Bulgaria

Republic of BulgariaRepublika Balgariya

parliamentary democracy

Bulgaria as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 128 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSofia, UTC+2
Position43 00 N, 25 00 E
Area110,910 sq km
LocationSoutheastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
2006

Every edition of Bulgaria

Populationas each edition published it
7.39 million July 2006 est. · 8.93m in 1990
Population growth% a year
-0.86% 2006 est. · -0.39% in 1993
Median ageyears
40.8 years 2006 est. · 40.5 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
72.3 years 2006 est. · 72.82 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.38 children per woman 2006 est. · 1.9 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
19.85 deaths per 1,000 live births 2006 est. · 13 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$9,600 2005 est. · $3,800 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5.5% 2005 est. · -7.7% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 110,910 sq km

arable land 29.94%permanent crops 1.9%other 68.16% (2005)irrigated 5,880 sq km (2003)
Area
110,910sq km
land: 110,550 sq kmwater: 360 sq kmslightly larger than Tennessee
Coastline
354km
territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Highest point
2,925m
Musalalowest point: Black Sea 0 m
Land boundaries
1,808km
border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

43 00 N, 25 00 E

Climate

  • temperate;
  • cold, damp winters;
  • hot, dry summers

Terrain

mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Natural resources

bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

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

People

19 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2006 est.)

527,027
65 and over17.3%
752,391
2,496,054
15-6468.7%
2,579,680
527,881
0-1413.9%
502,334
MaleFemale
Population
7,385,367
(July 2006 est.)growth rate: -0.86% (2006 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)

Birth
9.65Death
14.27Net migration
-4.01

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2006 est.)72.3
68.68 · 76.13Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)19.85
23.52 · 15.95
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)98.6%
99.1% · 98.2%Median age years (2006 est.)40.8
38.7 · 42.9
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups(2001 census)

Bulgarian 83.9%Turk 9.4%Roma 4.7%other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)

Religions(2001 census)

Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%Muslim 12.2%other Christian 1.2%other 4% (2001 census)

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.)

Total fertility rate

1.38 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

100 (2001 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Bulgarian(s)
adjective:
Bulgarian

Languages

Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Government

Parliamentary democracy; President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January 2002); Prime Minister Sergei STANISHEV (since 16 August 2005)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

31.1%
CfB 31.1%NMS2 19.9%MRF 12.7%ATAKA 8.2%UDF 7.7%DSB 6.5%BPU 5.2%last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held June 2009)

National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie, 240 seats, elected 25 June 2005one dot, one seat

CfB 83NMS2 53MRF 33UDF 20ATAKA 17DSB 17BPU 13independents 4

Percent of vote

CfB 31.1%NMS2 19.9%MRF 12.7%ATAKA 8.2%UDF 7.7%DSB 6.5%BPU 5.2%

Country name

conventional long form:
Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form:
Bulgaria
local long form:
Republika Balgariya
local short form:
Balgariya

Government type

parliamentary democracy

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 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

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 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 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, UNMIS, 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, US Department of State, 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
telephone:
[359] (2) 937-5100
FAX:
[359] (2) 937-5320

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

Economy

Bulgaria, a former communist country soon 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.

46 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$71.67billion
(2005 est.)official exchange rate: $25.79 billion (2005 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$9,600
(2005 est.)
Real growth rate
5.5%
(2005 est.)industrial production growth: 7.9% (2005)

GDP - composition by sector(2005 est.)

agriculture 9.3%industry 30.4%services 60.3% (2005 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

Russia
15.6%
9.8%
Germany
13.6%
12%
Italy
9%
10.5%
Turkey
6.1%
9.5%
Greece
5%
4.6%
France
4.7%
Exports $11.67 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)Imports $16.78 billion f.o.b. (2005)(2005)

Budget

Revenues
$11.18 billionExpenditures
$10.9 billion (2005 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

Electricity production
45 billion (2004)Electricity consumption
25.1 billion (2004)Electricity exports
6.8 billion (2003)Electricity imports
1.3 billion (2003)

Economy - overview

Bulgaria, a former communist country soon 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 - the currency is now fixed against the euro - 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.

Labor force

3.34 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
11%
industry:
32.7%
services:
56.3% (3rd qtr. 2004 est.)

Population below poverty line

Below $2.15 per day (PPP) 4% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
2.4%
highest 10%:
23.7% (2001)

Investment (gross fixed)

23.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Public debt

31.9% 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

Oil - production

1,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption

98,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

85,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

15 million bbl (1 January 2005)

Natural gas - production

1.13 million cu m (2003)

Natural gas - consumption

3.1 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - imports

2.9 billion cu m (2004)

Natural gas - proved reserves

5.67 billion cu m (1 January 2005)

Current account balance

$-3.919 billion (2005)

Exports

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

Exports - commodities

clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels

Imports

$16.78 billion f.o.b. (2005)

Imports - commodities

  • machinery and equipment;
  • metals and ores;
  • chemicals and plastics;
  • fuels, minerals, and raw materials

Debt - external

$15.32 billion (2005 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$475 million per year in EU pre-accession aid (2004-06)

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

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
6.245 million
(2005)
Internet users
184,975
(2006)
Fixed lines
2,483,500
(2005) · country code .bg

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 users

2.2 million (2005)

Transportation

10 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

1
over 3,047 m
19
2,438 to 3,047 m
15
1,524 to 2,437 m
2
1
914 to 1,523 m
11
96
under 914 m
72
Paved 132Unpaved 85

Networkskm

Roadways
102,016Railways
4,294Waterways
470 (2006)
Roadways: paved: 93,855 km (including 328 km of expressways) · unpaved: 8,161 km (2003) · Railways: standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified) · narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2005)

Airports

217 (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)

Merchant marine

total:
75 ships (1000 GRT or over) 872,653 GRT/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 terminals

Burgas, Varna

Military

Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Force (2006)

6 fields

Military branches

Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Force (2006)

Military service age and obligation

  • 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
  • conscript service obligation - 9 months;
  • as of May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of 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 available for military service

males age 18-49:
1,661,211
females age 18-49:
1,660,982 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49:
1,302,037
females age 18-49:
1,365,126 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49:
51,023
females age 18-49:
48,651 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

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

Central Intelligence Agency. “Bulgaria.” The World Factbook 2006. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/bulgaria/2006.

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