2010 Edition

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 the EU in 2007.

Area

land

108,489 sq km

total

110,879 sq km

water

2,390 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Tennessee

Climate

temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Coastline

354 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Musala 2,925 m

lowest point

Black Sea 0 m

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-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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

895 cu m/yr (2003)

total

6.92 cu km/yr (3%/78%/19%)

Geographic coordinates

43 00 N, 25 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

Irrigated land

5,880 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km

total

1,808 km

Land use

arable land

29.94%

other

68.16% (2005)

permanent crops

1.9%

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

earthquakes; landslides

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Total renewable water resources

19.4 cu km (2005)

Age structure

0-14 years: 13.8% (male 509,544/female 484,816) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 2,426,060/female 2,508,772) 65 years and over: 17.7% (male 518,711/female 756,784) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

9.43 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

14.31 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

4.1% of GDP (2007)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

346 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

13.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

20.59 deaths/1,000 live births

total

17.26 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.17 years (2010 est.)

male

69.74 years

total population

73.35 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

97.7% (2001 census)

male

98.7%

total population

98.2%

Median age

female

43.9 years (2010 est.)

male

39.4 years

total

41.6 years

Nationality

adjective

Bulgarian

noun

Bulgarian(s)

Net migration rate

-2.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

7,148,785 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.768% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2008)

male

13 years

total

14 years

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: 0.68 male(s)/female

total population

0.92 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.41 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

-0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

71% of total population (2008)

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 (Sofia), Sofiya-Grad (Sofia City), Stara Zagora, Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

42 41 N, 23 19 E

name

Sofia

time difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

adopted on 12 July 1991

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Bulgaria

conventional short form

Bulgaria

local long form

Republika Balgariya

local short form

Balgariya

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador James B. WARLICK, Jr

embassy

16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407

FAX

[359] (2) 937-5320

mailing address

American Embassy Sofia, US Department of State, 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740

telephone

[359] (2) 937-5100

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Elena POPTODOROVA

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 234-7973

telephone

[1] (202) 387-0174

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Georgi PARVANOV (since 22 January 2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)

election results

Georgi PARVANOV reelected president; percent of vote - Georgi PARVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV 22.7%; Boyko BORISSOV elected prime minister; result of legislative vote - 162 to 77 with 1 abstention

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 on 22 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Boyko BORISSOV (since 27 July 2009); Deputy Prime Ministers Simeon DJANKOV and Tsvetan TSVETANOV (since 27 July 2009)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the pan-Slavic white-blue-red colors were modified by substituting a green band (representing freedom) for the blue note: the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe, has been removed

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

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

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

independent judiciary comprised of judges, prosecutors and investigating magistrates who are appointed, promoted, demoted, and dismissed by a 25-member Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 members, half of whom are elected by the National Assembly and the other half by the bodies of the judiciary for a 5-year term in office); three levels of case review; 182 courts of which two Supreme Courts act as the last instance on civil and criminal cases (the Supreme Court of Cassation) and appeals of government decisions (the Supreme Administrative Court)

Legal system

civil and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sabranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - GERB 39.7%, BSP 17.7%, MRF 14.4%, ATAKA 9.4%, Blue Coalition 6.8%, RZS 4.1%, other 7.9%; seats by party - GERB 117, BSP 40, MRF 37, ATAKA 21, Blue Coalition 15, RZS 8, independents 2

elections

last held on 5 July 2009 (next to be held in mid-2013)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Tsvetan Tsvetkov RADOSLAVOV note: adopted 1964; the anthem was composed in 1885 by a student en route to fight in the Serbo-Bulgarian War

name

"Mila Rodino" (Dear Homeland)

National holiday

Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Political parties and leaders

Agrarian National Union or ANU [Stefan LICHEV]; ATAKA (Attack party) [Volen SIDEROV]; Blue Coalition [Ivan KOSTOV and Martin DIMITROV] (a coalition of center-right parties dominated by UDF and DSB); Bulgarian New Democracy [Borislav RALCHEV]; Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB [Boyko BORISSOV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB [Sergei STANISHEV] (coalition of parties dominated by BSP); Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Gergyovden [Petar STOYANOVICH]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Liberal Initiative for Democratic European Development or LIDER [Khristo KOVACHKI]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Stability and Progress or NDSV [Hristina HRISTOVA] (formerly National Movement Simeon II or NMS2); New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Order, Law, Justice or RZS [Yane YANEV]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Martin DIMITROV]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Agrarians [Anastasia MOZER]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation

other

numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock

Central bank discount rate

0.55% (31 December 2009) 5.77% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

11.34% (31 December 2009 est.) 10.86% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$1.528 billion (2010 est.) -$4.348 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$36.15 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $39.56 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

29.8 (2008) 26.4 (2001)

Economy - overview

Bulgaria, a former Communist country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, averaged more than 6% growth from 2004 to 2008, driven by significant amounts of foreign direct investment and consumption. Successive governments have demonstrated a commitment to economic reforms and responsible fiscal planning, but the global downturn sharply reduced domestic demand, exports, capital inflows, and industrial production. GDP contracted by approximately 5% in 2009, and stagnated in 2010, despite a significant recovery in exports. The economy is expected to grow modestly in 2011, however. Corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of organized crime remain significant challenges.

