The population of Bulgaria by December 31st 2008 is 7 606 551 people. 71 percent of them live in the cities, and 29 percent – in the villages across the country.

This was announced at a press conference by the chief of the department “Demographic statistics” of the National statistics institute docent Iordan Kalchev. Seven cities in Bulgaria have a population over a hundred thousand people, and 114 villages are practically ghost ones, with no inhibitants left.

Nearly half of the Bulgarian population lives in the south-western region and the south central region of the country – respectively 28% and 20%.

Of the total number of citizens in the country, 63,2% of them are in their working age. In 16 municipalities this category is under the country’s average, with the lowest percentage in the regions of Vidin, Montana, Lovech, Pleven, Gabrovo.