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Compare Bahrain (2003) - Bulgaria (2008)

Compare Bahrain (2003) z Bulgaria (2008)

 Bahrain (2003)Bulgaria (2008)
 BahrainBulgaria
Administrative divisions 12 municipalities (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar, Sitrah


note: all municipalities administered from Manama
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
Age structure 0-14 years: 28.8% (male 97,294; female 94,930)


15-64 years: 68% (male 266,351; female 187,473)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 10,807; female 10,383) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 13.9% (male 521,117/female 496,022)


15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,472,424/female 2,556,102)


65 years and over: 17.4% (male 523,660/female 753,533) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock
Airports 4 (2002) 214 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 2


1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2002)
total: 131


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 18


1,524 to 2,437 m: 15


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 95 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
total: 83


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 72 (2007)
Area total: 665 sq km


land: 665 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 110,910 sq km


land: 110,550 sq km


water: 360 sq km
Area - comparative 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC slightly larger than Tennessee
Background Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves, Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has transformed itself into an international banking center. The new amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral legislature, the National Assembly. 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 country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. 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 and the EU in 2007.
Birth rate 19.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 9.62 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.8 billion


expenditures: $2.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $700 million (2002 est.)
revenues: $16.62 billion


expenditures: $15.18 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Manama 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
Climate arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Coastline 161 km 354 km
Constitution adopted late December 2000; Bahrani voters approved on 13-14 February 2001 a referendum on legislative changes (revised constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary) adopted 12 July 1991
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain


conventional short form: Bahrain


local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn


local short form: Al Bahrayn


former: Dilmun
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria


conventional short form: Bulgaria


local long form: Republika Balgariya


local short form: Balgariya
Currency Bahraini dinar (BHD) -
Death rate 3.99 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 14.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $3.7 billion (2002) $29.29 billion (30 June 2007)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN


embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 321, Zinj District, Manama


mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama


telephone: [973] 273-300


FAX: [973] 272-594
chief of mission: Ambassador John Ross BEYRLE


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
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Khalifa bin Ali bin Rashid AL KHALIFA


chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 342-0741


FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192


consulate(s) general: New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA


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
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from each of Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait (2002) $742 million (2005-06 est.)
Economy - overview In Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and 30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with business in the Gulf. Bahrain is dependent on Saudi Arabia for oil granted as aid. A large share of exports consists of petroleum products made from refining imported crude. Construction proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources are major long-term economic problems. 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 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.
Electricity - consumption 5.819 billion kWh (2001) 37.4 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 7.8 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2006)
Electricity - production 6.257 billion kWh (2001) 45.7 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m


highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Environment - current issues desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources, groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Bahraini 63%, Asian 19%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8% Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)
Exchange rates Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.38 (2002), 0.38 (2001), 0.38 (2000), 0.38 (1999), 0.38 (1998) leva per US dollar - 1.4366 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003)
Executive branch chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa Al Khalifa (since 6 March 1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch, born 21 October 1969)


head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman Al Khalifa (since NA 1971)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
chief of state: President Georgi PARVANOV (since 22 January 2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Sergei STANISHEV (since 16 August 2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Ivaylo KALFIN, Daniel VULCHEV, and Emel ETEM (since 16 August 2005)


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) nominated by the president and 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
Exports NA (2001) 51,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
Exports - partners US 4.5%, India 3.2%, Saudi Arabia 2.1% (2002) Turkey 12%, Italy 10.4%, Germany 10%, Greece 8.2%, Belgium 6.8%, France 4.3% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description red with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five points represent the five pillars of Islam 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
GDP purchasing power parity - $9.91 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 35%


services: 64% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 8.1%


industry: 31.3%


services: 60.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $15,100 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2.9% (2002 est.) 6.1% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 26 00 N, 50 33 E 43 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic location in Persian Gulf, which much of Western world's petroleum must transit to reach open ocean strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
Heliports 1 (2002) 4 (2007)
Highways total: 3,261 km


