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Compare Bulgaria (2001) - Sri Lanka (2001)

Compare Bulgaria (2001) z Sri Lanka (2001)

 Bulgaria (2001)Sri Lanka (2001)
 BulgariaSri Lanka
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 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern
Age structure 0-14 years:
15.11% (male 597,765; female 567,030)

15-64 years:
68.17% (male 2,588,805; female 2,665,736)

65 years and over:
16.72% (male 543,665; female 744,494) (2001 est.)
0-14 years:
25.99% (male 2,578,618; female 2,464,928)

15-64 years:
67.39% (male 6,369,881; female 6,708,852)

65 years and over:
6.62% (male 615,253; female 671,103) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef
Airports 215 (2000 est.) 14 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
128

over 3,047 m:
1

2,438 to 3,047 m:
19

1,524 to 2,437 m:
15

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
92 (2000 est.)
total:
12

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
5

914 to 1,523 m:
6 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
87

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
10

under 914 m:
75 (2000 est.)
total:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Area total:
110,910 sq km

land:
110,550 sq km

water:
360 sq km
total:
65,610 sq km

land:
64,740 sq km

water:
870 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Tennessee slightly larger than West Virginia
Background Bulgaria earned its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1878, but having fought on the losing side in both World Wars, it 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 multi-party 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. Today, reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual integration into NATO and the EU - with which it began accession negotiations in 2000. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester.
Birth rate 8.06 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 16.58 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues:
$4.85 billion

expenditures:
$4.92 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues:
$3 billion

expenditures:
$3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Sofia Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital
Climate temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
Coastline 354 km 1,340 km
Constitution adopted 12 July 1991 adopted 16 August 1978
Country name conventional long form:
Republic of Bulgaria

conventional short form:
Bulgaria
conventional long form:
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

conventional short form:
Sri Lanka

former:
Serendib, Ceylon
Currency lev (BGL) Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Death rate 14.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $10.4 billion (2000 est.) $9.9 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Richard M. MILES

embassy:
1 Suborna Street, Sofia

mailing address:
American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5740

telephone:
[359] (2) 980-52-41

FAX:
[359] (2) 981-89-77
chief of mission:
Ambassador E. Ashley WILLS

embassy:
210 Galle Road, Colombo 3

mailing address:
P. O. Box 106, Colombo

telephone:
[94] (1) 448007

FAX:
[94] (1) 437345
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Philip DIMITROV

chancery:
1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 387-7969

FAX:
[1] (202) 234-7973

consulate(s):
New York
chief of mission:
Ambassador Warnasena RASAPUTRAM

chancery:
2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028)

FAX:
[1] (202) 232-7181

consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles

consulate(s):
New York
Disputes - international - none
Economic aid - recipient $1 billion (1999 est.) $577 million (1998)
Economy - overview Bulgaria, a former communist country struggling to enter the European market economy, suffered a major economic downturn in 1996 and 1997, with triple digit inflation and GDP contraction of 10.6% and 6.9%. The current government - which took office in May 1997 after pre-term parliamentary elections - stabilized the economy and promoted growth by implementing a currency board, practicing sound financial policies, invigorating privatization, and pursuing structural reforms. Additionally, strong assistance from international financial institutions - most notably the IMF which approved a three-year Extended Fund Facility worth approximately $900 million in September 1998 - played a critical role in turning the economy around. After several years of tumult, Bulgaria's economy has stabilized. Its better-than-expected economic performance in 1999 - despite the impact of the Kosovo conflict, the 1998 Russian financial crisis, and structural reforms - and strong growth in 2000 portends solid growth over the next few years; this assumes continued fiscal restraint, additional structural reforms, aid from abroad, and prosperous times in the EU economy. In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an annual average rate of 5.5% throughout the 1990s until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-98 with growth of 6.4% and 4.7% - but slowed to 4.3% in 1999. Growth increased to 5.6% in 2000, with growth in tourism and exports leading the way. But a resurgence of civil war between the Sinhalese and the minority Tamils and a possible slowdown in tourism dampen prospects for 2001. For the next round of reforms, the central bank of Sri Lanka recommends that Colombo expand market mechanisms in nonplantation agriculture, dismantle the government's monopoly on wheat imports, and promote more competition in the financial sector.
Electricity - consumption 33.182 billion kWh (1999) 5.604 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 2.2 billion kWh (1999) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 1.7 billion kWh (1999) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 36.217 billion kWh (1999) 6.026 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
51.52%

