Statistical information Bulgaria 1992
Bulgaria in the World
Bulgaria - Introduction 1992
top of pageBackground: A Slavic state, Bulgaria achieved independence in 1908 after 500 years of Ottoman rule. Bulgaria fought on the losing side in both World Wars. After World War II it fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. Communist domination ended in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, and Bulgaria began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy. In addition to the problems of structural economic reform, particularly privatization, Bulgaria faces the serious issues of keeping inflation under control and unemployment, combatting corruption, and curbing black-market and mafia-style crime.
Bulgaria - Geography 1992
top of pageLocation
Geographic coordinates
Map reference
Area
Total: 110,910 km²
Land: 110,550 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: 1,881 km; Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia and Montenegro 318 km, Turkey 240 km
Coastline: 354 km
Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: Macedonia question with Greece and Macedonia
Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and south
Elevation
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Land use
Land use: arable land: 34%; permanent crops: 3%; meadows and pastures 18%; forest and woodland 35%; other 10%; includes irrigated 11%
Irrigated land
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
Natural hazards
Geography
Bulgaria - People 1992
top of pagePopulation: 8,869,161 (July 1992), growth rate --0.5% (1992)
Nationality: noun - Bulgarian(s; adjective - Bulgarian
Ethnic groups: Bulgarian 85.3%, Turk 8.5%, Gypsy 2.6%, Macedonian 2.5%, Armenian 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, other 0.6%
Languages: Bulgarian; secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown
Religions:
Bulgarian Orthodox 85%; Muslim 13%; Jewish 0.8%; Roman
Catholic 0.5%; Uniate Catholic 0.2%; Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 0.5%
Catholic 0.5%; Uniate Catholic 0.2%; Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 0.5%
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate
Birth rate: 12 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 12 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: 5 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distribution
Urbanization
Major urban areas
Environment
Current issues: subject to earthquakes, landslides; deforestation; air pollution
Current issues note: strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate: 13 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 76 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Drinking water source
Current health expenditure
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
Sanitation facility access
Hiv/Aids
Major infectious diseases
Obesity adult prevalence rate
Alcohol consumption
Tobacco use
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Education expenditures
Literacy: 93% (male NA%, female NA%) age 15 and over can read and write (1970 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
Bulgaria - Government 1992
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
Government type: emerging democracy, diminishing Communist Party influence
Capital: Sofia
Administrative divisions:
9 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast);
Burgas, Grad Sofiya, Khaskovo, Lovech, Mikhaylovgrad, Plovdiv, Razgrad,
Sofiya, Varna
Burgas, Grad Sofiya, Khaskovo, Lovech, Mikhaylovgrad, Plovdiv, Razgrad,
Sofiya, Varna
Dependent areas
Independence: 22 September 1908 (from Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: 3 March (1878)
Constitution: adopted 12 July 1991
Legal system: based on civil law system, with Soviet law influence; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participation
Citizenship
Suffrage: universalandcompulsoryatage 18
National Assembly:
last held 13 October 1991; results - BSP 33%, UDF 34%, MRF 7.5%; seats - (240 total) BSP 106, UDF 110, Movement for Rights and
Freedoms 24
Freedoms 24
President: last held 12 January 1992; second round held 19 January 1992; results - Zhelyu ZHELEV was elected by popular vote
Communists:
Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), formerly Bulgarian
Communist Party (BCP), 501,793 members; several small Communist parties
Communist Party (BCP), 501,793 members; several small Communist parties
Executive branch:
president, chairman of the Council of Ministers (premier), two deputy chairmen of the Council of Ministers, Council of
Ministers
Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Narodno Sobranie)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders
International organization participation:
BIS, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, IIB, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NACC, NSG, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
ICFTU, IIB, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NACC, NSG, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ognyan PISHEV; Chancery at 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008; telephone (202) 387-7,969
US:
Ambassador Hugh Kenneth HILL; Embassy at 1 Alexander Stamboliski
Boulevard, Sofia (mailing address is APO AE 9,213-5,740); telephone 359 (2) 88-48-01 through 05; Embassy has no FAX machine
Boulevard, Sofia (mailing address is APO AE 9,213-5,740); telephone 359 (2) 88-48-01 through 05; Embassy has no FAX machine
Diplomatic representation
Flag description
:three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first
Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
National symbols
National anthem
National heritage
Bulgaria - Economy 1992
top of pageEconomy overview:
Growth in the lackluster Bulgarian economy fell to the 2% annual level in the 1980s. By 1990, Sofia's foreign debt had skyrocketed to over $10 billion - giving a debt-service ratio of more than 40% of hard currency earnings and leading the regime to declare a moratorium on its hard currency payments. The post-Communist government faces major problems of renovating an aging industrial plant; coping with worsening energy, food, and consumer goods shortages; keeping abreast of rapidly unfolding technological developments; investing in additional energy capacity (the portion of electric power from nuclear energy reached over one-third in 1990); and motivating workers, in part by giving them a share in the earnings of their enterprises. Bulgaria's new government, led by Prime
Minister Filip Dimitrov, is strongly committed to economic reform. The previous government, even though dominated by former Communists, had taken the first steps toward dismantling the central planning system, bringing the economy back into balance, and reducing inflationary pressures. The program produced some encouraging early results, including eased restrictions on foreign investment, increased support from international financial institutions, and liberalized currency trading. Small entrepreneurs have begun to emerge and some privatization of small enterprises has taken place.