paved: 2,531 km


unpaved: 730 km (2000)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2.9%


highest 10%: 25.4% (2005)
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; some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions
Imports NA (2001) 138,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities crude oil, machinery, chemicals machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials
Imports - partners Saudi Arabia 30.1%, US 11.7%, Japan 7.1%, Germany 6.5%, UK 5.6% (2002) Germany 15%, Italy 10.6%, Turkey 7.2%, Greece 6.3%, China 5%, France 4.9%, Romania 4.5% (2006)
Independence 15 August 1971 (from UK) 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
Industrial production growth rate 2% (2000 est.) 5.5% (2007 est.)
Industries petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
Infant mortality rate total: 18.59 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 19.16 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 22.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.5% (2002 est.) 7.8% (2007 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), 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, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 50 sq km (1998 est.) 5,880 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch High Civil Appeals Court Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation; Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members; responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)
Labor force 295,000


note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (1998 est.)
3.44 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation industry, commerce, and service 79%, government 20%, agriculture 1% (1997 est.) agriculture: 8.5%


industry: 33.6%


services: 57.9% (2nd qtr. 2006 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,808 km


border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia 318 km, Turkey 240 km
Land use arable land: 4.35%


permanent crops: 4.35%


other: 91.3% (1998 est.)
arable land: 29.94%


permanent crops: 1.9%


other: 68.16% (2005)
Languages Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Legal system based on Islamic law and English common law civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 members appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly elected to serve four-year terms)


elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next election to be held NA 2006)


election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other 10


note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14 February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on 25 December 2002
unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held in June 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%, MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%, other 8.7%; seats by party - CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, UDF 20, ATAKA 17, DSB 17, BPU 13, independents 4; note - seats by party as of January 2008 - CfB 82, NMS2 36, MRF 34, UDF 16, DSB 16, Bulgarian New Democracy 16, BPU 13, ATAKA 11, independents 16
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.72 years


male: 71.28 years


female: 76.24 years (2003 est.)
total population: 72.57 years


male: 68.95 years


female: 76.4 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 89.1%


male: 91.9%


female: 85% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.2%


male: 98.7%


female: 97.7% (2001 census)
Location Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Map references Middle East Europe
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 234,599 GRT/336,528 DWT


ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 1, container 2, petroleum tanker 1, includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Kuwait 1 (2002 est.)
total: 71 ships (1000 GRT or over) 833,153 GRT/1,194,660 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 37, cargo 14, chemical tanker 4, container 6, liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4


foreign-owned: 3 (Germany 1, Ireland 1, Russia 1)


registered in other countries: 39 (Comoros 1, Malta 15, Mongolia 2, Panama 1, Slovakia 7, St Vincent and The Grenadines 13) (2007)
Military branches Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF) comprising Ground Force (includes Air Defense), Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Police Force, Amiri Guards, National Guard Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2008)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $526.2 million (FY01) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 6.7% (FY01) 2.6% (2005 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 222,242 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 121,739 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 15 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 6,126 (2003 est.) -
National holiday National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date of independence from British protection Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
Nationality noun: Bahraini(s)


adjective: Bahraini
noun: Bulgarian(s)


adjective: Bulgarian
Natural hazards periodic droughts; dust storms earthquakes, landslides
Natural resources oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Net migration rate 1.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2003) gas 2,500 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders political parties prohibited but politically oriented societies are allowed ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by the Attack National Union); Attack National Union [Volen SIDEROV]; Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia MOZER]; Bulgarian New Democracy [Borislav RALCHEV]; Bulgarian People's Union or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and BANU); Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB [Boyko BORISOV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Stability and Progress or NDSV [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Petar STOYANOV]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition of center-right parties dominated by UDF)
Political pressure groups and leaders Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas
Population 667,238


note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)
7,322,858 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 14.1% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate 1.61% (2003 est.) -0.837% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Manama, Mina' Salman, Sitrah -
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)
Railways 0 km total: 4,294 km


standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2006)
Religions Shi'a Muslim 70%, Sunni Muslim 30% Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.42 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female


total population: 1.28 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.051 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.967 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.695 male(s)/female


total population: 0.924 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: modern system


domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones


international: tropospheric scatter to Qatar and UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)
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 offset by a sharp increase in mobile-cellular telephone use fostered by multiple service providers


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 - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2007)
Telephones - main lines in use 152,000 (1997) 2.399 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 58,543 (1997) 8.253 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 4 (1997) 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Total fertility rate 2.71 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.39 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 15% (1998 est.) 8% (2007 est.)
Waterways none 470 km (2007)
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