from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Bulgaria
Introduction
Background: 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 is slated to
join the EU in 2007.
Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
Romania and Turkey
Geographic 43 00 N, 25 00 E
coordinates:
Map Europe
references:
Area: total: 110,910 sq km
land: 110,550 sq km
water: 360 sq km
Area - slightly larger than Tennessee
comparative:
Land total: 1,808 km
boundaries: border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km,
Romania 608 km, Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km
Coastline: 354 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Elevation lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
extremes: highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Natural bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
resources:
Land use: arable land: 29.94%
permanent crops: 1.9%
other: 68.16% (2005)
Irrigated 5,880 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural earthquakes, landslides
hazards:
Environment - air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers
current polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents;
issues: deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and
resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy
metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes
Environment - party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
international Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
agreements: Pollution-Sulfur 85, 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
Geography - strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key
note: land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
People
Population: 7,385,367 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 13.9% (male 527,881/female 502,334)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,496,054/female 2,579,680)
65 years and over: 17.3% (male 527,027/female 752,391)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 40.8 years
male: 38.7 years
female: 42.9 years (2006 est.)
Population -0.86% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 9.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 14.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: 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: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 23.52 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 15.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 72.3 years
expectancy at male: 68.68 years
birth: female: 76.13 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.38 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 346 (2001 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 100 (2001 est.)
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Bulgarian(s)
adjective: Bulgarian
Ethnic groups: Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2%
(including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian)
(2001 census)
Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian
1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)
Languages: Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and
unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.2% (2003 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria
local long form: Republika Balgariya
local short form: Balgariya
Government parliamentary democracy
type:
Capital: 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 28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad,
divisions: 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: 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the
Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete
independence from the Ottoman Empire)
National Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
holiday:
Constitution: adopted 12 July 1991
Legal system: civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22
branch: 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)
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 PURVANOV reelected president;
percent of vote - Georgi PURVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV
22.7%; Sergei STANISHEV elected prime minister, result
of legislative vote - 168 to 67
Legislative unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240
branch: seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held 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%; seats by party - CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, UDF
20, ATAKA 17, DSB 17, BPU 13, independents 4
Judicial Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of
branch: 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 ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed
parties and by the Attack National Union); Attack National Union
leaders: [Volen Siderov]; Bulgarian Agrarian National
Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia MOZER];
Bulgarian People's Union or BPU (coalition of UFD,
IMRO, and BANU); Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP
[Sergei STANISHEV]; 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 Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon
SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; 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 Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria
pressure or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous
groups and regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with
leaders: various agendas
International ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC,
organization EBRD, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
participation: ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG,
OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
(associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO,
ZC
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA
representation chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174
FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador John Ross BEYRLE
representation embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407
from the US: 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 three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and
description: red; note - the national emblem, formerly on the hoist
side of the white stripe, has been removed
Economy
Economy - Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter
overview: the European Union, has experienced macroeconomic
stability and strong growth since a major economic
downturn in 1996 led to the fall of the then socialist
government. As a result, the government became
committed to economic reform and responsible fiscal
planning. Minerals, including coal, copper, and zinc,
play an important role in industry. In 1997,
macroeconomic stability was reinforced by the
imposition of a fixed exchange rate of the lev against
the German D-mark and the negotiation of an IMF standby
agreement. Low inflation and steady progress on
structural reforms improved the business environment;
Bulgaria has averaged 4% growth since 2000 and has
begun to attract significant amounts of foreign direct
investment. Corruption in the public administration, a
weak judiciary, and the presence of organized crime
remain the largest challenges for Bulgaria.
GDP $71.67 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $25.79 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 5.5% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $9,600 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 9.3%
composition by industry: 30.4%
sector: services: 60.3% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 3.34 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 11%
by occupation: industry: 32.7%
services: 56.3% (3rd qtr. 2004 est.)
Unemployment 11.5% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population 13.4% (2002 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 4.5%
income or highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 31.9 (2001)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 5% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 23.8% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $11.18 billion
expenditures: $10.9 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 31.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley,
products: sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock
Industries: electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco;
machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical
products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
Industrial 7.3% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 38.07 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 47.8%
production by hydro: 8.1%
source: nuclear: 44.1%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 31.75 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 5.449 billion kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 1.8 billion kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 2,908 bbl/day (2003)
production:
Oil - 107,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 8.1 million bbl (1 January 2002)
reserves:
Natural gas - 1 million cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 5.401 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 5.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 5.947 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
proved
reserves:
Current $-3.133 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $11.67 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and
commodities: equipment, fuels
Exports - Italy 12%, Turkey 10.5%, Germany 9.8%, Greece 9.5%,
partners: France 4.6% (2005)
Imports: $15.9 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and
commodities: plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials
Imports - Russia 15.6%, Germany 13.6%, Italy 9%, Turkey 6.1%,
partners: Greece 5%, France 4.7% (2005)
Reserves of $8.695 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $15.32 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $300 million (2000 est.)
recipient:
Currency lev (BGL)
(code):
Currency code: BGN
Exchange leva per US dollar - 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004),
rates: 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002), 2.1847 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 2,483,500 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 6.245 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: extensive but antiquated
system: domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are
residential; telephone service is available in most
villages; 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; direct dialing to 58
countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik
(Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and
Indian Ocean regions)
Radio AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 4.51 million (1997)
Television 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 3.31 million (1997)
Internet .bg
country code:
Internet 184,975 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 200 (2001)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 2.2 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 217 (2006)
Airports - total: 132
with paved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 96 (2006)
Airports - total: 85
with unpaved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 72 (2006)
Heliports: 4 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 2,505 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km
(2006)
Railways: 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 (2005)
Roadways: total: 102,016 km
paved: 93,855 km (including 328 km of expressways)
unpaved: 8,161 km (2003)
Waterways: 470 km (2006)
Merchant total: 75 ships (1000 GRT or over) 872,653 GRT/
marine: 1,294,877 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 17, chemical tanker 4,
container 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3,
roll on/roll off 4
foreign-owned: 2 (Germany 1, Russia 1)
registered in other countries: 41 (Cambodia 1, Comoros
1, Malta 13, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
17, Slovakia 7, unknown 1) (2006)
Ports and Burgas, Varna
terminals:
Military
Military Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces,
branches: Bulgarian Air Force (2006)
Military 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service age service; conscript service obligation - 9 months; as of
and May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of
obligation: professional soldiers; conscription into the Army to
end as of 1 January 2008; Air and Air Defense Forces
and Naval Forces will become fully professional by end
of 2006 (2006)
Manpower males age 18-49: 1,661,211
available for females age 18-49: 1,660,982 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 1,302,037
for military females age 18-49: 1,365,126 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 51,023
reaching females age 18-49: 48,651 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $356 million (FY02)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 2.6% (2003)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - none
international:
Illicit drugs: 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