05.10.2022

IN WHICH AREAS THERE IS NO ONE TO REPLACE THE PENSIONERS

Fewer and fewer young people are entering the labor market and succeeding in replacing the elderly who are retiring. This is shown by the latest NSI data from the 2021 census.

The total age dependency ratio, according to data from the 2021 Census, is 60.2, or for every 100 persons in the age group 15 - 64, there are 60 persons under 15 and 65 and over.

By comparison, in 2011 this ratio was 46.5, or the increase in the burden of persons of active age continues to grow. This ratio is best in the districts of Sofia (capital) (52.0), Blagoevgrad (55.7) and Varna (56.8), and the worst is in the district of Vidin (75.4).

The reproduction of the working age population is best characterized by the demographic replacement rate, which shows the ratio between the number of people entering the working age (15 - 19 years) and the number leaving the working age (60 - 64 years). According to data from the 2021 Census, this ratio is 61. For comparison, in 2011, every 100 persons exiting the working age were replaced by 70 young people, and in 2001 by 124.

This attitude is most favorable in the regions of Sliven (79), Varna (71) and Sofia (capital) (70). In two areas, the demographic replacement ratio is below 50 - Smolyan (41) and Kardzhali (46), the NSI indicates.

The trend of aging of the population also leads to changes in its basic age structure - below, in and above working age. Both the aging of the population and legislative changes in determining the age limits for retirement have an impact on the aggregates of the population at and above working age. For 2021, these limits are from 16 to the age of 61 years and 8 months for women and 64 years and 4 months for men.

The population of working age as of September 7, 2021 is 3,815 thousand people, or 58.5% of the country's population. Compared to 2011, the working population decreased by 762 thousand, or by 16.7%. Men are 1,997 thousand, and women - 1,818 thousand.

The population above working age is 1,726 thousand people, or 26.5%, and below working age - 979 thousand people, or 15% of the country's population.