Bulgaria

§1. 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. Today, reforms
  and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual integration
  into the EU. The country joined NATO in 2004.

§2. Bulgaria Geography

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
  43 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 110,910 km²
  land: 110,550 km²
  water: 360 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,808 km
  border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia
    and Montenegro 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Coastline:
  354 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  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 extremes:
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Natural resources:
  bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 29.94%
  permanent crops: 1.9%
  other: 68.16% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  8,000 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes, landslides

Environment - current issues:
  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:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
    Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air 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 - note:
  strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from
  Europe to Middle East and Asia

§3. Bulgaria 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 growth rate:
  -0.86% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  14.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

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 mortality rate:
  total: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 23.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.3 years
  male: 68.68 years
  female: 76.13 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.38 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  346 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  100 (2001 est.)

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.)

§4. Bulgaria Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
  conventional short form: Bulgaria

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Sofia

Administrative divisions:
  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:
  3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22
  September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

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 branch:
  chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (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)
  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 five-year terms; election last held 11 and 18 November
    2001 (next to be held in 2006); 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 elected president; percent of vote -
    Georgi PURVANOV 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%; Sergei STANISHEV elected
    prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67

Legislative branch:
  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 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 branch:
  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:
  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 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 pressure groups and leaders:
  Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa
  Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest
  groups with various agendas

International organization participation:
  ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU
  (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, 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, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA
  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:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John Ross BEYRLE
  embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407
  mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, 5740 Sofia
    Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
  telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
  FAX: [359] (2) 937-5230

Flag description:
  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

§5. Bulgaria Economy

Economy - overview:
  Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter 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 (purchasing power parity):
  $67.29 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $25.75 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.7% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $9,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 10.1%
  industry: 30.2%
  services: 59.7% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  3.34 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 11%, industry 32.7%, services 56.3% (3rd quarter 2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  11.5% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  13.4% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 4.5%
  highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31.9 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.5% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22.1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $11.18 billion
  expenditures: $10.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Public debt:
  32.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets;
  livestock

Industries:
  electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment,
  base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel

Industrial production growth rate:
  7% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  38.07 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  31.75 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  5.449 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  1.8 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  2,908 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
  107,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
  8.1 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  1 million m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  5.401 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 m³ (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  5.8 billion m³ (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  5.947 billion m³ (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-2.741 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $11.67 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels

Exports - partners:
  Italy 13.1%, Germany 11.6%, Turkey 9.3%, Belgium 6.1%, Greece 5.6%, US
  5.3%, France 4.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $15.9 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels,
  minerals, and raw materials

Imports - partners:
  Germany 15.1%, Italy 10.2%, Russia 7.9%, Greece 7.5%, Turkey 6.9%, France
  4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $9.707 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external:
  $15.46 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $300 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
  lev (BGL)

Exchange rates:
  leva per US dollar - 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003), 2.077
  (2002), 2.1847 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Bulgaria Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,726,800 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4,729,700 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: extensive but antiquated
  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 broadcast stations:
  AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Internet country code:
  .bg

Internet hosts:
  95,539 (2005)

Internet users:
  630,000 (2002)

§7. Bulgaria Transportation

Airports:
  213 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 128
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 19
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 92 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 85
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 72 (2005)

Heliports:
  1 (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2004)

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 (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 102,016 km
  paved: 93,855 km (including 328 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 8,161 km (2003)

Waterways:
  470 km (2006)

Merchant marine:
  total: 73 ships (1000 GRT or over) 862,164 GRT/1,276,562 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 15, chemical tanker 4, container 6,
    passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/ roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1)
  registered in other countries: 40 (Cambodia 1, Comoros 1, Malta 14, Saint
    Vincent and the Grenadines 16, Slovakia 7, unknown 1) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Burgas, Varna

§8. Bulgaria Military

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript
  service obligation - 9 months; plans call for fully professionalizing the
  army by the end of 2007 when conscription will terminate; air force and
  navy will become fully professional by end of 2006 (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,661,211 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,302,037 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 51,023 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $356 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.6% (2003)

§9. Bulgaria Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none

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


<Factbook 2006>
