Infant mortality rate:
total: 17.87 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 115
male: 21.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 14.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.09 years
country comparison to the world: 111
male: 69.48 years
female: 76.91 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.41 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
346 (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
Nationality:
noun: Bulgarian(s)
adjective: Bulgarian
Ethnic groups:
Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including
Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)
Religions:
Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other
4% (2001 census)
Languages:
Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8%
(2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.2%
male: 98.7%
female: 97.7% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.5% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 90
Government ::Bulgaria
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria
local long form: Republika Balgariya
local short form: Balgariya
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
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
Administrative divisions:
28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas,
Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana,
Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen,
Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,
Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, 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)
Constitution:
adopted 12 July 1991
Legal system:
civil and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Georgi PARVANOV (since 22 January 2002);
Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Boyko BORISSOV (since 27 July
2009); Deputy Prime Ministers Simeon DJANKOV and Tsvetan TSVETANOV
(since 27 July 2009);
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
elected by the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
election last held 22 and 29 October 2006 (next to be held in 2011);
chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) elected by the
National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime
minister and elected by the National Assembly
election results: Georgi PARVANOV reelected president; percent of
vote - Georgi PARVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV 22.7%; Sergei STANISHEV
elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sabranie (240 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 July 2009 (next to be held mid-2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - GERB 39.7%, BSP 17.7%,
MRF 14.4%, ATAKA 9.4%, Blue Coalition 6.8%, RZS 4.1%, other 7.9%;
seats by party - GERB 116, BSP 40, MRF 38, ATAKA 21, Blue Coalition
15, RZS 10
Judicial branch:
independent judiciary comprised of judges, prosecutors and
investigating magistrates who are appointed, promoted, demoted, and
dismissed by a 25-member Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the
chairmen of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22
members, half of whom are elected by the National Assembly and the
other half by the bodies of the judiciary for a 5-year term in
office); three levels of case review; 182 courts of which two
Supreme Courts act as the last instance on civil and criminal cases
(the Supreme Court of Cassation) and appeals of government decisions
(the Supreme Administrative Court)
Political parties and leaders:
ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by the Attack
National Union); Attack National Union [Volen SIDEROV]; Agrarian
National Union or ANU [Stefan LICHEV]; Blue Coalition (a coalition
of center-right parties dominated by UDF and DSB); Bulgarian New
Democracy [Borislav RALCHEV]; Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP
[Sergei STANISHEV]; Citizens for the European Development of
Bulgaria or GERB [Tsvetan TSVETANOV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB
(coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV];
Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Gergyovden
[Petar STOYANOVICH]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization
or IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Liberal Initiative for Democratic
European Development or LIDER [Khristo KOVACHKI]; Movement for
Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; Movement Forward (LIDER,
IMRO, ANU, Gergyovden); National Movement for Stability and Progress
or NDSV [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA] (formerly National Movement
Simeon II or NMS2); New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Order, Law, Justice
or RZS [Yane YANEV]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Martin
DIMITROV]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI];
United Agrarians [Anastasia MOZER]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB;
Podkrepa Labor Confederation
other: numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with
various agendas
International organization participation:
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA,
NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
(associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Latchezar PETKOV
chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174
FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy McELDOWNEY
embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407
mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, US Department of State,
5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
FAX: [359] (2) 937-5320
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red
note: the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white
stripe, has been removed
Economy ::Bulgaria
Economy - overview:
Bulgaria, a former Communist country that entered the EU on 1
January 2007, has experienced strong growth since a major economic
downturn in 1996. Successive governments have demonstrated a
commitment to economic reforms and responsible fiscal planning, but
have failed so far to rein in rising inflation and large current
account deficits. Bulgaria has averaged more than 6% growth since
2004, attracting significant amounts of foreign direct investment,
but corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and
the presence of organized crime remain significant challenges.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$93.98 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
$88.66 billion (2007 est.)
$83.48 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$49.9 billion (2008)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
6.2% (2007 est.)
6.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$12,900 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
$12,100 (2007 est.)
