Yugozapaden: economy, jobs and official figures

Yugozapaden is a statistical region of Bulgaria, the largest of 6 by population. Yugozapaden had 2,022,982 residents on 1 January 2025, 31.4% of the population of Bulgaria and the largest of 6 regions in Bulgaria. That is 3.3% fewer than in 2015.

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Yugozapaden: GDP per person was 42,600 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 107% of the EU average; the highest of 6 regions in Bulgaria. PPS adjust for price differences between countries.
• Health in Yugozapaden: Life expectancy at birth was 77 years in 2024 (75.8 for Bulgaria); the highest of 6 regions in Bulgaria.
• Education in Yugozapaden: The share of adults aged 25 to 64 with a degree-level (tertiary) education was 44.5% in 2025, against 35.7% for Bulgaria and 36.9% across the EU; the highest of 6 regions in Bulgaria.
• Poverty and living standards in Yugozapaden: Disposable household income was 19,200 PPS per person in 2023; the highest of 6 regions in Bulgaria.
• Government and politics in Yugozapaden: The districts of the Yugozapaden (South-West) region elect 73 of the 240 members of the 52nd National Assembly from 7 multi-member constituencies, 30.4% of all seats.

More figures

• The Yugozapaden (South-West) region covers 20,330 square kilometres, which gives 99.5 residents per square kilometre at the end of 2024 against 58.0 for Bulgaria as a whole. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

Provinces in Yugozapaden

Yugozapaden is made up of 5 provinces. Each has its own page of official figures.

• Sofia (stolitsa) 1,295,931
• Blagoevgrad 286,333
• Sofia 224,701
• Pernik 109,886
• Kyustendil 106,131

How statistical regions are governed in Bulgaria

Regions – oblasti (28). Regional governor appointed by the Council of Ministers. Represent the state, check that municipal decisions are lawful, co-ordinate regional development.

Every tier of government in Bulgaria

This is one of the EU's NUTS 2 statistical regions, which Eurostat uses to compare regions across Europe. It does not always match a level of government in Bulgaria.

Other statistical regions of Bulgaria

• Yuzhen tsentralen 1,306,492
• Yugoiztochen 952,383
• Severoiztochen 826,742
• Severen tsentralen 673,331
• Severozapaden 655,430

Up a level: Bulgaria · government and power in Bulgaria · cities

Sources

• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d2jan: Population on 1 January, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1572e74fa245…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d3dens: Population density, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f4b59fe9d121…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (purchasing power standards), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c21f724d14a6…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (euros), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 537f99167955…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP (million euros), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e3677c4e6d67…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2hhinc: Disposable household income per person (PPS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bd6019768e9f…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Unemployment rate (age 15-74), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 13f5037ce93a…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Youth unemployment rate (age 15-24), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83bb1aebc10b…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfe2emprt: Employment rate (age 20-64), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 03191283bf5f…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_peps11n: At risk of poverty or social exclusion, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 94dcf245d20e…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_mlifexp: Life expectancy at birth, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 62800ed9bbb3…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_04: Adults (25-64) with a degree-level education, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6ff9f4bfff72…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset rd_e_gerdreg: Research and development spending (% of GDP), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 36a9132b2284…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_broad_h: Households with broadband, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b02c9a1ef222…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_fagec: Live births, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6a1490d549d5…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_magec: Deaths, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d4821a589633…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset reg_area3: Area, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 75302b0aafe9…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Unemployment rates by sex, age, educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ac151d8a46d5…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset isoc_r_iuse_i: Individuals regularly using the internet by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fb4ff8800853…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfe2emprt: Employment rates by sex, age and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 51bfca80dc8b…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset tran_r_vehst: Stock of vehicles by category and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5adf37bcb393…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_li41: At-risk-of-poverty rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 27849ad61b9a…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gvagr: Real growth rate of regional gross value added (GVA) at basic prices by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ba2c4bdc7c37…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset trng_lfse_04: Participation rate of adults in education and training (last 4 weeks) by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 42ceced85786…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2coe: Compensation of employees by NUTS 2 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 895d7cc9e826…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset tran_r_acci: Victims in road accidents by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a183ad1f888d…)
• National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI): Regions, districts and municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria 2024 (yearbook tables by statistical region, district and municipality), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81cba27bb0cc…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset tour_occ_nin2: Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 06f6a82909c0…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_minfind: Infant mortality rates by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 60cbafea3657…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_mdsd18: Severe material and social deprivation rate by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 62e6e6fba571…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_04: Population aged 25-64 by educational attainment level, sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 63810622cd71…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_22: Young people neither in employment nor in education and training (NEET) by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1467a7225373…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset ilc_lvhl21n: People living in households with very low work intensity by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8b5e993ae943…)
• National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria: Members of the 52nd National Assembly by parliamentary group and multi-member constituency (list as of 24 October 2026), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 85cb8b3368bb…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset hlth_co_disch2t: Hospital discharges by diagnosis and NUTS 2 region (in-patients), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d93487a1c1f9…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset hlth_cd_asdr2: Causes of death: standardised death rate by NUTS 2 region of residence, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 308c4b705d5d…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset hlth_silc_08_r: Self-reported unmet needs for medical examination by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e5484460cdfc…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_mlifexp: Life expectancy by age, sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f5a2a33406b9…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset edat_lfse_16: Early leavers from education and training by sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c3cc66b98a4a…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_find2: Fertility indicators by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d3f275c072bc…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset educ_uoe_enra11: Pupils and students enrolled by education level, sex and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 20b6224cca4f…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2hhinc: Income of households by NUTS 2 region (euros per inhabitant), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a7441dafca51…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset hlth_rs_physreg: Physicians by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4ff68eb77f8b…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset hlth_rs_bdsrg2: Hospital beds by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3178c155028f…)
• Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu2ltu: Long-term unemployment (12 months and more) by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3d5d17a32863…)

Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.