin between them has widened. Incomes, however, continue to exceed the national averages, which explains the relatively low poverty levels in the district. Population ageing remains among the major challenges for the continuing development of the local labor market. FTA expenditures per capita have been rising considerably. FDI has remained at persistently low levels. The specific geographic location of the district as a border region and its mountainous terrain account for its relatively underdeveloped infrastructure. Smolyan ranks among the districts with relatively low local tax rates.
The population of the district is among the fastest ageing in the country. Smolyan continues to rank among the leaders in the education category. Its students are very high achievers, the number of teachers is high, and the share of dropouts is low. The share of people with health insurance is among the highest in the country. Access to GPs is also very good. Smolyan district ranks first in the whole of Bulgaria in the public order and security category. Delivery of justice isspeedy, the crime rate is low, and the detection rate is high. Against the district’s relatively low level of urbanization, the share of its population living in settlements with public sewerage networks is relatively high. The intensity of its cultural life is low.
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Over the last two decades, GDP in Smolyan district has been growing, though at a slower rate than that of Bulgaria’s economy in general. In consequence, the district is increasingly lagging behind the average level in the country by a margin which has gone up from 20% in 2002 to 32% in 2019. In 2019, GDP per capita in the district rose by 10%, (the average national rate) and reached 11,700 BGN. The average gross annual salary of employed people in the district also increased at a rate similar to that in the country but remained below its level – 11,100 BGN in Smolyan, compared to 15,200 BGN nationally. Household incomes have remained higher than the national average, reaching 6,400 BGN per household member in 2019, compared to 6,000 BGN in the country. Poverty levels in the district also remained lower in 2019 than the national average. The share of the population living with material deprivation was extremely low – 12.8%, which ranked the district second in the country after the capital. The share of the population living below the national poverty line was 21.2%, versus 22.6% on average countrywide.
Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (2019) |
11681.00 BGN >
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Statistical data in the past 20 years
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Average annual income per household member (2019) |
6354.00 BGN >
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Statistical data in the past 19 years
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Average annual gross salary (2019) |
11106.00 BGN >
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Statistical data in the past 17 years
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Relative share of population living in material deprivation (2019) |
12.80% >
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Statistical data in the past 2 years
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Relative share of people living below the country’s poverty line (2019) |
21.20% >
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Statistical data in the past 2 years
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In spite of the decrease experienced by almost all of the country’s districts in 2020, economic activity in Smolyan continued to grow and remained high – 77.1%, compared to 73.7% in the country. This growth, however, was accompanied by a decline in employment and a rise in unemployment. The employment rate dropped by 1.3 p.p. to 65.2%, against 68.5% on a national scale, while the unemployment rate rose by 3.1 p.p. to 11.9%, compared to the national average of 5.2%. The educational structure of the workforce in the district has undergone a slight improvement. In 2020 the share of people aged 25–64 with a university degree was 23.5%, against 29.2% nationally, while the number of those with primary or lower education declined to 14.0%, versus the national average of 16.9%. A huge challenge for the further development of the local labor market continues to be population ageing. Smolyan is the district with the lowest population replacement rate as a ratio of the people aged 15–19 to those aged 60–64, which in 2020 dropped to 40.9%, compared to 67.1% nationwide.
Unemployment rate of the population aged 15-64 (annual average) (2020) |
11.90% >
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Statistical data in the past 21 years
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Demographic replacement rate (2020) |
40.90% >
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Statistical data in the past 18 years
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Employment rate of the population aged 15-64 (annual average) (2020) |
65.20% >
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Statistical data in the past 21 years
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Relative share of the population aged 25-64 with tertiary education (2020) |
23.50% >
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Statistical data in the past 12 years
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Relative share of the population aged 25-64 with primary or lower education (2020) |
14.00% >
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Statistical data in the past 12 years
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Economic activity rate of the population aged 15-64 (annual average) (2020) |
77.10% >
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Statistical data in the past 13 years
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In 2019, the number of registered enterprises went up to reach 52 per 1,000 persons, which, however, was still below 61 per 1,000 persons as the average one for the national economy that year. FTA acquisition expenditures rose by nearly 50%, but in spite of this considerable increase, they still remained below the national average – 2,600 BGN/person in the district, versus 3,200 BGN/person in the country. FDI remained persistently low – 889 EUR/person in the district, against 3,700 EUR/person countrywide. In 2019 production value in the district also grew but again at a slower rate than in the country, which set the district even further behind the average figure for Bulgaria’s economy as a whole. Utilization of EU funds in Smolyan district has been growing fast and for the first time has exceeded the national average. By 15 June 2021, payments made in the district to beneficiaries under EU operational programs amounted to 2,500 BGN/person, versus 2,200 BGN/person in the country. The leaders in the region are the municipalities of Smolyan city, Rudozem and Zlatograd.
