Bulgaria (click here) is projected to have the fastest-shrinking population in the world. It's already lost a fifth of its population since the 1990s. But what does this mean for those who remain?
Deep in the Bulgarian countryside, in the western province of Pernik, I make a rare discovery.
It's not Stoyan Evtimov's traditional embroidered woollen tunic that makes him unusual.
It's the fact he's a thirty-something living in a village. "All my friends that I grew up with here left long ago," he says.
Like many young Bulgarians, they moved to towns and cities in search of work.
Stoyan considers himself lucky to have employment in the mountain village of Peshtera, leading its folk-singing group and organising an annual music festival in an attempt to revive traditional marriage music, and the village.Even so, he is finding village life unsustainable....
Stoyan Evtimov, the gentleman in the picture, did a magnificent thing. He loved his culture and harnessed music to grow his personal economy. That is important, what Mr. Evtimov lacks is a growing audience.
...This exodus contributes to another factor in Bulgaria's dwindling population numbers - in part because a lot of young adults have left the country, the birth rate is low.
The last time a baby was born in the village, recalls shopkeeper Stefka - whose own two sons have moved away to the city - was a decade ago. The little girl and her mother now live in Cyprus, she adds.
The vast majority of the people Stefka serves are over the age of 60. The shelves are sparsely stocked, she says, because there aren't many customers, and she worries the shop will have to close.
Higher up the mountain, the village shops have already shut, along with schools and bus services....
Bulgaria needs investiment in tourism. It has incredible variations in climate and it's land are beautiful. It's people are beautiful in their love for their country, Mr. Evtimov is a fine example of it.
When populations drop in such a percipitous way, the national income will suffer. Then that suffers the tourism areas will deteriorate, or in the case of Bulgaria, won't be harnessed for sustainable development in the first place. This is a prime example of the RUT countries are in when producing an income and PURPOSE for their people. The leadership wants to see factories and all kinds of manufacturing when in fact the most attractive aspect of Bulgaria is it's unique climate and it's lands. Where are the commercial fisherman that want the experience of fishing in these rivers and streams?
To the left is the "Rhodopean Spined Loach." It seems similar to a cat fish. I am sure locals can atest to it's taste and sportsman appeal. Now call me crazy, but, aren't land snails used in escargot? There has to be at least one or two in these 57 different species that make good escargot. Yes?
...Among the 57 land snails known only from Bulgaria (Univ. Plovdiv pdf file) are Alinda vratzatica (conchology.be), Micridyla pinteri (AnimalBase), Helicigona pelia(AnimalBase), Laciniaria macilenta (AnimalBase), and Macedonica martae(AnimalBase). Endemic freshwater snails include Belgrandiella angelovi (ARKive),Bythinella hansboetersi (malaco.de pdf file), Radomaniola rhodopensis (ARKive),Grossuana angeltsekovi (p. 12 of malaco.de pdf file), and Devetakia pandurskii (p. 4 of malaco.de pdf file).
