POPULATION CENSUS IN BULGARIA AT THE END OF XIX CENTURY

Sonya Zlatanova

Abstract: On 1 January 1881, the first population census of the Principality of Bulgaria took place. This survey marks the beginning of demographic statistics. The census is regulated by Decree No 716 of 13 December 1880 of Prince Alexander I Battenberg. The aim is to establish the number of people present in the country. The first population censuses are related to the status of the Bulgarian state - according to the Berlin Treaty of July 13, 1878, the Principality of Bulgaria and the autonomous province of East Rumelia were formed. On January 1, 1885, a census began in Eastern Rumelia. On January 1, 1888, the first census took place after the Union of the Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia. In the census on January 1, 1893, the statistical survey marks a new substantial advance. Not only the population, dwellings (inhabited and uninhabited) were counted, but a census of farm animals was made as well.

As a natural result of the rapid development of the Bulgarian statistics, the application of its own and international experience is the Census Act, adopted on 10 November 1897 by the 9th Ordinary National Assembly. The law was developed by the Directorate of Statistics and it ordered a census in 1900. On December 31, 1900, began the next census, which was the first one since the adoption of the Census Act of 1897. The conducted census is in good order and is well organized according to the recommendations of the International Statistical Institute. The methodology and program of this census corresponds to the level of the most advanced countries at that time.

The publications with the results of the population census in the period 1881 - 1900 present statistical information with parallel text in French and are available in the NSI’s digital library.

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Date published: 2018-09-13