ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OSCE,
PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIBH, UNMOT, UPU,
WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Snezhana Damianova BOTUSHAROVA chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone : [1] (202) 387–7969 FAX: [1] (202) 234–7973 consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Avis T. BOHLEN (22 July 1996) embassy : 1 Saborna Street, Sofia mailing address: Embassy Sofia, Department of State, Washington, DC 50521–5740 telephone: [359] (2) 980–52-41 through 48 FAX: [359] (2) 981–89-77
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)
Economy
Economy - overview: One of the poorest countries of central Europe, Bulgaria has slowly continued the process of moving from its old command economy towards a market-oriented economy. Slow advancement on economic reforms pitched the economy into crisis in 1996, marked by a banking system in turmoil, a depreciating currency, inflation of 311% and contracting production and foreign trade. Foreign exchange reserves dwindled to extremely low levels ($518 million), while dramatically hiked interest rates added to the domestic debt burden and stifled growth. GDP fell by 10% in 1996, after experiencing 2.6% growth in 1995. Privatization of state-owned industries stagnated, although the first auction of a mass privatization program was undertaken in late 1996. Lagging progress on structural reforms led to postponement of IMF disbursements under a $580 million standby loan agreed to in July. In November 1996, the IMF proposed a currency board as Bulgaria's best chance to restore confidence in the lev, eliminate discretionary spending, and avoid hyperinflation. The government has pledged to sell some of the country's most attractive state assets to the highest foreign bidders in 1997. The Bulgarian economy is projected to have another year of negative growth (minus 5%), and inflation near 700% in 1997, assuming introduction of a currency board in July of 1997.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $39.9 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: −10% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,630 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.6% industry: 35.7% services: 51.7% (1994)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 311% (1996)
Labor force: total: 3.57 million (1996 est.) by occupation : industry 41%, agriculture 18%, other 41% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 12.5% (1996 est.)
Budget: revenues: $3 billion expenditures : $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)
Industries: machine building and metal working, food processing, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, ferrous and nonferrous metals
Industrial production growth rate: −6.5% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 12.09 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 36.07 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 4,491 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: grain, oilseed, vegetables, fruits, tobacco; livestock
Exports: total value: $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities : machinery and equipment 12.8%; agriculture and food 21.9%; textiles and apparel 14%; metals and ores 19.7%; chemicals 16.9%; minerals and fuels 9.3% (1995) partners: OECD 50.0% (EU 37.2%); CIS and Central and Eastern Europe 32.4%; Arab countries 5.8%; other 11.8% (1995)
Imports: total value: $4.1 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: fuels, minerals, and raw materials 30.1%; machinery and equipment 23.6%; textiles and apparel 11.6%; agricultural products 10.8%; metals and ores 6.8%; chemicals 12.3%; other 4.8% (1995) partners : OECD 45.5% (EU 38.1%); CIS and Central and Eastern European countries 41.1%; Arab countries 1.8%; other 11.6% (1995)
Debt - external: $9.3 billion (1996 est.)
Economic aid: NA
Currency: 1 lev (Lv) = 100 stotinki
Exchange rates: leva (Lv) per US$1 - 483.4 (1996), 70.7 (1995), 54.2 (1994), 27.1 (1993), 23.3 (1992)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Bulgaria:Communications
Telephones: 2,773,293 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: almost two-thirds of the lines are residential; 67% of Sofia households have telephones (November 1988 est.) domestic: extensive but antiquated transmission system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; telephone service is available in most villages international : direct dialing to 36 countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region); Intelsat available through a Greek earth station
Radio broadcast stations: AM 20, FM 15, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 29 (Russian repeater in Sofia 1)
Televisions: 2.1 million (May 1990 est.)
@Bulgaria:Transportation
Railways: total : 4,292 km standard gauge: 4,047 km 1.435-m gauge (2,650 km electrified; 917 double track) other gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 36,777 km paved: 33,798 km (including 314 km of expressways) unpaved : 2,979 km (1995 est.)
Waterways: 470 km (1987)
Pipelines: crude oil 193 km; petroleum products 525 km; natural gas 1,400 km (1992)
Ports and harbors: Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin
Merchant marine: total: 99 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,063,367 GRT/1,596,438 DWT ships by type: bulk 45, cargo 25, chemical tanker 4, container 2, oil tanker 12, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 1 note : Bulgaria owns an additional 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 151,855 DWT operating under the registries of Liberia and Malta (1996 est.)
Airports: 355 (1994 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 116 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m : 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 under 914 m: 88 (1994 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 239 2,438 to 3,047 m : 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 226 (1994 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border
Troops, Internal Troops
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability: males age 15–49: 2,052,731 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males: 1,711,729 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 62,908 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $418.6 million (1996)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.0% to 2.5% (1996)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
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;