$11,300 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 7.3%
industry: 30.5%
services: 62.2% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
2.67 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 7.5%
industry: 35.5%
services: 57% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
6.3% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
7.7% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
14.1% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 25.5% (2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30.7 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 109
26.4 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
33.4% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
Budget:
revenues: $22.24 billion
expenditures: $20.74 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
14.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
41.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.3% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
9.8% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
5.77% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 111
4.58% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.86% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 85
10% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$14.29 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 40
$15.58 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$19.67 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 42
$17.03 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$32.04 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 52
$25.18 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$8.858 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 68
$21.79 billion (31 December 2007)
$10.32 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar
beets; livestock
Industries:
electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and
equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum,
nuclear fuel
Industrial production growth rate:
1.5% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Electricity - production:
40.25 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Electricity - consumption:
31.08 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Electricity - exports:
8.441 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
3.097 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
3,357 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
Oil - consumption:
124,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Oil - exports:
76,570 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Oil - imports:
189,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Oil - proved reserves:
15 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
Natural gas - production:
300 million cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Natural gas - consumption:
3.4 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 198
Natural gas - imports:
3.1 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Natural gas - proved reserves:
5.663 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Current account balance:
-$12.65 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
-$8.716 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$22.71 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
$18.58 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
Exports - partners:
Greece 9.9%, Germany 9.2%, Turkey 8.9%, Italy 8.5%, Romania 7.2%,
Belgium 5.9%, France 4.1% (2008)
Imports:
$35.64 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
$28.65 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics;
fuels, minerals, and raw materials
Imports - partners:
Russia 14.6%, Germany 11.8%, Italy 7.9%, Ukraine 7.3%, Romania 5.6%,
Turkey 5.5%, Greece 5.4%, Austria 4.1% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$17.93 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
$17.54 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$51.46 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
$42.62 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$42.91 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
$33.91 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.292 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
$559 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
leva (BGN) per US dollar - 1.3171 (2008 est.), 1.4366 (2007), 1.5576
(2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004)
Communications ::Bulgaria
Telephones - main lines in use:
2.258 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 55
Telephones - mobile cellular:
10.633 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 59
Telephone system:
general assessment: an extensive but antiquated telecommunications
network inherited from the Soviet era; quality has improved; the
Bulgaria Telecommunications Company's fixed-line monopoly terminated
in 2005 when alternative fixed-line operators were given access to
its network; a drop in fixed-line connections in recent years has
been more than offset by a sharp increase in mobile-cellular
telephone use fostered by multiple service providers; the number of
cellular telephone subscriptions now greatly exceeds the population
domestic: a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects
switching centers in most of the regions; the others are connected
by digital microwave radio relay
international: country code - 359; submarine cable provides
connectivity to Ukraine 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) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)
Internet country code:
.bg
Internet hosts:
706,648 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 45
Internet users:
2.647 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 63
Transportation ::Bulgaria
Airports:
212 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 29
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 132
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
under 914 m: 97 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 80
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 73 (2009)
Heliports:
3 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 2,926 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 4,294 km
country comparison to the world: 38
standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,880 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 40,231 km
country comparison to the world: 89
paved: 39,587 km (includes 331 km of expressways)
unpaved: 644 km (2005)
Waterways:
470 km (2008)
country comparison to the world: 83
Merchant marine:
total: 74
country comparison to the world: 59
by type: bulk carrier 37, cargo 14, chemical tanker 5, container 6,
liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll
off 4, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 65 (Germany 63, Ireland 1, Russia 1)
registered in other countries: 31 (Comoros 2, Malta 5, Panama 3,
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15, Slovakia 6) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Burgas, Varna
Military ::Bulgaria
Military branches:
Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air
Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; as of May 2006,
67% of the Bulgarian Army comprised of professional soldiers;
conscription ended January 2008; Air Forces and Naval Forces became
fully professional at the end of 2006 (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,701,979
females age 16-49: 1,691,092 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,351,312
females age 16-49: 1,381,017 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 38,263
female: 36,374 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Transnational Issues ::Bulgaria
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; vulnerable to money
laundering because of corruption, organized crime; some money
laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions
(2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Burkina Faso (Africa)
Introduction ::Burkina Faso
Background:
Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from
France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s
were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Current
President Blaise COMPAORE came to power in a 1987 military coup and
has won every election since then. Burkina Faso's high population
density and limited natural resources result in poor economic
prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent unrest in Cote
d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability of several
hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find employment
in neighboring countries. In January 2008, Burkina Faso assumed a
nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term.
Geography ::Burkina Faso
Location:
Western Africa, north of Ghana
Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 274,200 sq km
country comparison to the world: 74
land: 273,800 sq km
water: 400 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Colorado
Land boundaries:
total: 3,193 km
border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km,
Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers
Terrain:
mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and
southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m
Natural resources:
manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates,
pumice, salt
Land use:
arable land: 17.66%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 82.12% (2005)
Irrigated land:
250 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
17.5 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.8 cu km/yr (13%/1%/86%)
per capita: 60 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
recurring droughts
Environment - current issues:
recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural
activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing;
soil degradation; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black,
Red, and White Voltas
People ::Burkina Faso
Population:
15,746,232
country comparison to the world: 61
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.2% (male 3,646,661/female 3,621,648)
15-64 years: 51.3% (male 4,025,917/female 4,054,865)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 156,895/female 240,246) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.8 years
male: 16.6 years
female: 17 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.103% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
Birth rate:
44.33 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
Death rate:
13.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Net migration rate:
NA
Urbanization:
urban population: 20% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 84.49 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 15
male: 92.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 76.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.95 years
country comparison to the world: 199
male: 51.04 years
female: 54.91 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.28 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.6% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
130,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,200 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
animal contact disease: rabies
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
adjective: Burkinabe
Ethnic groups:
Mossi over 40%, other approximately 60% (includes Gurunsi, Senufo,
Lobi, Bobo, Mande, and Fulani)
Religions:
Muslim 50%, indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian (mainly Roman
Catholic) 10%
Languages:
French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic
family spoken by 90% of the population
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 21.8%
male: 29.4%
female: 15.2% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 5 years
male: 5 years
female: 4 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 98
Government ::Burkina Faso
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
local long form: none
local short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta
Government type:
parliamentary republic
Capital:
name: Ouagadougou
geographic coordinates: 12 22 N, 1 31 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions: