EVENTS
WORLD FASHION AWARDS
BULGARIA
Location: Europe
Status: UN Country
Capital: Sofia
Main Cities: Dobrich, Stara Zagora, Burgas, Kudrzhali...
Population: 7.300.000
Area: (sq.Km) 110.910
Currency: 1 euro = 100 cents
Language: Bulgarian
Official Fashion Week
Bulgarian Fashion Week
Bulgarian Fashion Week
Introduction ::BULGARIA
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 ::BULGARIA
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
43 00 N, 25 00 E
Area:
total: 110,879 sq km
country comparison to the world: 104
land: 108,489 sq km
water: 2,390 sq km
slightly larger than Tennessee
total: 1,808 km
border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km
354 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Musala 2,925 m
bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
arable land: 29.94%
permanent crops: 1.9%
other: 68.16% (2005)
5,880 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
19.4 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 6.92 cu km/yr (3%/78%/19%)
per capita: 895 cu m/yr (2003)
earthquakes; landslides
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
strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
People ::BULGARIA
7,148,785 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
0-14 years: 13.8% (male 507,505/female 482,229)
15-64 years: 68.3% (male 2,399,182/female 2,480,941)
65 years and over: 17.9% (male 518,350/female 760,578) (2010 est.)
total: 41.6 years
male: 39.4 years
female: 43.9 years (2010 est.)
-0.768% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 229
9.43 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
14.31 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
-2.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
urban population: 71% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: -0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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: 17.26 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 110
male: 20.59 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
total population: 73.35 years
country comparison to the world: 114
male: 69.74 years
female: 77.17 years (2010 est.)
1.41 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
346 (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
100 (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
noun: Bulgarian(s)
adjective: Bulgarian
Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)
Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)
Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
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 (2006)
4.5% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 89
Government ::BULGARIA
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria
local long form: Republika Balgariya
local short form: Balgariya
parliamentary democracy
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
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 (Sofia City), Stara Zagora, Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol
3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
adopted on 12 July 1991
civil and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
18 years of age; universal
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
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
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
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
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]; 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
International organization participation:
ACCT, 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, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Timohir STOYTCHEV
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
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
Economy ::BULGARIA
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. Successive governments have demonstrated a commitment to economic reforms and responsible fiscal planning, but the global downturn is reducing exports, capital inflows, and industrial production. GDP in 2009 contracted by approximately 5%. Corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of organized crime remain significant challenges.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$90.51 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
$95.17 billion (2008 est.)
$89.7 billion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
$45.3 billion (2009 est.)
-4.9% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
6.1% (2008 est.)
6.2% (2007 est.)
$12,600 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
$13,100 (2008 est.)
$12,200 (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
agriculture: 7.5%
industry: 27.6%
services: 64.9% (2009 est.)
3.2 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
agriculture: 7.5%
industry: 36.4%
services: 56.1% (2008 est.)
9.1% (2009)
country comparison to the world: 102
6.3% (2008)
Population below poverty line:
14% (2008)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 24.1% (2008)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
29.8 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 114
26.4 (2001)
25% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
revenues: $18.4 billion
expenditures: $18.9 billion (2009 est.)
14.7% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 114
14.1% of GDP (2008)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.6% (2009)
country comparison to the world: 55
7.2% (2008)
0.55% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 77
5.77% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.86% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 91
10% (31 December 2007)
$12.63 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 46
$13.84 billion (31 December 2008)
$20.61 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 46
$17.99 billion (31 December 2008)
$33.19 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 58
$31.04 billion (31 December 2008)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$9.46 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 67
$14.29 billion (31 December 2007)
$10.32 billion (31 December 2006)
vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock
electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
Industrial production growth rate:
-14% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
44.83 billion kWh (2008)
country comparison to the world: 51
29.9 billion kWh (2008)
country comparison to the world: 59
5.407 billion kWh (2008)
3.097 billion kWh (2008 est.)
3,357 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
124,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
76,570 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
189,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
218 million cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 74
3.35 billion cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 71
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 199
3.48 billion cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 38
Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
-$5.812 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
-$12.65 billion (2008 est.)
$16.23 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
$22.71 billion (2008 est.)
clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
Greece 9.8%, Germany 9.1%, Turkey 8.9%, Italy 8.5%, Romania 7.2%, Belgium 5.8%, France 4% (2008)
$23.27 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
$35.64 billion (2008 est.)
machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials
Russia 14.6%, Germany 11.8%, Italy 7.9%, Ukraine 7.3%, Romania 5.6%, Turkey 5.5%, Greece 5.4%, Austria 4.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$17.68 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 42
$17.45 billion (31 December 2008)
$49.28 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
$51.46 billion (31 December 2008)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$47.31 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
$42.91 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.392 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
$1.292 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
leva (BGN) per US dollar - 1.4352 (2009), 1.3171 (2008), 1.4366 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005)
Communications ::BULGARIA
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.258 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 55
10.633 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 59
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
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
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) (2008)
AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)
.bg
706,648 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 45
2.647 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 63
Transportation ::BULGARIA
212 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 29
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 132
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
under 914 m: 97 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 80
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 73 (2009)
3 (2009)
gas 2,926 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2009)
total: 4,294 km
country comparison to the world: 38
standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,880 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2008)
total: 40,231 km
country comparison to the world: 89
paved: 39,587 km (includes 331 km of expressways)
unpaved: 644 km (2005)
470 km (2008)
country comparison to the world: 83
total: 74
country comparison to the world: 59
by type: bulk carrier 37, cargo 14, chemical tanker 5, container 6, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 65 (Germany 63, Ireland 1, Russia 1)
registered in other countries: 31 (Comoros 2, Malta 5, Panama 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15, Slovakia 6) (2008)
Burgas, Varna
Military ::BULGARIA
Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; as of May 2006, 67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of professional soldiers; conscription ended in January 2008; Air Forces and Naval Forces became fully professional at the end of 2006 (2008)
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:
male: 35,604
female: 34,199 (2010 est.)
2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Transnational Issues ::BULGARIA
none
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)
Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ar.html
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