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Compare Bulgaria (2003) - France (2006)

Compare Bulgaria (2003) z France (2006)

 Bulgaria (2003)France (2006)
 BulgariaFrance
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 22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes


note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre, Miquelon)
Age structure 0-14 years: 14.2% (male 549,142; female 520,057)


15-64 years: 68.8% (male 2,551,548; female 2,632,978)


65 years and over: 17% (male 535,165; female 749,039) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 18.3% (male 5,704,152/female 5,427,213)


15-64 years: 65.3% (male 19,886,228/female 19,860,506)


65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,103,883/female 5,894,154) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy products; fish
Airports 216 (2002) 477 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 128


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 20


1,524 to 2,437 m: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 92 (2002)
total: 292


over 3,047 m: 13


2,438 to 3,047 m: 28


1,524 to 2,437 m: 96


914 to 1,523 m: 81


under 914 m: 74 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 88


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 74 (2002)
total: 185


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 73


under 914 m: 108 (2006)
Area total: 110,910 sq km


land: 110,550 sq km


water: 360 sq km
total: 547,030 sq km


land: 545,630 sq km


water: 1,400 sq km


note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas administrative divisions
Area - comparative slightly larger than Tennessee slightly less than twice the size of Colorado
Background 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. Bulgaria regained its independence 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 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. 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. Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency, the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement progress toward an EU foreign policy.
Birth rate 8.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 11.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $5.57 billion


expenditures: $5.68 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $1.06 trillion


expenditures: $1.144 trillion; including capital expenditures of $23 billion (2005 est.)
Capital Sofia name: Paris


geographic coordinates: 48 52 N, 2 20 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
Coastline 354 km 3,427 km
Constitution adopted 12 July 1991 adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October 1958; amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993; amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a five-year term
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria


conventional short form: Bulgaria
conventional long form: French Republic


conventional short form: France


local long form: Republique francaise


local short form: France
Currency lev (BGL) -
Death rate 14.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 9.14 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $10.3 billion (yearend 2002) $2.826 trillion (30 June 2005)
Dependent areas - Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna


note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador James William PARDEW


embassy: 1 Suborna Street, Sofia 1000


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


telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100


FAX: [359] (2) 981-89-77
chief of mission: Ambassador Craig R. STAPLETON


embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75382 Paris Cedex 08


mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777


telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22


FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83


consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg
Diplomatic representation in the US 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): New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE


chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007


telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000


FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166


consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco
Disputes - international joint boundary commission is rectifying boundary with Romania based on shifts in Danube since last delimitation in 1920 Madagascar claims the French territories of Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and the French overseas department of French Guiana; France asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $5.4 billion (2002)
Economic aid - recipient $300 million (2000 est.) -
Economy - overview Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter the European Union, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of the then socialist government. As a result, the government became committed to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning. A $300 million stand-by agreement negotiated with the IMF at the end of 2001 has supported government efforts to overcome high rates of poverty and unemployment. France is in the midst of transition from a well-to-do modern economy that has featured extensive government ownership and intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, banks, and insurers. It retains controlling stakes in several leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales, and is dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and welfare. The government has lowered income taxes and introduced measures to boost employment and reform the pension system. In addition, it is focusing on the problems of the high cost of labor and labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour workweek and restrictions on lay-offs. The tax burden remains one of the highest in Europe (nearly 50% of GDP in 2005). The lingering economic slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed the budget deficit above the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP limit; unemployment stands at 10%.
Electricity - consumption 32.52 billion kWh (2001) 433.3 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 6.79 billion kWh (2001) 72.2 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 830 million kWh (2001) 6.2 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 41.38 billion kWh (2001) 536.9 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 47.8%


hydro: 8.1%


nuclear: 44.1%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Black Sea 0 m


highest point: Musala 2,925 m
lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m


highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 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 some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, 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: Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
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 Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Bulgarian 83.6%, Turk 9.5%, Roma 4.6%, other 2.3% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (1998) Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, Basque minorities
Exchange rates leva per US dollar - 2.08 (2002), 2.18 (2001), 2.12 (2000), 1.84 (1999), 1.76 (1998)


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
euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Executive branch chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January 2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)


head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA (since 24 July 2001); Deputy Prime Ministers Nikolay VASILEV (since 24 July 2001), and Lidiya SHULEVA (since 24 July 2001), Plamen PANAYOTOV (since 17 July 2003)


