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Bulgaria
Area Handbook for Bulgaria, by Eugene K. Keefe, Violeta D. Baluyut, William Giloane, Anne K. Long, James M. Moore, and Neda A. Walpole
The Balkan Peninsula , Sir Frank Fox
NL:
In het Balkanbergland van Bulgarije, by Louis de Launay
Bulgaria (Europe)
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 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.
Geography ::Bulgaria
Geography
Location
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Geographic coordinates
43 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references
Europe
Area
total : 110,879 sq km
land: 108,489 sq km
water: 2,390 sq km
comparison ranking: total 105
Area - comparative
almost identical in size to Virginia; slightly larger than Tennessee
Area comparison map:
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.)
arable land: 29.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 1.5% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 15.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 36.7% (2018 est.)
other: 16.4% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
987 sq km (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
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Population distribution
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations
Natural hazards
earthquakes; landslides
Geography - note
strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
People and Society
Population
total: 6,782,659
male: 3,303,491
female: 3,479,168 (2024 est.)
comparison rankings: female 106; male 107; total 107
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 sample(s):
Светoвен Алманах, незаменимият източник за основна информация. (Bulgarian)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Bulgarian audio sample:
Religions
Christian 64.7%, Muslim 9.8%, other 0.1%, none 4.7%, unspecified 20.7% (2021 est.)
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)
2023 population pyramid:
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
comparison ranking: total 19
Population growth rate
-0.66% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 226
Birth rate
7.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 216
Death rate
14.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 7
Net migration rate
-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 111
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.)
total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
Major urban areas - population
1.288 million SOFIA (capital) (2023)
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.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
26.4 years (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
7 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: 158
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
comparison ranking: total 149
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 76.1 years (2024 est.)
male: 72.9 years
female: 79.4 years
comparison ranking: total population 118
Total fertility rate
1.51 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 202
Gross reproduction rate
0.73 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
NA
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 99.5% of population
rural: 97.4% of population
total: 99% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population
rural: 2.6% of population
total: 1% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
8.5% of GDP (2020)
Physician density
4.2 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density
7.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
25% (2016)
comparison ranking: 53
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 11.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 4.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 1.72 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 4.96 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 9
Tobacco use
total: 39% (2020 est.)
male: 40.9% (2020 est.)
female: 37.1% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 7
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
1.9% (2014)
comparison ranking: 106
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
57.3% (2023 est.)
Education expenditures
4% of GDP (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: 117
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)
Environment
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
Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate
temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Land use
agricultural land: 46.9% (2018 est.)
arable land: 29.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 1.5% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 15.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 36.7% (2018 est.)
other: 16.4% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 76.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: -0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
Revenue from forest resources
0.22% of GDP (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 90
Revenue from coal
0.14% of GDP (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 24
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.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 3.011 million tons (2015 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 572,993 tons (2015 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 19% (2015 est.)
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
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
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 cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
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
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)
Legal system
civil law
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
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
legislature name: National Assembly (Narodno sabranie)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 240 (all directly elected)
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 10/27/2024
parties elected and seats per party: Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria Party (GERB) - Union of Democratic Forces (UDF) (69); We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (37); Revival (Vuzrazhdane) (35); Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) - New Beginning (30); Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP for Bulgaria) - United Left (20); Alliance for Rights and Freedoms (APS) (19); There is Such a People (PP-ITN) (18); Political Party Morality, Unity, Honour (PP MECh) (12)
percentage of women in chamber: 20.8%
expected date of next election: October 2028
Judicial branch
highest court(s): 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
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)
chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387 5770
FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
email address and website:
office@bulgaria-embassy.org
https://www.bulgaria-embassy.org/en/homepage/
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires H. Martin McDOWELL (since January 2025)
embassy: 16, Kozyak Street, Sofia 1408
mailing address: 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
FAX: [359] (2) 937-5209
email address and website:
acs_sofia@state.gov
https://bg.usembassy.gov/
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 symbol(s)
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: Boyana Church (c); Madara Rider (c); Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak (c); Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo (c); Rila Monastery (c); Ancient City of Nessebar (c); Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari (c); Srebarna Nature Reserve (n); Pirin National Park (n); Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n)
Economy
Economic 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)
$215.338 billion (2023 est.)
