Bulgaria

Location

• Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
• strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
Sofia	1,152,556	Capital
Plovdiv	346,893
Varna	312,770
Burgas	195,966
Stara Zagora	143,431
Ruse	143,417
Pleven	100,952
Sliven	83,740
Pernik	82,467
Dobrich	79,269

Size

• 42,822 square miles
• 110,910 square kilometers
• almost identical in size to Virginia; slightly larger than Tennessee

History

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.

Climate

temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain

mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

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.

Religions

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

Government

parliamentary republic

• Constitution: history: several previous; latest drafted between late 1990 and early 1991, adopted 13 July 1991amendment process: 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
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal System: civil law
• Executive Branch: chief of state: President Rumen RADEV (since 22 January 2017)head of government: Prime Minister Rosen ZHELYAZKOV (since 16 January 2025)cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assemblyelection/appointment process: 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); 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 Assemblymost recent election date: 14 and 21 November 2021election 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%expected date of next election: fall 2026
• 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 is organized into 2 colleges with various panels of 5 judges each; Constitutional Court consists of 12 justices) and resides outside the judiciaryjudge 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 yearssubordinate courts: appeals courts; regional and district courts; administrative courts; courts martial
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: National Assembly (Narodno sabranie)legislative structure: unicameralnumber of seats: 240 (all directly elected)electoral system: proportional representationscope of elections: full renewalterm in office: 4 yearsmost recent election date: 10/27/2024parties 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) - 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: 21.3%expected date of next election: October 2028

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• upper-middle-income EU economy; currency pegged to the euro, with eurozone accession pending; declining energy prices helping lower inflation rate; EU structural funds contributing to investment recovery; skilled labor shortage driven by emigration and aging population
• Budget: revenues: $35.615 billion (2023 est.)expenditures: $37.546 billion (2023 est.)note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
• Industries: electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, automotive parts, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel; outsourcing centers
• Agricultural Products: wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, barley, milk, rapeseed, grapes, potatoes, triticale, tomatoes (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• Land Use: agricultural land: 46.3% (2022 est.)arable land: 31.9% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 1.3% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 13% (2022 est.)forest: 36.1% (2022 est.)other: 17.6% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: crude petroleum, copper ore, cars, packaged medicine, electricity (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: Germany 12%, Turkey 8%, Romania 8%, Russia 7%, Italy 6% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: refined petroleum, garments, refined copper, wheat, natural gas (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: Germany 14%, Romania 11%, Italy 8%, Greece 6%, Turkey 5% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports