Bulgarian employment statistics for the second quarter of 2006

The Bulgarian National Statistical Workforce Institute has released new information on the second quarter of 2006:

The economically active population amounts 3.44 million, or nearly 52% of Bulgarians over 15. The economically active people between 15 and 64 years of age are 3.4 million. There are 308,900,000 unemployed persons, or 9% of the economically active population.

The employed in the second quarter were 3.13 million, or 47% of Bulgarians over 15. The figure includes 1.6 million, or 53.1 per cent, males and 1.5 million, or 46.9% females.

The majority of employed are hired under contract (86.7%), followed by self-employed persons (8.2%), non-paid family workers (1.3%) and employers (3.9%). The share of Bulgarians working in the private sector is 68.1%. Most of the employed are engaged in the service industry, 57.9%; 33.6% are in the industrial sector, and 8.5% in agriculture and forestry.

According to the latest census of 2001, Bulgaria has a population of 7.9 million.

Data provided by BTA