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National Map
Of |
Bulgaria |
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National Flag
Of |
Bulgaria |
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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
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Bulgaria |
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National Anthem
Of |
Bulgaria |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Bulgaria |
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Background:
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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 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. |
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Location:
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Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
Romania and Turkey |
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Geographic coordinates:
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43 00 N,
25 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total:
110,910 sq km
land: 110,550 sq km
water: 360 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
larger than Tennessee |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
1,808 km
border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148
km, Romania 608 km, Serbia and Montenegro 318 km, Turkey
240 km |
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Coastline:
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354 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers |
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Terrain:
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mostly
mountains with lowlands in north and southeast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Musala 2,925 m |
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Natural resources:
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bauxite,
copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 40.02%
permanent crops: 1.92%
other: 58.06% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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8,000 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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earthquakes, landslides |
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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strategic
location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes
from Europe to Middle East and Asia |
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Population:
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7,450,349
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 14.1% (male 539,005/female 512,762)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,516,368/female
2,599,524)
65 years and over: 17.2% (male 531,008/female
751,682) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
40.66 years
male: 38.59 years
female: 42.66 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.89%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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9.66
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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14.26
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-4.3
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
20.55 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 24.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 72.03 years
male: 68.41 years
female: 75.87 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.38
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than
0.1% - note - no country specific models provided (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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346 (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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100 (2001
est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Bulgarian(s)
adjective: Bulgarian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Bulgarian
83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including
Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)
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Religions:
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Bulgarian
Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%,
other 4% (2001 census) |
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Languages:
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Bulgarian
84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified
1.8% (2001 census) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.2% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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Sofia
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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3 March
1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman
Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from
the Ottoman Empire) |
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National holiday:
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Liberation Day, 3 March (1878) |
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Constitution:
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adopted
12 July 1991 |
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Legal system:
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civil law
and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 Minister
Ivaylo KALFIN (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 NA 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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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, ATAKA 21, UDF 20, DSB 17, BPU 13 |
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Judicial branch:
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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) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Attack
National Union [Volen Siderov]; ATAKA (Attack Coalition)
(coalition of parties headed by the Attack National
Union); 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 [Nadezhda MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of
Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United
Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition of center-right
parties dominated by UDF) |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or
CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional,
ethnic, and national interest groups with various
agendas |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT,
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO,
NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
(associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO,
ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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 and New York
consulate(s): Los Angeles |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador James William PARDEW
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 |
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Flag description:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$61.63
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.3%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 11.5%
industry: 30.1%
services: 58.4% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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3.398
million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 11%, industry 32.7%, services 56.3% (3rd
quarter 2004 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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12.7%
(2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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13.4%
(2002 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 4.5%
highest 10%: 22.8% (1997) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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26.4
(2001) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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6.1%
(2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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18.6% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $9.67 billion
expenditures: $9.619 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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41.9% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat,
barley, sunflowers, sugar beets |
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Industries:
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electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco;
machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products,
coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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5.2%
(2004 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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43.07
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 47.8%
hydro: 8.1%
nuclear: 44.1%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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32.71
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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8.3
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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960
million kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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603
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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94,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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8.1
million bbl (1 January 2002) |
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Natural gas - production:
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4 million
cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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5.804
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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5.8
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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3.724
billion cu m (1 January 2002) |
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Current account balance:
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$682.9
million (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$9.134
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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clothing,
footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
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Exports - partners:
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Italy
13.1%, Germany 11.6%, Turkey 9.3%, Belgium 6.1%, Greece
5.6%, US 5.3%, France 4.9% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$12.23
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics;
fuels, minerals, and raw materials |
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Imports - partners:
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Germany
15.1%, Italy 10.2%, Russia 7.9%, Greece 7.5%, Turkey
6.9%, France 4.4% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$7.526
billion (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$16.1
billion (November 2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$300
million (2000 est.) |
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Currency (code):
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lev (BGL)
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Currency code:
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BGN |
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Exchange rates:
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leva per
US dollar - 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002),
2.1847 (2001), 2.1233 (2000)
note: on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated;
the post-5 July 1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5
July 1999 lev |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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2,868,200
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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2,597,500
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 31, FM
63, shortwave 2 (2001) |
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Radios:
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4.51
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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39 (plus
1,242 repeaters) (2001) |
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Televisions:
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3.31
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.bg |
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Internet hosts:
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53,421
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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200
(2001) |
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Internet users:
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630,000
(2002) |
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Railways:
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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) |
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Highways:
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total:
37,077 km
paved: 34,111 km (including 328 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 2,966 km (2002) |
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Waterways:
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470 km
(2004) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 2,425
km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Burgas,
Varna |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 757,972 GRT/1,115,238 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 34, cargo 13, chemical
tanker 4, container 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3
registered in other countries: 45 (2005) |
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Airports:
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213 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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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 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
85
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.) |
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Heliports:
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1 (2004
est.) |
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Military branches:
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Ground
Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 9 months (2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 1,661,211 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 1,302,037 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
51,023 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$356
million (FY02) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.6%
(2003) |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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Illicit drugs:
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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 |
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