Map of Bulgaria | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


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 Ottoman Turks overran the country. 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, the EU in 2007, and the Schengen Area for air and sea travel in 2024.


top of page


Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates: 43 00 N, 25 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 110,879 km²
Land: 108,489 km²
Water: 2,390 km²
Comparative: almost identical in size to Virginia; slightly larger than Tennessee
Country comparison total: 1,806 km
Country comparison border countries: (5) Greece 472 km; Macedonia 162 km; Romania 605 km; Serbia 344 km; Turkey 223 km

Land boundaries
Total: 1,806 km
Border countries: (5) Greece 472 km; Macedonia 162 km; Romania 605 km; Serbia 344 km; Turkey 223 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
Highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 472 m

Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 46.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 29.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 1.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 15.5% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 36.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 16.4% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 987 km² (2013)

Major rivers
By length in km: Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km
By length in km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds area km²: Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 840 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 3.48 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 760 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 21.3 billion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: earthquakes; landslides

Geography
Note: strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia


top of page


Population
Distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations
Total: 6,782,659
Male: 3,303,491
Female: 3,479,168 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: -0.66% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 20.6% (2022 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Bulgarian(s)
Adjective: Bulgarian

Ethnic groups: Bulgarian 78.5%, Turkish 7.8%, Roma 4.1%, other 1.2%, unspecified 9.4% (2021 est.)
Note: Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 9–11% of Bulgaria's population

Languages: Bulgarian (official) 77.3%, Turkish 7.9%, Romani 3.5%, other 1%, unspecified 10.4% (2021 est.)
Major-language samples: Светoвен Алманах, незаменимият източник за основна информация. (Bulgarian); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Christian 64.7%, Muslim 9.8%, other 0.1%, none 4.7%, unspecified 20.7% (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 13.8% (male 479,586/female 453,423)
15-64 years: 65.2% (male 2,250,962/female 2,171,279)
65 years and over: 21% (2024 est.) (male 572,943/female 854,466)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 57.3
Youth dependency ratio: 22
Elderly dependency ratio: 35.3
Potential support ratio: 2.8 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 45.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 43.3 years
Female: 47 years

Population growth rate: -0.66% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 7.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 14.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations

Urbanization
Urban population: 76.7% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: -0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.288 million SOFIA (capital) (2023)

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
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 17.29 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 41.71 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 6.77 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 26.4 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 8.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 72.9 years
Female: 79.4 years

Total fertility rate: 1.51 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 99.5% of population
Unimproved rural: 2.6% of population
Unimproved total: 1% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0.5% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 7.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 100% of population
Improved rural: 100% of population
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: 0% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 25% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 11.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 4.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 1.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 4.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 39% (2020 est.)
Male: 40.9% (2020 est.)
Female: 37.1% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.9% (2014)

Education expenditures: 4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.4%
Male: 98.7%
Female: 98.2% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 14 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 12% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 11.8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 12.2% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
Conventional short form: Bulgaria
Local long form: Republika Bulgaria
Local short form: Bulgaria
Former: Kingdom of Bulgaria, People's Republic of Bulgaria
Etymology: named after the Bulgar tribes who settled the lower Balkan region in the 7th century A.D.

Government type: parliamentary republic

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
Etymology: named after the Saint Sofia Church in the city, parts of which date back to the 4th century A.D.

