Bulgaria's Population in Downward Spiral

[dualstow]

Look at these numbers.

Bulgaria has the most extreme population decline in the world — mostly due to post-1989 emigration — combined with a high death rate and low birth rate. There are so few people of child-bearing age here that population statistics project a 30-percent decrease by 2060, from 7.2 million to just over 5 million. In other words, Bulgaria’s population declines by 164 people a day, or 60,000 people a year; 60 percent of them aged over 65.

http://wapo.st/1svKnvQ

[MachineGhost]

Who would want to live under a dictatorship???

[clacy]

Bulgaria is a republic and has been since 89, before 89 they were "officially" a democratic government but the reality was that at the time it was a Communist country.. now it is a second world country connected to EU (not a member but connected) there is still plenty of corruption but now it is more in line with the type we have here in the west..

If you substituted the word "Detroit" for the word "Bulgaria", you can find equally powerful pictures.  It would be more or less the same article.  Cities rise and decline.  Countries rise and decline. 

[barrett]

I was in Bulgaria in 2002 and it wasn't all doom and gloom. I'd be curious to hear from folks who have been there more recently.

[Reub]

Think of the bright side of a declining population.....less cops!

[jabba]

My brother, British citizen, lives in Sofia and loves it. He has been there getting on for 8 or 9 years now. income tax is 10%, pay bribes if caught speeding, nice people, affordable, black sea, skiing, can drive to Instanbul or Greece, cheap airlines to anywhere in Europe etc.

You can be pretty free there unlike the rest of Europe. If you like manicured lawns, obese people, cameras everywhere and paying lots of taxes it is not for you.

[Ad Orientem]

Much of Europe is suffering from major population problems. I think it is a natural consequence of the materialistic age we live in, the creation of vast social welfare systems that have effectively supplanted the family as the social safety net, and the feminist propaganda that for decades has demeaned women who chose to be mothers. The problem is further compounded, especially in Eastern Europe, by the ready availability of abortion. In the Communist countries abortion was often the preferred method of birth control, with entirely predictable results. A very substantial number of women have had so many abortions that pregnancy is now difficult or medically impossible.

However this problem is being corrected. The Muslim immigrants are popping out kids like they are going out of style.

[dualstow]

Well Bulgaria has some specific issues that are not exactly like Detroit or the rest of Europe, according to the article. One problem: the government focused funding on certain regions while abandoning others.

However this problem is being corrected. The Muslim immigrants are popping out kids like they are going out of style.

oy.

[MachineGhost]

Whoops!  I conflated Bulgaria with Belarus.

[barrett]

Well Bulgaria has some specific issues that are not exactly like Detroit or the rest of Europe, according to the article. One problem: the government focused funding on certain regions while abandoning others.

Yeah, when I was there in 2002 I only had about ten days. I was probably in areas that were better funded though I did move about a fair bit and don't remember much squalor. I thought it was a gem at the time but I was also going to some pretty crappy destinations at that point in my life. Maybe my judgement was warped.