Electricity - consumption

29.9 billion kWh (2008)

Electricity - exports

5.407 billion kWh (2008)

Electricity - imports

3.097 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

44.83 billion kWh (2008)

Exchange rates

leva (BGN) per US dollar - 1.5138 (2010), 1.404 (2009), 1.3171 (2008), 1.4366 (2007), 1.5576 (2006)

Exports

$19.33 billion (2010 est.) $16.53 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Germany 11.21%, Greece 9.43%, Italy 9.24%, Romania 8.52%, Turkey 7.33%, Belgium 5.61%, France 4.44% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

7.5%

industry

27.6%

services

64.9% (2009 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$12,800 (2010 est.) $12,700 (2009 est.) $13,300 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

0% (2010 est.) -5% (2009 est.) 6.2% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$44.84 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$91.83 billion (2010 est.) $91.83 billion (2009 est.) $96.67 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 24.1% (2008)

Imports

$22.78 billion (2010 est.) $22.22 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Russia 13.14%, Germany 12.23%, Italy 7.78%, Greece 6.17%, Romania 5.65%, Turkey 5.48%, Ukraine 4.81%, Austria 4.08% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

0.4% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.1% (2010 est.) 1.6% (2009)

Investment (gross fixed)

22.8% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

2.61 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

7.5%

industry

36.4%

services

56.1% (2008 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$7.103 billion (31 December 2009) $8.858 billion (31 December 2008) $21.79 billion (31 December 2007)

Natural gas - consumption

3.35 billion cu m (2008)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008)

Natural gas - imports

3.48 billion cu m (2008)

Natural gas - production

218 million cu m (2008)

Natural gas - proved reserves

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

125,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

76,570 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

189,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

3,227 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

15 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

14% (2008)

Public debt

16.2% of GDP (2010 est.) 14.8% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$15.07 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $18.53 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$35.37 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $33.93 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$1.372 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.194 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$51.28 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $49.28 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$34.54 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $33.89 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$12.7 billion (31 December 2010 est) $12.91 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

9.5% (2010 est.) 6.3% (2008 est.)

Broadcast media

4 national terrestrial television stations with 1 state-owned and 3 privately-owned; a vast array of TV stations are available from cable and satellite TV providers; state-owned national radio broadcasts over 3 networks; large number of private radio stations broadcasting, especially in urban areas (2007)

Internet country code

.bg

Internet hosts

785,546 (2010)

Internet users

3.395 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

the Bulgaria Telecommunications Company's fixed-line monopoly terminated in 2005 in an effort to upgrade fixed-line services; mobile-cellular teledensity, fostered by multiple service providers, approached 150 telephones per 100 persons in 2009

general assessment

inherited an extensive but antiquated telecommunications network from the Soviet era; quality has improved with a modern digital trunk line now connecting switching centers in most of the regions; remaining areas 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) (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

2.164 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

10.617 million (2009)

Airports

210 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

130 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 under 914 m: 96 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

80 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 73 (2010)

Heliports

3 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 16, cargo 10, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1

foreign-owned

27 (Germany 25, Russia 2)

registered in other countries

31 (Comoros 8, Malta 7, Panama 6, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10) (2010)

total

37

Pipelines

gas 2,926 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Burgas, Varna

Railways

narrow gauge

245 km 0.760-m gauge (2008)

standard gauge

4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,880 km electrified)

total

4,294 km

Roadways

paved

39,587 km (includes 418 km of expressways)

total

40,231 km

unpaved

644 km (2008)

Waterways

470 km (2009)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,660,930 females age 16-49: 1,646,170 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,337,201 females age 16-49: 1,360,039 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

34,199 (2010 est.)

male

35,604

Military branches

Bulgarian Armed Forces

Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2010)

Military expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in January 2008; service obligation 6-9 months (2010)

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; vulnerable to money laundering because of corruption, organized crime; some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions (2008) page last updated on January 18, 2011 ======================================================================