Administrative divisions: 28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Haskovo, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Sofia-Grad (Sofia City), Stara Zagora, Targovishte, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Dependent areas

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
History: several previous; latest drafted between late 1990 and early 1991, adopted 13 July 1991
Amendments: proposed by the National Assembly or by the president of the republic; passage requires three-fourths majority vote of National Assembly members in three ballots; signed by the National Assembly chairperson
Note: under special circumstances, a 'Grand National Assembly' is elected with the authority to write a new constitution and amend certain articles of the constitution, including those affecting basic civil rights and national sovereignty; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in each of several readings; amended several times, last in 2023

Legal system: civil law

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Bulgaria
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Rumen RADEV (since 22 January 2017)
Head of government: Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar GLAVCHEV (since 9 April 2024)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assembly
Elections/appointments: president and vice president elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 14 and 21 November 2021 (next to be held in fall 2026); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assembly
Election results: 2021: Rumen RADEV reelected president in second round; percent of vote in the first round - Rumen RADEV (independent) 49.4%, Anastas GERDZHIKOV (independent) 22.8%, Mustafa KARADAYI (DPS) 11.6%, Kostadin KOSTADINOV (Revival) 3.9%, Lozan PANOV (independent) 3.7%, other 8.6%; percent of vote in the second round - Rumen RADEV 66.7%, Anastas GERDZHIKOV 31.8%, neither 1.5%; 2016: Rumen RADEV elected president in second round; percent of vote - Rumen RADEV (independent, supported by Bulgarian Socialist Party) 59.4%, Tsetska TSACHEVA (GERB) 36.2%, neither 4.5%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sabranie (240 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open-list, proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 2 April 2023 (snap election to be held on 9 June 2024)
Elections results: percent of vote by party/coalition - GERB-SDS 25.4%, PP-DB 23.5%, Revival 13.6%, DPS 13.2%, BSP for Bulgaria 8.6%, ITN 3.9%, other 11.8%; seats by party/coalition GERB-SDS 69, PP-DB 64, Revival 37, DPS 36, BSP for Bulgaria 23, ITN 11; composition - men 179, women 61, percentage women 25.4%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court of Cassation (consists of a chairman and approximately 72 judges organized into penal, civil, and commercial colleges); Supreme Administrative Court (organized into 2 colleges with various panels of 5 judges each); Constitutional Court (consists of 12 justices)
Note: Constitutional Court resides outside the judiciary
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Cassation and Supreme Administrative judges elected by the Supreme Judicial Council or SJC (consists of 25 members with extensive legal experience) and appointed by the president; judges can serve until mandatory retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court justices elected by the National Assembly and appointed by the president and the SJC; justices appointed for 9-year terms with renewal of 4 justices every 3 years
Subordinate courts: appeals courts; regional and district courts; administrative courts; courts martial

Political parties and leaders: BSP for Bulgaria (electoral alliance of BSP, PKT, Ecoglasnost), Bulgarian Rise or BV, Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP, Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB (alliance with SDS) , Democratic Bulgaria or DB (electoral alliance of Yes! Bulgaria, DSB, and The Greens) , Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB, Ecoglasnost, Green Movement or The Greens , Movement for Rights and Freedoms or DPS, Political Club Thrace or PKT, Revival, Stand Up.BG or IS.BG, There is Such a People or ITN, Union of Democratic Forces or SDS (alliance with GERB) , Yes! Bulgaria , We Continue the Change or PP , We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria or PP-DB (electoral alliance of PP, DB, Yes! Bulgaria)

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Georgi Velikov PANAYOTOV (since 7 June 2022)
In the us chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 387 5,770
In the us fax: [1] (202) 234-7,973
In the us email address and website: office@bulgaria-embassy.org; [link]
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth MERTEN (since 7 April 2023)
From the us embassy: 16, Kozyak Street, Sofia 1408
From the us mailing address: 5,740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20,521-5,740
From the us telephone: [359] (2) 937-5,100
From the us fax: [359] (2) 937-5,209
From the us email address and website: acs_sofia@state.gov; [link]

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 symbols: lion; national colors: white, green, red

National anthem
Name: 'Mila Rodino' (Dear Homeland)
Lyrics/music: Tsvetan Tsvetkov RADOSLAVOV
Note: adopted 1964; composed in 1885 by a student en route to fight in the Serbo-Bulgarian War