The government has passed bills to privatize large state-owned enterprises and reform the banking system. Negotiations on an association agreement with the EC began in late 1991.
Minister Filip Dimitrov, is strongly committed to economic reform. The previous government, even though dominated by former Communists, had taken the first steps toward dismantling the central planning system, bringing the economy back into balance, and reducing inflationary pressures. The program produced some encouraging early results, including eased restrictions on foreign investment, increased support from international financial institutions, and liberalized currency trading. Small entrepreneurs have begun to emerge and some privatization of small enterprises has taken place.
The government has passed bills to privatize large state-owned enterprises and reform the banking system. Negotiations on an association agreement with the EC began in late 1991.
GNP: purchasing power equivalent - $36.4 billion, per capita $4,100; real growth rate --22% (1991 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real gdp growth rate
Real gdp per capita ppp
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture products: accounts for 22% of GNP (1990; climate and soil conditions support livestock raising and the growing of various grain crops, oilseeds, vegetables, fruits, and tobacco; more than one-third of the arable land: devoted to grain; world's fourth-largest tobacco exporter; surplus food producer
Industries: machine building and metal working, food processing, chemicals, textiles, building materials, ferrous and nonferrous metals
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate --14.7% (1990; accounts for about 37% of GNP (1990)
Labor force: 4,300,000; industry 33%, agriculture 20%, other 47% (1987)
Organized labor:
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (KNSB); Edinstvo (Unity) People's Trade Union (splinter confederation from
KNSB); Podkrepa (Support) Labor Confederation, legally registered in January 1990
KNSB); Podkrepa (Support) Labor Confederation, legally registered in January 1990
Labor force
Unemployment rate: 10% (1991 est.)
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget: revenues NA; expenditures NA, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (1991)
Public debt
Taxes and other revenues
Revenue
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance
Inflation rate consumer prices
Central bank discount rate
Commercial bank prime lending rate
Stock of narrow money
Stock of broad money
Stock of domestic credit
Market value of publicly traded shares
Current account balance
Exports: $8.4 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
Commodoties: machinery and equipment 55.3%; agricultural products 15.0%; manufactured consumer goods 10.0%; fuels, minerals, raw materials, and metals 18.4%; other 1.3% (1990)
Partners:
former CMEA countries 70.6% (USSR 56.2%, Czechoslovakia 3.9%,
Poland 2.5%); developed countries 13.6% (Germany 2.1%, Greece 1.2%); less developed countries 13.1% (Libya 5.8%, Iran 0.5%) (1990)
Poland 2.5%); developed countries 13.6% (Germany 2.1%, Greece 1.2%); less developed countries 13.1% (Libya 5.8%, Iran 0.5%) (1990)
Imports: $9.6 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
Commodoties: fuels, minerals, and raw materials 43.7%; machinery and equipment 45.2%; manufactured consumer goods 6.7%; agricultural products 3.8%; other 0.6%
Partners: former CMEA countries 70.9% (former USSR 52.7%, Poland 4.1%; developed countries 20.2% (Germany 5.0%, Austria 2.1%; less developed countries 7.2% (Libya 2.0%, Iran 0.7%)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates: leva (Lv) per US$1 - 17.18 (1 January 1992), 16.13 (March 1991), 0.7446 (November 1990), 0.84 (1989), 0.82 (1988), 0.90 (1987; note - floating exchange rate since February 1991
Bulgaria - Energy 1992
top of pageElectricity access
Electricity production: 11,500,000 kW capacity; 45,000 million kWh produced, 5,040 kWh per capita (1990)
Electricity consumption
Electricity exports
Electricity imports
Electricity installed generating capacity
Electricity transmission distribution losses
Electricity generation sources
Petroleum
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption per capita
Bulgaria - Communication 1992
top of pageTelephones fixed lines
Telephones mobile cellular
Telephone system
Broadcast media
Internet country code
Internet users
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Bulgaria - Military 1992
top of pageMilitary expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - 4.413 billion leva, 4.4% of GNP (1991; note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation
Space program
Terrorist groups
Bulgaria - Transportation 1992
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports:
380 total, 380 usable; about 120 with permanent-surface runways; 20
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 20
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 20
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Airports with paved runways
Airports with unpaved runways
Heliports
Pipelines: crude oil 193 km; petroleum products 418 km; natural gas 1,400 km (1986)
Railways
Roadways
Waterways: 470 km (1987)
Merchant marine:
110 ships (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 1,234,657
GRT/1,847,759 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 30 cargo, 2 container, 1 passenger-cargo training, 6 roll-on/roll-off, 15 petroleum tanker, 4 chemical carrier, 2 railcar carrier, 48 bulk; Bulgaria owns 1 ship (1,000
GRT or over) totaling 8,717 DWT operating under Liberian registry
GRT/1,847,759 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 30 cargo, 2 container, 1 passenger-cargo training, 6 roll-on/roll-off, 15 petroleum tanker, 4 chemical carrier, 2 railcar carrier, 48 bulk; Bulgaria owns 1 ship (1,000
GRT or over) totaling 8,717 DWT operating under Liberian registry
Civil air: 86 major transport aircraft
Ports and terminals
Bulgaria - Transnational issues 1992
top of pageDisputes international
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route