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This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


Map of Bulgaria



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Bulgaria Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1908. Having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. The country joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.
   Geography    Bulgaria Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
43 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Europe
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 110,910 sq km
land: 110,550 sq km
water: 360 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1,808 km
border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
354 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 29.94%
permanent crops: 1.9%
other: 68.16% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
5,880 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
19.4 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
total: 6.92 cu km/yr (3%/78%/19%)
per capita: 895 cu m/yr (2003)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
earthquakes, landslides
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
   People    Bulgaria Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7,262,675 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 13.8% (male 514,238/female 489,608)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 2,449,812/female 2,532,845)
65 years and over: 17.6% (male 520,962/female 755,210) (2008 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 41.1 years
male: 38.9 years
female: 43.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-0.813% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.58 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
14.3 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-3.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 18.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 72.83 years
male: 69.22 years
female: 76.66 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.4 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
346 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
100 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Bulgarian(s)
adjective: Bulgarian
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.2%
male: 98.7%
female: 97.7% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
Definition Field Listing
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.5% of GDP (2005)
   Government    Bulgaria Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria
local long form: Republika Balgariya
local short form: Balgariya
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Sofia
geographic coordinates: 42 41 N, 23 19 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora, Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
adopted 12 July 1991
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
civil and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Georgi PARVANOV (since 22 January 2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Sergei STANISHEV (since 16 August 2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Ivaylo KALFIN, Daniel VULCHEV, and Emel ETEM (since 16 August 2005) and Meglena PLUGCHIEVA (since 25 April 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 22 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly
election results: Georgi PARVANOV reelected president; percent of vote - Georgi PARVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV 22.7%; Sergei STANISHEV elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held in June 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%, MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%, other 8.7%; seats by party - CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, UDF 20, ATAKA 17, DSB 17, BPU 13, independents 4; note - seats by party as of January 2008 - CfB 82, NMS2 36, MRF 34, Bulgarian New Democracy 16, DSB 16, UDF 16, BPU 13, ATAKA 11, independents 16
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation; Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members; responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by the Attack National Union); Attack National Union [Volen SIDEROV]; Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia MOZER]; Bulgarian New Democracy [Borislav RALCHEV]; Bulgarian People's Union or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and BANU); Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB [Tsvetan TSVETANOV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Stability and Progress or NMSS [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA] (formerly National Movement Simeon II or NMS2); New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Petar STOYANOV]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition of center-right parties dominated by UDF)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation
other: numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Latechezar PETKOV
chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174
FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy McELDOWNEY
embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407
mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, US Department of State, 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
FAX: [359] (2) 937-5320
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red
note: the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe, has been removed
   Economy    Bulgaria Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, has experienced strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996. Successive governments have demonstrated commitment to economic reforms and responsible fiscal planning, but have failed so far to rein in rising inflation and large current account deficits. Bulgaria has averaged more than 6% growth since 2004, attracting significant amounts of foreign direct investment, but corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of organized crime remain significant challenges.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$86.71 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$39.61 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$11,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 6.2%
industry: 32.3%
services: 61.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.593 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 8.5%
industry: 33.6%
services: 57.9% (2nd qtr. 2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.7% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25.4% (2005)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
31.6 (2005)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
29.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $16.84 billion
expenditures: $15.35 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10.5% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.58% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$15.58 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$17.03 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$25.18 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
14% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
43.15 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
30.5 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
7.534 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
3.054 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3,661 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
109,600 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
50,530 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
158,400 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.6 billion cu m (2006 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.179 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-$8.53 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$18.44 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Turkey 11.5%, Germany 10.3%, Italy 10.2%, Greece 9.1%, Belgium 6.2%, Romania 4.9% (2007)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$28.67 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Russia 12.3%, Germany 12.3%, Italy 8.7%, Ukraine 7.2%, Turkey 6.9%, Greece 6.2%, Romania 4.5%, Austria 4.3% (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$17.38 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$34.88 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$33.91 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$559 million (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$10.32 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
lev (BGN)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
leva (BGN) per US dollar - 1.4366 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003)
   Communications    Bulgaria Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.3 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.897 million (2007)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: an extensive but antiquated telecommunications network inherited from the Soviet era; quality has improved; the Bulgaria Telecommunications Company's fixed-line monopoly terminated in 2005 when alternative fixed-line operators were given access to its network; a drop in fixed-line connections in recent years has been more than offset by a sharp increase in mobile-cellular telephone use fostered by multiple service providers; the number of cellular telephone subscriptions now exceeds the population
domestic: a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of the regions; the others are connected by digital microwave radio relay
international: country code - 359; submarine cable provides connectivity to Ukraine and Russia; a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system provides connectivity to Italy, Albania, and Macedonia; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intersputnik in the Atlantic Ocean region, 2 Intelsat in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.bg
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
513,470 (2008)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.899 million (2007)
   Transportation    Bulgaria Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
214 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 131
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 95 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 83
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 72 (2007)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
4 (2007)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
gas 2,500 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2007)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 4,294 km
standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 40,231 km
paved: 39,587 km (includes 331 km of expressways)
unpaved: 644 km (2005)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
470 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 74
by type: bulk carrier 37, cargo 14, chemical tanker 5, container 6, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 65 (Germany 63, Ireland 1, Russia 1)
registered in other countries: 31 (Comoros 2, Malta 5, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15, Slovakia 6) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Burgas, Varna
   Military    Bulgaria Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 9 months; as of May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of professional soldiers; conscription ended as of 1 January 2008; Air and Air Defense Forces and Naval Forces became fully professional at the end of 2006 (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 1,701,979
females age 16-49: 1,691,092 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 16-49: 1,364,029
females age 16-49: 1,401,348 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
Definition Field Listing
male: 39,477
female: 37,339 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
   Transnational Issues    Bulgaria Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008


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