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 11 November and 18 November 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister


election results: Georgi PURVANOV elected president; percent of vote - Georgi PURVANOV 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)


head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31 May 2005)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the suggestion of the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held 21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round April 2007, second round May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president


election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN (FN) 18.04%
Exports NA (2001) 409,600 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
Exports - partners Italy 15.5%, Germany 9.6%, Turkey 9.4%, Greece 9.2%, France 5.3%, US 4.8% (2002) Germany 14.7%, Spain 9.6%, Italy 8.7%, UK 8.3%, US 7.2%, Belgium 7.1% (2005)
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) three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French dependent areas
GDP purchasing power parity - $49.23 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 13.7%


industry: 28.5%


services: 57.9% (2001)
agriculture: 2.2%


industry: 21.4%


services: 76.4% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 4.8% (2002 est.) 1.2% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 43 00 N, 25 00 E 46 00 N, 2 00 E
Geography - note strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia largest West European nation
Heliports 1 (2002) 3 (2006)
Highways total: 37,286 km


paved: 35,049 km (including 324 km of expressways)


unpaved: 2,237 km (2000)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 4.5%


highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)
lowest 10%: 2.8%


highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)
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 transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics
Imports NA (2001) 2.281 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics, chemicals
Imports - partners Russia 14.6%, Germany 14.4%, Italy 11.4%, Greece 6.1%, France 5.7%, Turkey 5% (2002) Germany 18.9%, Belgium 10.7%, Italy 8.2%, Spain 7%, Netherlands 6.5%, UK 5.9%, US 5.1% (2005)
Independence 3 March 1878 (from Ottoman Empire) 486 (unified by Clovis)
Industrial production growth rate 2% (2002 est.) 0.2% (2005 est.)
Industries electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft, electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 15.43 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.9% (2002 est.) 1.7% (2005 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SECI (observer), SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 200 (2001) -
Irrigated land 8,000 sq km (1998 est.) 26,000 sq km (2003)
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 of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
Labor force 3.83 million (2000 est.) 27.72 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43% (1998 est.) agriculture: 4.1%


industry: 24.4%


services: 71.5% (1999)
Land boundaries total: 1,808 km


border countries: Greece 494 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia and Montenegro 318 km, Turkey 240 km
total: 2,889 km


border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km
Land use arable land: 39%


permanent crops: 1.8%


other: 59.2% (1998 est.)
arable land: 33.46%


permanent crops: 2.03%


other: 64.51% (2005)
Languages Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
Legal system civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts
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 - NMS2 42.74%, UtdDF 18.18%, CfB 17.15%, MRF 7.45%; seats by party - NMS2 120, UtdDF 51, CfB 48, MRF 21; note - seating as of March 2003 - NMS2 110, UtdDF 50, CfB 48, MRF 20, independents 12
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years); note - between 2004 and 2010, 25 new seats will be added to the Senate for a total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; starting in 2008, members will be indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms, with one-half the seats being renewed every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held September 2008); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next to be held not later than June 2007)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 355, PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Left Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.8 years


male: 68.26 years


female: 75.56 years (2003 est.)
total population: 79.73 years


male: 76.1 years


female: 83.54 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.6%


male: 99.1%


female: 98.2% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
Location Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
Map references Europe Europe
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 24 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine total: 69 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 829,421 GRT/1,252,496 DWT


ships by type: bulk 42, cargo 10, chemical tanker 4, container 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, railcar carrier 2, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 (2002 est.)
total: 61 ships (1000 GRT or over) 875,777 GRT/1,318,605 DWT


by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, container 5, liquefied gas 6, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 32, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 1, Hong Kong 1, Italy 2, Monaco 1, Norway 1, NZ 1, Singapore 2, Sweden 2, Switzerland 2)


registered in other countries: 154 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Australia 3, Bahamas 37, Bermuda 1, Cameroon 1, French Polynesia 1, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 36, Gibraltar 1, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 2, Italy 1, South Korea 12, Liberia 3, Luxembourg 14, Malta 6, Mexico 1, Morocco 1, Panama 15, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8, UK 4, Wallis and Futuna 5) (2006)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces (subordinate to Ministry of Defense), Internal Forces (subordinate to Ministry of Interior), Civil Defense Forces (subordinate to the president) Army (includes marines, Foreign Legion, light aviation), Navy (includes naval air), Air Force (includes air defense), National Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure $356 million (FY02) $45 billion FY06 (2005)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.7% (FY02) 2.6% FY06 (2005 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 1,854,049 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 1,551,485 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 54,107 (2003 est.) -
National holiday Liberation Day, 3 March (1878) Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July)
Nationality noun: Bulgarian(s)


adjective: Bulgarian
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)


adjective: French
Natural hazards earthquakes, landslides flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean
Natural resources bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish
Net migration rate -4.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2003) gas 14,588 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or VMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Nadezhda MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtdDF (a coalition between the UDF and other center-right parties) Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly Radical Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG) [Jacques PELLETIER]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Greens [Yan WEHRLING, national secretary]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Nicolas SARKOZY]
Political pressure groups and leaders agrarian movement; Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed); left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed); independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members (claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)
Population 7,537,929 (July 2003 est.) 60,876,136 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line 12.6% (2001 est.) 6.5% (2000)
Population growth rate -1.09% (2003 est.) 0.35% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin -
Radio broadcast stations AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001) AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways 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 (2002)
total: 29,085 km


standard gauge: 28,918 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
Religions Bulgarian Orthodox 83.8%, Muslim 12.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, Jewish 0.1%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 2.3% (1998) Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 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: highly developed


domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system


international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries
Telephones - main lines in use 3,186,731 (2001) 35.7 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.054 million (2001) 48.058 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001) 584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
Total fertility rate 1.13 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.84 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 18% (2002 est.) 9.9% (2005 est.)
Waterways 470 km (1987) 8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000)
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