Number of non-financial companies per 1,000 people (2019) |
52.00 >
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Statistical data in the past 20 years
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Expenditures for acquisition of fixed tangible assets per capita (2019) |
2591.00BGN >
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Statistical data in the past 20 years
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EU funds (for municipalities) per capita (2021) |
2517.00 BGN >
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Statistical data in the past 8 years
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Foreign direct investment in non-financial enterprises per capita (cumulative) (2019) |
889.00 EUR >
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Statistical data in the past 20 years
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The specific geographic location of the district as a border region and its mountainous terrain account for its relatively poorly developed infrastructure. Smolyan lacks railroads, highways and first-class roads. The density of its road network remains below the national average. Road quality is relatively good and in 2019 it improved even more, so that the share of roads with surfaces in good condition reached 53.8%, against the country’s average of 41.4%. Households’ access to the internet has registered a decrease and in 2020 it went down to 73.6%, versus the national average of 78.9%. The share of households connected to a gas supply is practically nil – 0.02%, compared to 3.1% in the country on average. Installed RES capacity has reached 2.5 kW/person, versus 0.6 kW/person nationally.
Road network density (2020) |
16.90 km/100 sq.km >
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Statistical data in the past 21 years
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Railway network density (2020) |
0.00 km/100 sq.km >
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Statistical data in the past 21 years
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Relative share of motorways and first class roads (2020) |
0.00% >
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Statistical data in the past 12 years
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Relative share of households with Internet access (2020) |
73.60% >
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Statistical data in the past 15 years
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Relative share of people (aged 16 to 74) that have used Internet in the past 12 months (2018) |
73.00% >
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Statistical data in the past 13 years
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Share of roads in good condition (2019) |
53.80% >
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Statistical data in the past 14 years
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In 2021, Smolyan ranked among the districts with relatively low local taxes. The biggest differences with the respective national averages were observed in the tax on retail trade and motor vehicles. In 2021, the average retail trade tax in the municipalities in Smolyan district was 7.74 BGN/sq. m, versus 12.99 BGN/sq. m in the country. The tax on motor vehicles and passenger cars was 1.37 BGN/kW, compared to 1.54 BGN/kW nationally.
Immovable property tax for legal entities (2021) |
2.12‰ >
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Statistical data in the past 10 years
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Vehicle tax (commercial and passenger vehicles, 74 kW to 110 kW) (2021) |
1.37 leva/kW >
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Statistical data in the past 2 years
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Annual license tax for retailers (up to 100 sq.m. of retail space - for most favourable location of the site) (2021) |
7.74 leva/sq.m >
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Statistical data in the past 10 years
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Annual waste collection charge for properties of legal entities (2018) |
8.34‰ >
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Statistical data in the past 7 years
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Local tax on the sale of immovable property (2021) |
2.62‰ >
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Statistical data in the past 10 years
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Average annual taxi service patent tax (2021) |
318.00 BGN >
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Statistical data in the past 5 years
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The self-assessments of the local administration on the development of e-government and the provision of one-stop shop services has continued to improve in the past few years, and in 2021 they already exceeded the respective national averages. The AIP Active transparency rating of the local administration also went up in 2021, but remained below the national average.