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 10 (7 cultural, 3 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


top of page


Economy overview: upper-middle-income EU economy; currency pegged to the euro with accession pending; joined Schengen area as of March 2024; global events and internal political turmoil triggered export slump and stalled reforms; EU structural funds contributing to investment recovery; skilled labor shortage driven by emigration and aging population

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $214.061 billion (2023 est.); $210.181 billion (2022 est.); $202.24 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 1.85% (2023 est.); 3.93% (2022 est.); 7.66% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $33,300 (2023 est.); $32,500 (2022 est.); $29,400 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 59.8% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 18.2% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.3% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.5% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 60.9% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -57.7% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3% (2023 est.)
Industry: 25.4% (2023 est.)
Services: 59.3% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, grapes, tomatoes, chicken (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, automotive parts, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel; outsourcing centers

Industrial production growth rate: 0.91% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 3.103 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 4.3% (2023 est.); 4.27% (2022 est.); 5.27% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 12% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 11.8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 12.2% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 20.6% (2022 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $33.1 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $35.619 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 21.8% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 30.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.22% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0.14% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 9.44% (2023 est.); 15.33% (2022 est.); 3.3% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on 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: -$248.13 million (2023 est.); -$591.65 million (2022 est.); -$1.516 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $62.118 billion (2023 est.); $60.712 billion (2022 est.); $51.49 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Germany 13%, Romania 13%, Italy 7%, Turkey 6%, Greece 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: refined petroleum, natural gas, garments, wheat, refined copper (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $58.79 billion (2023 est.); $60.252 billion (2022 est.); $50.048 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Germany 10%, Russia 10%, Turkey 9%, Romania 7%, Greece 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, copper ore, cars, packaged medicine (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $46.334 billion (2023 est.); $40.989 billion (2022 est.); $39.188 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $14.277 billion (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Access electrification urban areas: 100%
Access electrification rural areas: 99.6%
Installed generating capacity: 12.031 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 35.369 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 13.665 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 1.47 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 2.616 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 48.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 32.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 7.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 4.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 35.516 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 35.97 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 504,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 928,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 2.366 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 4,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 101,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 15 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 20.837 million m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 2.801 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Exports: 2.75 million m³ (2020 est.)
Imports: 2.911 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 5.663 billion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 43.234 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 24.654 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 13.185 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 5.395 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 107.943 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


top of page


Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 691,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 7.964 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 117 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures: 2.2% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.9% of GDP (2023); 1.6% of GDP (2022); 1.6% of GDP (2021); 1.6% of GDP (2020)

Military and security forces: Bulgarian Armed Forces (aka Bulgarian Army): Land Forces, Air Force, Navy; Ministry of Interior: General Directorate National Police (GDNP), General Directorate Border Police (GDBP), General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC), Fire Safety and Civil Protection General Directorate, Special Unit for Combating Terrorism (SOBT) (2024)
Note: the GDMP includes the Gendarmerie, a special police force with military status deployed to secure important facilities, buildings and infrastructure, to respond to riots, and to counter militant threats

Military service age and obligation: 18-40 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in 2007; service obligation 6-9 months (2023)
Note 1: in 2021, women comprised about 17% of the Bulgarian military's full-time personnel
Note 2: in 2020, Bulgaria announced a program to allow every citizen up to the age of 40 to join the armed forces for 6 months of military service in the voluntary reserve

Space program

Terrorist groups: Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide


top of page


National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 8 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 44
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,022,645 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1.38 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: LZ

Airports: 111 (2024)

Heliports: 8 (2024)

Pipelines: 2,765 km gas, 346 km oil, 378 km refined products (2017)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 19,117 km (2022)
Note: does not include Category IV local roads

Waterways: 470 km (2009)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 22,226 (Syria) (mid-year 2022); 72,775 (Ukraine) (as of 8 March 2024)
Stateless persons: 1,129 (2022)
Note: 106,227 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-January 2024); Bulgaria is predominantly a transit country

Illicit drugs: source country for amphetamine tablets