Introduction
Background
Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy from the Ottoman Empire in 1878, and all of Bulgaria became independent in 1908. Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination ended in 1990, and Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and the EU in 2007.
Geography
Area
total: 110,879 sq km
land: 108,489 sq km
water: 2,390 sq km
Climate
temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Natural resources
bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
People and Society
Population
6,827,736 (2023 est.)
Ethnic groups
Bulgarian 78.5%, Turkish 7.8%, Roma 4.1%, other 1.2%, unspecified 9.4% (2021 est.)
Languages
Bulgarian (official) 77.3%, Turkish 7.9%, Romani 3.5%, other 1%, unspecified 10.4% (2021 est.)
Religions
Christian 64.7%, Muslim 9.8%, other 0.1%, none 4.7%, unspecified 20.7% (2021 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.66% (2023 est.)
Government
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
name: Sofia
Executive branch
chief of state: President Rumen RADEV (since 22 January 2017); Vice President Iliana IOTOVA (since 22 January 2017)
head of government: Vacant (since 6 March 2024)
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)
Economy
Economic overview
upper-middle-income EU economy; improving living standards and very robust economic growth; coal-based infrastructure; legacy structural vulnerabilities and widespread corruption; increasing Russian economic relations, particularly through energy trade
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$174.307 billion (2022 est.)
$167.804 billion (2021 est.)
$155.902 billion (2020 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$27,000 (2022 est.)
$24,400 (2021 est.)
$22,500 (2020 est.)
Agricultural products
wheat, maize, sunflower seed, milk, barley, rapeseed, potatoes, grapes, tomatoes, watermelons
Industries
electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, automotive parts, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel; outsourcing centers
Exports
$62.514 billion (2022 est.)
$51.505 billion (2021 est.)
$39.541 billion (2020 est.)
Exports - partners
Germany 14%, Romania 10%, Greece 8%, Italy 8%, Turkey 6% (2021)
Exports - commodities
copper, wheat, electricity, refined petroleum, packaged medicines (2021)
Imports
$62.329 billion (2022 est.)
$50.059 billion (2021 est.)
$38.197 billion (2020 est.)
Imports - partners
Germany 12%, Turkey 8%, Greece 8%, Romania 8%, Italy 7% (2021)
Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, copper, cars, packaged medicines, refined petroleum (2019)
Exchange rates
leva (BGN) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
1.654 (2021 est.)
1.716 (2020 est.)
1.747 (2019 est.)
1.657 (2018 est.)
1.735 (2017 est.)
Page last updated: Wednesday, March 27, 2024