Share of territory included in cadastral map (2019) |
89.90% >
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Statistical data in the past 17 years
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Level of development of local government e-services (2021) |
3.44/5 >
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Statistical data in the past 10 years
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Level of development of one-stop shop services (2021) |
3.56/5 >
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Statistical data in the past 9 years
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Transparency rating (2021) |
72.20% >
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Statistical data in the past 8 years
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Local Integrity System Index (2016) |
3.02/5.00 >
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Statistical data in the past 1 years
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The population of Smolyan district is one of the fastest ageing in the country. 2020 was a year of both a declining birth rate and increasing out-migration. After three years of natural population growth rate between –10‰ and –9‰, in 2020 it experienced a sharp drop to –14.4‰, compared to the national average of –9.5‰. In 2020 the net migration rate increased considerably but its value remained negative at –1.6‰. The district’s age dependency ratios have been deteriorating fast and are considerably more unfavorable than in the country on average. In 2020 the ratio of people aged 65+ to those aged 0–14 reached 220.2%, compared to 150.6% nationally, and to the 15–64 age group it was 40.1%, versus 34.1% countrywide. The share of urban population in the district is relatively low – 56.7%, against the national average of 72.9%. At the same time, the density of the population remains relatively high.
Old age dependancy ratio 65+ to 0-15 (2020) |
220.20% >
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Statistical data in the past 20 years
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Old age dependancy ratio 65+ to 15-64 (2020) |
40.10% >
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Statistical data in the past 20 years
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Share of urban population (2020) |
56.70% >
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Statistical data in the past 20 years
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Population density (calculated based on populated areas and other urban areas) (2020) |
1761.00people/sq.km >
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Statistical data in the past 21 years
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Natural growth rate (2020) |
-14.40‰ >
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Statistical data in the past 20 years
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Net migration rate (2020) |
-1.60‰ >
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Statistical data in the past 20 years
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Smolyan continues to rank among the districts with the best performance in education, where it is second only to Sofia (capital city). The net enrolment rate of schoolchildren in 5th–8th grade is one of the highest in the country – 90.8%, compared to the average of 86.5% nationally. The proportion of teachers to students in primary and secondary education is the highest in the country – 120 teachers per 1,000 students in 2020, compared to the national average of 87 teachers per 1,000 students. The share of dropouts from primary and secondary education is the lowest one in Bulgaria. The number of repeaters is also relatively low. The performance of the district’s students in 2021 again exceeded the national average. The average score in the external examination in mathematics at the end of 7th grade was 42.6 points, against 37.9 points nationwide, and was the third highest in the whole country, preceded only by that in the capital and Varna district. The average result in the State matriculation exam in Bulgarian language and literature reached 4.44 in the district, versus 4.21 nationally, and the share of “fail” grades (below 3.00) dropped to 2.4%, against 7.0% nationwide, which ranked Smolyan district second only to the capital. Smolyan is home to two university branches – one of Varna Free University and the other of Plovdiv University “Paisii Hilendarski”. The reported relative number of university students in the district is 14 per 1,000 persons, compared to 32 students per 1,000 persons in the country on average.
Students in colleges and universities 1000 people (2020) |
14.00 students >
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Statistical data in the past 21 years
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Net enrolment rate of the population (grades 5th through 8th) (2020) |
90.80% >
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Statistical data in the past 3 years
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Relative share of repeaters (2020) |
0.32% >
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Statistical data in the past 10 years
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Share of dropouts from primary and secondary education (2019) |
0.30% >
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Statistical data in the past 20 years
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Percent of failed students at state matriculation exams (2021) |
2.40 >
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Statistical data in the past 14 years
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Average grades at state matriculation exams (2021) |
4.44 >
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Statistical data in the past 14 years
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Teachers in primary and secondary education per 1000 pupils (2020) |
120.00 teachers >
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Statistical data in the past 21 years
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Relative share of the population aged 25-64 with tertiary education (2014) |
21.00% >
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Statistical data in the past 11 years
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Smolyan district performs quite well in the healthcare category. The percentage of people with health insurance is among the highest in Bulgaria and in 2020 it reached 95.6%, compared to 88.7% nationwide. Access to GPs is relatively good, though the number of specialist physicians is still considerably lower than the average one for the country. Hospital bed capacity dropped to 5.41 per 1,000 persons in 2020. The relative number of patients treated in the local hospitals was high, with 168 per 1,000 persons, versus 138 per 1,000 persons countrywide.
