Bulgaria

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 the EU in 2007.

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: 110,879 sq km
country comparison to the world: 105 land:108,489 sq km
water:2,390 sq km

Area – comparative

slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries

total: 1,808 km
border countries:Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia 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

1,020 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

19.4 cu km (2005)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 6.92cu km/yr (3%/78%/19%)
per capita:895cu m/yr (2003)

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-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

strategic location near Turkish Straits

controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

People and Society

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)

Languages

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

Religions

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

Population

7,093,635 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100

Age structure

0-14 years: 13.9% (male 506,403/female 480,935)
15-64 years:67.9% (male 2,367,680/female 2,446,799)
65 years and over:18.2% (male 522,343/female 769,475) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 41.9 years
male:39.6 years
female:44 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.781% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 227

Birth rate

9.32 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203

Death rate

14.32 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13

Net migration rate

-2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174

Urbanization

urban population: 71% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:-0.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

SOFIA (capital) 1.192 million (2009)

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 (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

13 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 137

Infant mortality rate

total: 16.68 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 106 male:19.93 deaths/1,000 live births
female:13.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.59 years
country comparison to the world: 114 male:69.99 years
female:77.41 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.42 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195

Health expenditures

7.4% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 69

Physicians density

3.635 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 23

Hospital bed density

6.49 beds/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 21

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

3,800 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122

HIV/AIDS – deaths

fewer than 200 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

12.4% (2001)
country comparison to the world: 47

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.6% (2004)
country comparison to the world: 116

Education expenditures

4.1% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 100

Literacy

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)

total: 14 years
male:13 years
female:14 years (2008)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 16.1%
country comparison to the world: 71 male:17.8%
female:13.7% (2009)

Government

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 (Sofia), Sofiya-Grad (Sofia City), 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

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Georgi PARVANOV (since 22 January 2002)

Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)
head of government:Prime Minister Boyko BORISSOV (since 27 July 2009)

Deputy Prime Ministers Simeon DJANKOV and Tsvetan TSVETANOV (since 27 July 2009)
cabinet:Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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 23 and 30 October 2011 (next to be held in 2016)

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
election results:Rosen PLEVNELIEV elected president in a runoff election

percent of vote – Rosen PLEVNELIEV 52.6%, Ivailo KALFIN 47.4%

Boyko BORISSOV elected prime minister

result of legislative vote – 162 to 77 with 1 abstention

note – Rosen PLEVNELIEV is scheduled to take office on 22 January 2012

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sabranie (240 seats

members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections:last held on 5 July 2009 (next to be held in mid-2013)
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

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)

Political parties and leaders

Agrarian National Union or ANU [Stefan LICHEV]

National Union Attack (Ataka) [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

International organization participation

Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, 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, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Elena 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 James B. WARLICK, Jr
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

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

National symbol(s)

lion

National anthem

name: “Mila Rodino” (Dear Homeland)
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

Economy

Economy – overview

Bulgaria, a former Communist country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, averaged more than 6% annual 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$96.78 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72 $96.63 billion (2009 est.)
$102.2 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$47.7 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

0.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184 -5.5% (2009 est.)
6.2% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$13,500 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89 $13,400 (2009 est.)
$14,100 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 5.3%
industry:30.1%
services:64.6% (2010 est.)

Labor force

2.499 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 7.1%
industry:35.2%
services:57.7% (2009)

Unemployment rate

9.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105 7.6% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line

21.8% (2008)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%:35.2% (2007)

Distribution of family income – Gini index

45.3 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 39 26 (2001)

Investment (gross fixed)

23.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72

Budget

revenues: $16.16 billion
expenditures:$18.07 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

33.9% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122

Public debt

16.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118 14.6% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80 2.8% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

20% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134 0.55% (31 December 2009 est.)
note:Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) has had no independent monetary policy since the introduction of the Currency Board regime in 1997

this is BNB’s base interest rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

11.144% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92 11.335% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$12.48 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69 $13.29 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$35.37 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73 $35.07 billion (31 December 2009)

Stock of domestic credit

$33.48 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68 $34.88 billion (31 December 2009)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$7.276 billion (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 73 $7.103 billion (31 December 2009)
$8.858 billion (31 December 2008)

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

2.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130

Electricity – production

4.309 billion kWh (2009)
country comparison to the world: 118

Electricity – consumption

28.3 billion kWh (2009)
country comparison to the world: 63

Electricity – exports

7.735 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

5.073 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

2,925 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100

Oil – consumption

91,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81

Oil – exports

75,840 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71

Oil – imports

201,400 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48

Oil – proved reserves

15 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86

Natural gas – production

54 million cu m (2010)
country comparison to the world: 82

Natural gas – consumption

2.62 billion cu m (2010)
country comparison to the world: 78

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2010)
country comparison to the world: 68

Natural gas – imports

2.48 billion cu m (2010)
country comparison to the world: 42

Natural gas – proved reserves

5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92

Current account balance

-$578.9 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116 -$4.267 billion (2009 est.)

Exports

$20.64 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70 $16.41 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

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

Exports – partners

Germany 10.9%, Italy 9.9%, Romania 9.5%, Greece 8.1%, Turkey 7.9%, France 4.1% (2010)

Imports

$23.86 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66 $22.2 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

machinery and equipment

metals and ores

chemicals and plastics

fuels, minerals, and raw materials

Imports – partners

Russia 16.3%, Germany 11.8%, Italy 7.5%, Romania 7.1%, Greece 6%, Turkey 5.2%, Ukraine 4.2% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$17.23 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61 $18.53 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$53.48 billion (30 June 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57 $38.17 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – at home

$51.45 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53 $49.28 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad

$957.7 million (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75 $1.194 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates

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

Transportation

Airports

210 (2010)
country comparison to the world:30

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)

Pipelines

gas 2,844 km

oil 346 km

refined products 156 km (2010)

Railways

total: 4,151 km
country comparison to the world: 40 standard gauge:4,071 km 1.435-m gauge (2,831 km electrified)
narrow gauge:80 km 0.760-m gauge (2009)

Roadways

total: 40,231 km
country comparison to the world: 89 paved:39,587 km (includes 418 km of expressways)
unpaved:644 km (2008)

Waterways

470 km (2009)
country comparison to the world: 84

Merchant marine

total: 37
country comparison to the world: 79 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)

Ports and terminals

Burgas, Varna

Military

Military branches

Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2011)

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)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,637,470
females age 16-49:1,621,352 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,320,955
females age 16-49:1,337,616 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 33,444
female:32,075 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55

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

vulnerable to money laundering because of corruption, organized crime

some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions (2008)