NUTS statistical regions of Bulgaria

The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) is a geocode standard for referencing the subdivisions of Bulgaria for statistical purposes. The standard is developed and regulated by the European Union. The NUTS standard is instrumental in delivering the European Union's Structural Funds. The NUTS code for Bulgaria is BG and a hierarchy of three levels is established by Eurostat. Below these is a further levels of geographic organisation - the local administrative unit (LAU). In Bulgaria, the LAU 1 is municipalities and the LAU 2 is settlements.

Local Administrative Units
Below the NUTS levels, the two LAU (Local Administrative Units) levels are: The LAU codes of Bulgaria can be downloaded here:

NUTS codes


In the 2003 version, the codes were as follows:
 * BG1 North Bulgaria
 * BG11 North West
 * BG111 Vidin
 * BG112 Montana
 * BG113 Vratsa
 * BG12 North Central
 * BG121 Pleven
 * BG122 Lovech
 * BG123 Veliko Tarnovo
 * BG124 Gabrovo
 * BG125 Ruse
 * BG13 North East
 * BG131 Varna
 * BG132 Dobrich
 * BG133 Shumen
 * BG134 Targovishte
 * BG135 Razgrad
 * BG136 Silistra
 * BG2 South Bulgaria
 * BG21 South West
 * BG211 Grad Sofiya
 * BG212 Sofiya
 * BG213 Blagoevgrad
 * BG214 Pernik
 * BG215 Kyustendil
 * BG22 South Central
 * BG221 Plovdiv
 * BG222 Stara Zagora
 * BG223 Haskovo
 * BG224 Pazardzhik
 * BG225 Smolyan
 * BG226 Kardzhali
 * BG23 South East
 * BG231 Burgas
 * BG232 Sliven
 * BG233 Yambol

NUTS 2 regions redrawing
Some of the present NUTS II regions of Bulgaria no longer meet the relevant technical requirements, mostly due to general population decline and increasing regional disproportion. A 2013 study by FLGR Consult commissioned by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works analyzed the state and trends of change in the characteristics of these regions to identify several options for the pending redrawing of the NUTS II map of the country. The process was restarted in 2017 with certain modified versions considered, and final decision due by the end of 2018. The relevant Regional Development (Amendment) Bill, released for public consultation by the Council of Ministers in October 2018, is based on a four-regions version chosen from the shortlist of three options developed by an inter-ministerial working group led by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works.