Bulgaria continues to stand out as one of the European Union's biggest contradictions, ranking at the top of several positive indicators while also remaining among the bloc's weakest performers in measures tied to quality of life, according to the latest Eurostat data.
The statistics paint a picture of a country that has made progress in employment and wage growth while still struggling with poverty, demographic decline, and low living standards. Although Bulgaria remains the least expensive place to live in the EU, it also records the bloc's lowest standard of living and one of the highest risks of poverty and social exclusion.
Eurostat's latest overview of the European Union highlights Bulgaria as a country gradually closing the gap with the rest of Europe in some economic areas but continuing to lag behind in others. The result is a combination of strengths and weaknesses rarely seen elsewhere in the Union.
One of the most striking examples is the country's demographic profile. Bulgaria now has the highest fertility rate in the EU, with an average of 1.72 children per woman, well above the European average of 1.34. France and Hungary follow, while Malta, Spain, and Lithuania report the lowest fertility rates.