Number of people per general practitioner (2020) |
1605.00 >
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Statistical data in the past 20 years
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Number of people per doctor of a leading medical specialty (2018) |
572.00 >
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Statistical data in the past 9 years
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Health insured persons as share of the population (2020) |
95.60% >
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Statistical data in the past 18 years
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Number of beds in Multi-profile Hospitals for AMT per 1 000 people (2020) |
5.41 >
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Statistical data in the past 20 years
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Cases of hospitalization in Multi-profile AMT Hospitals per 1 000 people (2020) |
168.00 >
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Statistical data in the past 2 years
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Infant mortality rate (2020) |
4.80‰ >
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Statistical data in the past 17 years
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In 2020, Smolyan was again the top-ranking Bulgarian district in the public order and security category. The workloads of the local criminal judges were the lowest in the country, with a monthly average of 3.6 cases per judge, compared to 8.6 cases nationally. This has had a beneficial effect on the speed of delivery of justice. The share of criminal cases closed within 3 months was the highest in the country – 96%, against 90% nationally. Smolyan is also one of the districts with the lowest crime rates in the country. Registered crimes against the person and property number 5.2 per 1,000 persons, with 9.9 per 1,000 persons as the national average. At the same time, the detection rate in the district is extremely high – 68.6%, compared to 52.1% countrywide.
Share of criminal cases closed in the first 3 months (2020) |
96.00% >
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Statistical data in the past 12 years
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Share of pending criminal cases (2020) |
8.70% >
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Statistical data in the past 12 years
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Actual workload of penal judges (2020) |
3.60 cases/judge/month >
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Statistical data in the past 11 years
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Crimes against the person and property per 1000 people (2020) |
5.20 >
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Statistical data in the past 17 years
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Clearance rate for crimes against the person and property, registered throughout the year (2020) |
68.80% >
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Statistical data in the past 17 years
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Smolyan is among the districts with the lowest volumes of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. In 2019, 73.1% of the population lived in settlements with a public sewerage network (compared to 76.4% in the country), which is a comparatively high figure in view of the low level of urbanization in the district. However, Smolyan district is still lagging behind in terms of the connectivity of sewerage networks to waste water treatment plants, with a coverage of only 43.1% of the local population, compared to the national average of 64.6%. The amounts of household waste generated in the district are relatively small – 301 kg/person per year, against 409 kg/person on a national scale. The figures for the share of this waste handed over for treatment and recycling have fluctuated significantly over the past few years.
Household waste generated per capita of serviced population (2018) |
301.00 кг./човек >
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Statistical data in the past 15 years
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Share of the population living in settlements with public sewerage systems, connected to WWTP (2019) |
43.10% >
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Statistical data in the past 14 years
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Share of population living in settlements with public sewerage systems (2019) |
73.10% >
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Statistical data in the past 11 years
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Emissions of carbon dioxide per sq. km. of the territory (2019) |
3.40 tonnes/sq.km >
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Statistical data in the past 18 years
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Cultural life in Smolyan district is characterized by its low intensity. In 2020, it also suffered the effects of the pandemic and the nationwide restrictions on cultural events. Cinema visits dropped by 74% to 38 per 1,000 persons, while nationwide they fell by 71% to 190 per 1,000 persons, and library visits decreased by 34% to 131 per 1,000 persons, compared to the drop of 30% to 480 per 1,000 persons nationwide. The reduction in museum visits was smaller – by 38%, against 58% in the country, but the numbers remained very low – 96 per 1,000 persons, compared to 322 per 1,000 persons in the country.
Number of visits to cinemas per 1,000 people of the average annual population (2020) |
38.00 >
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Statistical data in the past 12 years
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Number of visits to theatres per 1,000 people of the average annual population (2019) |
99.00 >
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Statistical data in the past 11 years
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Number of visits to museums per 1,000 people of the average annual population (2020) |
96.00 >
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Statistical data in the past 12 years
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Number of visits to libraries per 1,000 people of the average annual population (2020) |
131.00 >
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Statistical data in the past 12 years
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(tbc)