hydro:
8.35%

nuclear:
40.12%

other:
0.01% (1999)
fossil fuel:
29.9%

hydro:
70.1%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Black Sea 0 m

highest point:
Musala 2,925 m
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
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 deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo
Environment - international agreements party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups Bulgarian 83%, Turk 8.5%, Roma 2.6%, Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Gagauz, Circassian, others (1998) Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%
Exchange rates leva per US dollar - 2.0848 (January 2001), 2.1233 (2000), 1.8364 (1999), 1,760.36 (1998), 1,681.88 (1997), 177.89 (1996)

note:
on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated; the post-5 July 1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 lev
Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 83.506 (January 2001), 77.005 (2000), 70.635 (1999), 64.450 (1998), 58.995 (1997), 55.271 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state:
President Petar STOYANOV (since 22 January 1997); Vice President Todor KAVALDZHIEV (since 22 January 1997)

head of government:
Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) Ivan KOSTOV (since 19 May 1997); Deputy Prime Minister Petur ZHOTEV (since 21 December 1999)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly

elections:
president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 October and 3 November 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister

election results:
Petar STOYANOV elected president; percent of vote - Petar STOYANOV 59.73%
chief of state:
President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ratnasiri WICKRAMANAYAKE (since 10 August 2000) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist

head of government:
President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ratnasiri WICKRAMANAYAKE (since 10 August 2000) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005)

election results:
Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA) 51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7%
Exports $4.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $5.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products
Exports - partners Italy 14%, Turkey 10%, Germany 9%, Greece 8%, Yugoslavia 8%, Belgium 6%, France 5%, US 4% (2000) US 39%, UK 13%, Middle East 8%, Germany 5%, Japan 4% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control) yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border that goes around the entire flag and extends between the two panels
GDP purchasing power parity - $48 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $62.7 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
15%

industry:
29%

services:
56% (2000 est.)
agriculture:
21%

industry:
19%

services:
60% (1998)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,200 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,250 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2000 est.) 5.6% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 43 00 N, 25 00 E 7 00 N, 81 00 E
Geography - note strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes
Heliports 1 (2000 est.) -
Highways total:
36,724 km

paved:
33,786 km (including 314 km of expressways)

unpaved:
2,938 km (1999)
total:
11,285 km

paved:
10,721 km

unpaved:
564 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
3.4%

highest 10%:
22.5% (1995)
lowest 10%:
1.8%

highest 10%:
39.7% (1995-96 est.)
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 -
Imports $5.9 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $6.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles machinery and equipment, textiles, petroleum, foodstuffs
Imports - partners Russia 24%, Germany 14%, Italy 8%, Greece 5%, France 5%, Romania 4%, Turkey 3%, US 3% (2000) Japan 10%, India 9%, Hong Kong 8%, Singapore 8%, South Korea 6% (1999)
Independence 3 March 1878 (from Ottoman Empire) 4 February 1948 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 10.8% (2000 est.) 4% (1999)
Industries electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco
Infant mortality rate 14.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 16.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10.4% (2000 est.) 8.5% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 26 (2000) 5 (2000)
Irrigated land 12,370 sq km (1993 est.) 5,500 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch 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) Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president
Labor force 3.83 million (2000 est.) 6.6 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43% (1998 est.) services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries total:
1,808 km

border countries:
Greece 494 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Yugoslavia 318 km, Turkey 240 km
0 km
Land use arable land:
43%

permanent crops:
2%

permanent pastures:
14%

forests and woodland:
38%

other:
3% (1999 est.)
arable land:
14%

permanent crops:
15%

permanent pastures:
7%

forests and woodland:
32%

other:
32% (1993 est.)
Languages Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%

note:
English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population
Legal system civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 17 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - National Movement for Simeon II 120, UDF 51, BSP 48, DPS 21
unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms)

elections:
last held 10 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2006)

election results:
percent of vote by party - PA 45.11%, UNP 40.22%, JVP 6%, NUA 2.29%, SU 1.48%, TULF 1.23%, other 3.67%; seats by party - PA 107, UNP 89, JVP 10, TULF 5, EPDP 4, NUA 4, TELO 3, ACTC 1, SU 1, independent 1
Life expectancy at birth total population:
71.2 years

