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Small Business (BC),
Vancouver, Canada |
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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. |
|
Country name: |
conventional long form:
Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria
local long form: Republika Balgariya
local short
form: Balgariya |
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Government type: |
parliamentary democracy |
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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 |
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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 |
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Independence: |
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: |
Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
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Constitution: |
adopted 12 July 1991 |
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Legal system: |
civil law and criminal law
based on Roman law, accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age, universal
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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 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
PARVANOV reelected president, percent of vote - Georgi PARVANOV 77.3%,
Volen SIDEROV 22.7%, Sergei STANISHEV elected prime minister, result of
legislative vote - 168 to 67 |
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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 in 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%, other 8.7%, seats by party - CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, UDF 20, ATAKA
17, DSB 17, BPU 13, independents 4, note - seats by party as of January
2008 - CfB 82, NMS2 36, MRF 34, UDF 16, DSB 16, Bulgarian New Democracy
16, BPU 13, ATAKA 11, independents 16 |
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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) |
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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 New Democracy [Borislav
RALCHEV], Bulgarian People`s Union or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and
BANU), Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV], Citizens for
the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB [Boyko BORISOV], 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 Stability and Progress or NDSV [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)
|
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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 |
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International organization participation: |
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS,
BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS
(observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
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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 |
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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 |
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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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Economy - overview: |
Bulgaria, a former communist
country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, has experienced strong
growth since a major economic downturn in 1996. Successive governments
have demonstrated commitment to economic reforms and responsible fiscal
planning, but have failed so far to rein in rising inflation and large
current account deficits. Bulgaria has averaged more than 6% growth since
2004, attracting significant amounts of foreign direct investment, but
corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the
presence of organized crime remain significant challenges. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$86.73 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate): |
$39.07 billion (2007 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate: |
6.1% (2007 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$11,800 (2007 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 8.1%
industry: 31.3%
services: 60.7% (2007 est.) |
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Labor force: |
3.44 million (2007 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 8.5%
industry: 33.6%
services: 57.9% (2nd qtr. 2006 est.)
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Unemployment rate: |
8% (2007 est.) |
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Population below poverty line: |
14.1% (2003 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25.4% (2005) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
31.6 (2005) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
7.8% (2007 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed): |
27.6% of GDP (2007 est.) |
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Budget: |
revenues: $16.62 billion
expenditures: $15.18 billion (2007 est.) |
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Public debt: |
18.2% of GDP (2007 est.) |
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Agriculture - products: |
vegetables, fruits, tobacco,
wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets, livestock |
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Industries: |
electricity, gas, water, food,
beverages, tobacco, machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical
products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel |
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Industrial production growth rate: |
5.5% (2007 est.) |
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Electricity - production: |
45.7 billion kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 47.8%
hydro: 8.1%
nuclear: 44.1%
other: 0%
(2001) |
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Electricity - consumption: |
37.4 billion kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - exports: |
7.8 billion kWh (2006) |
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Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (2006) |
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Oil - production: |
3,661 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - consumption: |
108,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
51,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - imports: |
138,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)
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Oil - proved reserves: |
15 million bbl (1 January 2006
est.) |
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Natural gas - production: |
407,000 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption: |
5.179 billion cu m (2005 est.)
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Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports: |
5.179 billion cu m (2005)
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Natural gas - proved reserves: |
5.703 billion cu m (1 January
2006 est.) |
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Current account balance: |
$-7.189 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports: |
$19.77 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
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Exports - commodities: |
clothing, footwear, iron and
steel, machinery and equipment, fuels |
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Exports - partners: |
Turkey 12%, Italy 10.4%,
Germany 10%, Greece 8.2%, Belgium 6.8%, France 4.3% (2006) |
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Imports: |
$28.79 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
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Imports - commodities: |
machinery and equipment, metals
and ores, chemicals and plastics, fuels, minerals, and raw materials
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Imports - partners: |
Germany 15%, Italy 10.6%,
Turkey 7.2%, Greece 6.3%, China 5%, France 4.9%, Romania 4.5% (2006)
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Economic aid - recipient: |
$742 million (2005-06 est.)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$13.8 billion (31 December 2007
est.) |
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Debt - external: |
$29.29 billion (30 June 2007)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |
$20.86 billion (2006 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |
$345.8 million (2006 est.)
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Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$10.32 billion (2006) |
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Currency (code): |
lev (BGL) |
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Currency code: |
BGN |
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Exchange rates: |
leva per US dollar - 1.4366
(2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003) |
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
2.399 million (2006) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
8.253 million (2006) |
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Telephone system: |
general assessment: an
extensive but antiquated telecommunications network inherited from the
Soviet era, quality has improved, the Bulgaria Telecommunications
Company`s fixed-line monopoly terminated in 2005 when alternative
fixed-line operators were given access to its network, a drop in
fixed-line connections in recent years has been offset by a sharp increase
in mobile-cellular telephone use fostered by multiple service providers
domestic: 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, 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) (2007) |
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Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2
(2001) |
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Radios: |
4.51 million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
39 (plus 1,242 repeaters)
(2001) |
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Televisions: |
3.31 million (1997) |
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Internet country code: |
.bg |
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Internet hosts: |
298,781 (2007) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
200 (2001) |
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Internet users: |
1.87 million (2006)
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Airports: |
214 (2007) |
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Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 131
over
3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437
m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 95 (2007)
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 83
1,524
to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 72
(2007) |
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Heliports: |
4 (2007) |
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Pipelines: |
gas 2,500 km, oil 339 km,
refined products 156 km (2007) |
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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 (2006) |
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Roadways: |
total: 44,033 km
paved: 43,593 km (includes 333 km of expressways)
unpaved: 440 km (2004) |
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Waterways: |
470 km (2007) |
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Merchant marine: |
total: 71 ships (1000
GRT or over) 833,153 GRT/1,194,660 DWT
by type: bulk carrier
37, cargo 14, chemical tanker 4, container 6, liquefied gas 1,
passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4
foreign-owned: 3 (Germany 1, Ireland 1, Russia 1)
registered in other countries: 39 (Comoros 1, Malta 15,
Mongolia 2, Panama 1, Slovakia 7, St Vincent and The Grenadines 13) (2007)
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Ports and terminals: |
Burgas, Varna |
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Disputes - international: |
none |
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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 |
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