The depopulation of villages in Bulgaria is no longer news, but the situation in Dryanovo Municipality—the smallest in one of the country’s smallest provinces, Gabrovo—is particularly dire. According to the latest data, 18 villages in the municipality have been completely abandoned, with no permanent residents, while another 24 have fewer than 10 inhabitants.
Among the settlements with critically low populations are the villages of Balvantsi, Buchukovtsi, Genya, Gorni Varpishta, Dobrenite, Elentsi, Ignatovtsi, Peyna, Petkovtsi, Radovtsi, Rusinovtsi, Salasuka, Syarovtsi, Chukovo, and Shushnya. In these places, a few elderly residents remain, living without access to basic services and with no younger generation to sustain the communities.
The continuing decline paints a grim picture for rural Bulgaria, where many such villages face extinction amid migration and aging populations.
Houses in Ruins
Even more alarming is the fate of 18 villages in Dryanovo Municipality that have become entirely deserted. Among these are Balaleyа, Banari, Bilkini, Djurovtsi, Kosilka, Kruncha, Neychovtsi, Stancha, and Sukholoevtsi. Life there has come to a standstill—streets lie empty, houses fall into ruin, and nature slowly reclaims what remains of these once-thriving settlements.
Dryanovo Is Not an Isolated Case
Dryanovo Municipality, known for its rich natural and cultural heritage—including the Dryanovo Monastery and Bacho Kiro Cave—faces sharp demographic challenges. However, this is not unique to Dryanovo. The entire Gabrovo region experiences significant depopulation. According to the National Statistical Institute, as of May this year, 199 villages across Bulgaria have no permanent residents, with the highest numbers found in Veliko Tarnovo (66) and Gabrovo (64) provinces.
Young people are leaving in search of better opportunities, while the elderly population is left without support or prospects. This demographic crisis poses a looming threat to Bulgaria’s rural communities and their centuries-old traditions.
Without deliberate national and regional policies aimed at promoting life in rural areas—through infrastructure improvements, access to healthcare and education, and economic incentives—the risk of erasing even more settlements remains real. At the same time, investing in villages with no inhabitants appears unjustifiable, creating a vicious cycle where the future of these places seems sealed by a single word: depopulation.
These findings come from the final draft of the General Spatial Development Plan for Dryanovo Municipality, which has been open for public consultation since July 15, 2025. The plan is scheduled for public discussion on September 1, 2025, before submission for approval by the Municipal Council.