male:
67.72 years

female:
74.89 years (2001 est.)
total population:
72.09 years

male:
69.58 years

female:
74.73 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
98%

male:
99%

female:
98% (1999)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
90.2%

male:
93.4%

female:
87.2% (1995 est.)
Location Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Map references Europe Asia
Maritime claims contiguous zone:
24 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total:
81 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 938,706 GRT/1,440,374 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 44, cargo 16, chemical tanker 4, container 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 6, railcar carrier 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.)
total:
20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 149,902 GRT/247,852 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 1, cargo 16, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Civil Defense Forces, Internal Troops Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $344 million (FY00) $719 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.4% (FY00) 4.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
1,891,498 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
5,304,323 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
1,581,697 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49:
4,119,511 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
56,104 (2001 est.)
males:
193,522 (2001 est.)
National holiday Liberation Day, 3 March (1878) Independence Day, 4 February (1948)
Nationality noun:
Bulgarian(s)

adjective:
Bulgarian
noun:
Sri Lankan(s)

adjective:
Sri Lankan
Natural hazards earthquakes, landslides occasional cyclones and tornadoes
Natural resources bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower
Net migration rate -4.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines petroleum products 525 km; natural gas 1,500 km (1999) crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987)
Political parties and leaders Alliance for National Salvation or ANS (coalition led mainly by Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF) [Ahmed DOGAN]; Bulgarian Business Bloc or BBB [Georgi GANCHEV]; Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Georgi PURVANOV, chairman]; Democratic Left or DL (bloc led by BSP, includes Ecoglasnost Political Club and Bulgarian Agrarian National Union) [leader NA]; Euro-left [Aleksandur TOMOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or UMRO [Aleksander KARAKACHNOV]; Kingdom of Bulgaria Federation [leader NA]; Movement for Rights and Freedom or DPS [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II [Simeon II, former king]; New Civic Party for Bulgaria [Bogomil BONEV]; People's Union or PU (includes Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union and Democratic Party) [Anastasiya MOZER]; St. George's Day [Lyuben DILOV]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF (an alliance of pro-democratic parties) [Ivan KOSTOV] All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [Nalliah GURUPAUAN]; Ceylon Workers Congress or CLDC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party [Raja COLLURE]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF [Srimani ATHULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRA]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [leader NA]; People's Alliance or PA [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDDATHAN]; Sihala Urumaya or SU [leader NA]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM and Ferial ASHRAFF]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [leader NA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SUBRAMANIUM]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [R. SAMPATHAN]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Upcountry People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either parliament or provincial councils
Political pressure groups and leaders agrarian movement; Bulgarian Democratic Center; Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Democratic Alliance for the Republic or DAR; New Union for Democracy or NUD; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE (insurgent group fighting for a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups
Population 7,707,495 (July 2001 est.) 19,408,635 (July 2001 est.)

note:
since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of mid-1999, approximately 66,000 were housed in 133 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West
Population below poverty line 35% (2000 est.) 22% (1997 est.)
Population growth rate -1.14% (2001 est.) 0.87% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee
Radio broadcast stations AM 24, FM 93, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 4.51 million (1997) 3.85 million (1997)
Railways total:
4,294 km

standard gauge:
4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified; 917 km double track)

narrow gauge:
245 km 0.760-m gauge (1998)
total:
1,463 km

broad gauge:
1,404 km 1.676-m gauge

narrow gauge:
59 km 0.762-m gauge (1996)
Religions Bulgarian Orthodox 83.5%, Muslim 13%, Roman Catholic 1.5%, Uniate Catholic 0.2%, Jewish 0.8%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 1% (1998) Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)
Sex ratio at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
extensive but antiquated

domestic:
more than two-thirds of the lines are residential; telephone service is available in most villages; 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:
direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)
general assessment:
very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas; some hope for improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good international service (1999)

domestic:
national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)

international:
submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)
Telephones - main lines in use 3.255 million (2000) 494,509 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 596,000 (2000) 228,604 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 96 (plus 1,030 repeaters) (1995) 21 (1997)
Terrain mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Total fertility rate 1.13 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.95 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 17.7% (2000 est.) 8.8% (1999 est.)
Waterways 470 km (1987) 430 km (navigable by shallow-draft craft)
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