$211.35 billion (2022 est.)
$203.146 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 75
Real GDP growth rate
1.89% (2023 est.)
4.04% (2022 est.)
7.66% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 146
Real GDP per capita
$33,400 (2023 est.)
$31,800 (2022 est.)
$29,500 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 73
GDP (official exchange rate)
$102.408 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
9.44% (2023 est.)
15.33% (2022 est.)
3.3% (2021 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 174
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: BBB (2017)
Moody's rating: Baa1 (2020)
Standard & Poors rating: BBB (2019)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 2.5% (2023 est.)
industry: 22.7% (2023 est.)
services: 62.5% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 71; industry 119; agriculture 149
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 57.7% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 18.4% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 18.7% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.1% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 61.9% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -57.8% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural 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
-4.11% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 196
Labor force
3.09 million (2023 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 109
Unemployment rate
4.3% (2023 est.)
4.27% (2022 est.)
5.27% (2021 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 83
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 12% (2023 est.)
male: 11.8% (2023 est.)
female: 12.2% (2023 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 114
Population below poverty line
20.6% (2022 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
39 (2021 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 47
Average household expenditures
on food: 19.1% of household expenditures (2022 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 5.3% of household expenditures (2022 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2% (2021 est.)
highest 10%: 29.9% (2021 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
2.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
2.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
2.38% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
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
Public debt
30.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 169
Taxes and other revenues
21.73% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 68
Current account balance
$927.67 million (2023 est.)
-$2.359 billion (2022 est.)
-$872.53 million (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 58
Exports
$63.38 billion (2023 est.)
$63.246 billion (2022 est.)
$52.125 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 58
Exports - partners
Germany 13%, Romania 13%, Italy 7%, Turkey 6%, Greece 6% (2022)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, natural gas, garments, wheat, refined copper (2022)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$59.16 billion (2023 est.)
$62.26 billion (2022 est.)
$49.999 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 62
Imports - partners
Germany 10%, Russia 10%, Turkey 9%, Romania 7%, Greece 6% (2022)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, natural gas, copper ore, cars, packaged medicine (2022)
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
comparison ranking: 55
Debt - external
$14.277 billion (2022 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
comparison ranking: 42
Exchange rates
leva (BGN) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
1.809 (2023 est.)
1.86 (2022 est.)
1.654 (2021 est.)
1.716 (2020 est.)
1.747 (2019 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 99.6%
Electricity
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.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 132; imports 70; exports 22; consumption 61; installed generating capacity 59
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 48.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
nuclear: 32.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
solar: 4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
wind: 3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
hydroelectricity: 7.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
biomass and waste: 4.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors: 2 (2023)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 2.01GW (2023 est.)
Percent of total electricity production: 40.3% (2023 est.)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 4 (2023)
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.)
