Margarita Ilieva

Abstract

In the last decade of the 20th century fundamental changes in all sphe-res of social-economic life occurred throughout the rural areas in Bulgaria. The most important of them are the economic, demographic and social changes. This article treats only some of these multilateral changes. Now the development of the rural areas is one of the priorities of Bulgaria's national regional policy.

Keywords: rural areas, economic and social transformation, depopulation, ageing, prospects for development, Bulgaria

Margarita Ilieva [ilieva_mm@abv.bg], Institute of Geography, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences "G. Bonchev" str., block 3, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria
Chavdar Mladenov, Institute of Geography, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences "G. Bonchev" str., block 3, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria