National Statistical Institute

During the first quarter of 2017, the total turnover index in the Transportation and Storage sector in Bulgaria went up by 2.4% compared to the fourth quarter of 2016, according to a statistic of the National Statistical Institute (NSI), cited by Focus News Agency.

Visits to museums in Bulgaria totalled to 5,230,000 in 2016, going up by 9.8% compared to 2015. Approximately one fourth of them (1,223,000) were during days of free entry. An increased number of visits of foreigners has been registered - by 271,000, or by 36.8% compared to the previous year. This was announced by the National Statistical Institute (NSI) and cited by FOCUS news agency.

According to data from the National Statistical Institute for the first quarter of the year, Bulgarians spend 75% of their income on food, household bills, taxes and insurance, transport and telecommunication, reported BNR.

The total income per capita for the quarter is BGN 1 282 (EUR 655), or 3.5% more than a year earlier.

The consumer price index for April 2017 compared to March 2017 is 100.7%, i.e. the monthly inflation is 0.7%. Inflation since the start of the year (April 2017 compared to December 2016) is 1.5%, while the annual inflation for April 2017 compared to April 2016 is 2.6%, the Bulgarian National Statistical Institute (NSI) announced.

The Bulgarian average life expectancy, calculated for the period 2014-2016, is 74.7 years, as compared to the previous period (2013-2015), it has increased by 0.2 years, reported BGNES.

Bulgaria, Lithuania (74.6), and Latvia (74.8) are the three countries with the lowest life expectancy in the European Union (EU). With the highest are Spain (83.0) and Italy (82.7).

In March 2017, the overnight stays in hotels are altogether 782.6 thousand or by 5.5% more than in March 2016, points the data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI), reported Dnevnik.

All opened accommodation centers in Bulgaria for March are 1 884 with above 10 beds as compared to the last year, the counting drops by 1.8%, and beds - by 3.5%.

According to preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI), the number of residential buildings put into exploitation in the first quarter of 2017 totalled to 462, while newly constructed lodgings in them were 1,751. This was announced by the press centre of the National Statistical Institute.

In April 2017 in Total Confidence index among Bulgarian consumers declined by 1.6% compared to the level of three months ago, according to the National Statistical Institute, quoted by BNR.

Bulgaria's trade with the EU has gone up considerably, according to National Statistical Institute preliminary data, quoted by BNR.

In the January-February 2017 period, exports to the EU countries have gone up by 9% compared to the same period of 2016 of EUR 2.5 bln. At the same time imports from the EU have gone up by 12.2% and stand at EUR 2.8 bln.

Bulgarian business climate improved slightly in April, according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI), quoted by the Independent Balkan News Agency.

Data shows that in April 2017, the total business climate indicator increased by 0.7% compared with March. In industry, the indicator was largely unchanged compared with March, NSI said.