Natural gas
production: 20.837 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
consumption: 2.801 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
exports: 2.75 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
imports: 2.911 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
proven reserves: 5.663 billion cubic meters (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.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 62
Energy consumption per capita
107.943 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: 45
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 691,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 82
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 7.964 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 117 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 101
Telecommunication systems
general assessment:
Bulgaria’s telecom market was for some years affected by the difficult macroeconomic climate, as well as by relatively high unemployment and a shrinking population; these factors continue to slow investments in the sector, though revenue growth has returned since 2019; there still remains pressure on revenue growth, with consumers migrating from fixed-line voice telephony to mobile and VoIP alternatives, while the volume of SMS and MMS traffic has been affected by the growing use of alternative OTT messaging services; investing in network upgrades and its development of services based on 5G have stimulated other market players to invest in their own service provision; by the end of 2022 about 70% of the population is expected to be covered by 5G; the broadband market in Bulgaria enjoys excellent cross-platform competition; the share of the market held by DSL has fallen steadily as a result of customers being migrated to fiber networks; by early 2021 about 65% of fixed-line broadband subscribers were on fiber infrastructure; Bulgaria joins the U.S. State Department’s Clean Network initiative in a bid to protect its 5G communications networks
(2022)
domestic: fixed-line over 11 per 100 persons, mobile-cellular teledensity, fostered by multiple service providers, is over 115 telephones per 100 persons (2021)
international: country code - 359; Caucasus Cable System via submarine cable provides connectivity to Ukraine, Georgia 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) (2019)
Broadcast media
4 national terrestrial TV stations with 1 state-owned and 3 privately owned; a vast array of TV stations are available from cable and satellite TV providers; state-owned national radio broadcasts over 3 networks; large number of private radio stations broadcasting, especially in urban areas
Internet country code
.bg
Internet users
percent of population: 75% (2021 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 2,115,053 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 56
Transportation
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)
comparison ranking: 48
Heliports
8 (2024)
Pipelines
2,765 km gas, 346 km oil, 378 km refined products (2017)
Railways
total: 4,029 km (2020) 2,871 km electrified
comparison ranking: total 45
Roadways
total: 19,117 km (2022)
note: does not include Category IV local roads
comparison ranking: total 116
Waterways
470 km (2009)
comparison ranking: 92
Merchant marine
total: 78 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 2, general cargo 13, oil tanker 8, other 55
comparison ranking: total 100
Ports
total ports: 2 (2024)
large: 1
medium: 0
small: 1
very small: 0
ports with oil terminals: 2
key ports: Burgas, Varna
Military and Security
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 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)
comparison ranking: 57
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 27,000 active-duty personnel (17,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 7,000 Air Force) (2024)
note: in 2021, Bulgaria released a 10-year defense plan which called for an active military strength of 43,000
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military's inventory consists mostly of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years Bulgaria has procured limited amounts of more modern Western weapons systems (2023)
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
Military - note
the Bulgarian military is responsible for guaranteeing Bulgaria’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, providing support to international peace and security missions, and contributing to national security in peacetime, including such missions as responding to disasters or assisting with border security; the military trains regularly including in multinational exercises with regional partners and with NATO since Bulgaria joined the organization in 2004; it also participates in overseas peacekeeping and other security missions under the EU, NATO, and the UN; in 2022, Bulgaria established and began leading a NATO multinational battlegroup as part of an effort to boost NATO defenses in Eastern Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; in 2021, Bulgaria approved a 10-year defense development program, which included calls for equipment upgrades and procurements, boosts in manpower, organizational reforms, and greater focus on such areas as cyber defense, communications, logistics support, and research and development
the Bulgarian military has participated in several significant conflicts since its establishment in 1878, including the Serbo-Bulgarian War (1885), the First Balkan War (1912-13), the Second Balkan War (1913), World War I (1915-1918), and World War II (1941-45); during the Cold War it was one of the Warsaw Pact’s largest militaries with over 150,000 personnel and more than 200 Soviet-made combat aircraft (2024)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Space Research and Technology Institute - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (SRTI-BAS; formed in 1987 but originated from the Central Laboratory for Space Research and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency, which was established in 1969) (2024)
Space program overview
has a long history of involvement in space-related activities going back to the 1960s; develops, produces, and operates satellites, mostly with foreign partners; researches, develops, and produces other space technologies, including those related to astrophysics, remote sensing, data exploitation, optics, and electronics; has specialized in producing scientific instruments for space research; has more than 20 research institutes; Cooperating State of the European Space Agency (ESA) since 2015; cooperates with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of the ESA and EU (and bi-laterally with their member states), India, Japan, Russia, and the US (2024)
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist group(s): 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
Transnational Issues
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
