Several regions in Bulgaria were the most affected in Europe by negative population growth in 2021, during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a survey by Eurostat showed on November 21.

The survey showed that between January 1, 2021 and January 1, 2022, the EU’s population decreased by 265,257 people. “This reduction could be attributed to natural population changes (more deaths than births), as net migration plus adjustment remained positive (more people entered the EU rather than left it). In addition, the pandemic played a role,” Eurostat noted.

The regions most affected by population loss were all in Bulgaria: Vidin (-25.7 per 1,000 people) and Montana, Kyustendil, Gabrovo, Pernik and Vratsa (all with rates below -20.0 per 1,000 people).

For comparison, the EU’s crude rate of natural population change was -2.7 per 1,000 people.

980 regions out of 1,164, for which data are available, had a negative rate of natural population change, 173 regions registered a positive rate and 11 regions saw no change.

In 2021, every region of Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Portugal and Romania registered a negative rate of natural population change.

In Czechia, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia, almost every region recorded a negative rate with one exception.

By contrast, every region in Ireland had a positive rate of natural population change in 2021, while a relatively high number of regions located in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Austria and Sweden also recorded positive rates. This was also the case in Luxembourg and Cyprus.