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Compare Bulgaria (2003) - Taiwan (2008)

Compare Bulgaria (2003) z Taiwan (2008)

 Bulgaria (2003)Taiwan (2008)
 BulgariaTaiwan
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 includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural)


note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while a modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, the city of Taipei has adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems; names for administrative divisions that follow are taken from the Taiwan Yearbook 2007 published by the Government Information Office in Taipei.


counties: Changhua, Chiayi [county], Hsinchu, Hualien, Kaohsiung [county], Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taichung, Tainan, Taipei [county], Taitung, Taoyuan, Yilan, and Yunlin


municipalities: Chiayi [city], Hsinchu, Keelung, Taichung, Tainan


special municipalities: Kaohsiung [city], Taipei [city]
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: 17.8% (male 2,117,051/female 1,954,709)


15-64 years: 72% (male 8,306,351/female 8,141,268)


65 years and over: 10.2% (male 1,150,001/female 1,189,492) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Airports 216 (2002) 41 (2007)
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: 38


over 3,047 m: 8


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 11


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 3 (2007)
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: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Area total: 110,910 sq km


land: 110,550 sq km


water: 360 sq km
total: 35,980 sq km


land: 32,260 sq km


water: 3,720 sq km


note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy islands
Area - comparative slightly larger than Tennessee slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
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. In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the local population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.
Birth rate 8.02 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 8.97 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $5.57 billion


expenditures: $5.68 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $49 billion


expenditures: $5.19 billion (2007 est.)
Capital Sofia name: Taipei


geographic coordinates: 25 03 N, 121 30 E


time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Coastline 354 km 1,566.3 km
Constitution adopted 12 July 1991 25 December 1947; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005


note: constitution adopted on 25 December 1946; went into effect on 25 December 1947
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria


conventional short form: Bulgaria
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Taiwan


local long form: none


local short form: T'ai-wan


former: Formosa
Currency lev (BGL) -
Death rate 14.34 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $10.3 billion (yearend 2002) $85.8 billion (31 December 2007)
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
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162
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
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO), which has its headquarters in Taipei and in the US in Washington, DC; there are also branch offices called Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in 12 other US cities
Disputes - international joint boundary commission is rectifying boundary with Romania based on shifts in Danube since last delimitation in 1920 involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting
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. Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by the authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large, state-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The island runs a large trade surplus, and its foreign reserves are among the world's largest. Despite restrictions on cross-strait links, China has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market and its second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Strong trade performance in 2007 pushed Taiwan's GDP growth rate above 5%, and unemployment is below 4%.
Electricity - consumption 32.52 billion kWh (2001) 221 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - exports 6.79 billion kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports 830 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2007)
Electricity - production 41.38 billion kWh (2001) 235 billion kWh (2006)
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: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 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 air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
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: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status
Ethnic groups Bulgarian 83.6%, Turk 9.5%, Roma 4.6%, other 2.3% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (1998) Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, indigenous 2%
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
New Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 32.84 (2007), 32.534 (2006), 31.71 (2005), 34.418 (2004), 34.575 (2003)
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 CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000); Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)


head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) CHANG Chun-hsiung (since 21 May 2007); Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) CHIOU I-jen (since 21 May 2007)


cabinet: Executive Yuan - (ministers appointed by president on recommendation of premier)


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 20 March 2004 (next to be held 22 March 2008); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier


election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of vote - CHEN Shui-bian 50.1%, LIEN Chan 49.9%
Exports NA (2001) 289,200 bbl/day (2006)
Exports - commodities clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels electronic and electrical products, metals, textiles, plastics, chemicals, auto parts (2002)
Exports - partners Italy 15.5%, Germany 9.6%, Turkey 9.4%, Greece 9.2%, France 5.3%, US 4.8% (2002) China 24%, Hong Kong 15%, US 13.4%, Japan 6.7% (2007)
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) red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
GDP purchasing power parity - $49.23 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 13.7%


industry: 28.5%


services: 57.9% (2001)
agriculture: 1.6%


industry: 26.8%


services: 71.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 4.8% (2002 est.) 5.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 43 00 N, 25 00 E 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Geography - note strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait
Heliports 1 (2002) 4 (2007)
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%: 6.7%


highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 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; some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions regional transit point for heroin, methamphetamine, and precursor chemicals; transshipment point for drugs to Japan; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; rising problems with use of ketamine and club drugs
Imports NA (2001) 1.208 million bbl/day (2006)
Imports - commodities fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles electronic and electrical products, machinery, petroleum, precision instruments, organic chemicals, metals (2002)
Imports - partners Russia 14.6%, Germany 14.4%, Italy 11.4%, Greece 6.1%, France 5.7%, Turkey 5% (2002) Japan 21%, China 12.7%, US 12.2%, South Korea 7.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2007)
Independence 3 March 1878 (from Ottoman Empire) -
Industrial production growth rate 2% (2002 est.) 7.5% (2007 est.)
Industries electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals
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: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.86 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.9% (2002 est.) 1.8% (2007 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 ADB, APEC, BCIE, ICC, IOC, ITUC, WCL, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 200 (2001) -
Irrigated land 8,000 sq km (1998 est.) NA
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) Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Labor force 3.83 million (2000 est.) 10.78 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43% (1998 est.) agriculture: 5.3%


industry: 36.8%


services: 57.9% (2007 est.)
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
0 km
Land use arable land: 39%


permanent crops: 1.8%


other: 59.2% (1998 est.)
arable land: 24%


permanent crops: 1%


other: 75% (2001)
Languages Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Legal system civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on civil law system; 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 - 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
unicameral Legislative Yuan (113 seats - 73 district members elected by popular vote, 34 at-large members elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 6 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; to serve four-year terms); parties must receive 5% of vote to qualify for at-large seats


elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 12 January 2008 (next to be held in January 2012)


election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - KMT 53.5%, DPP 38.2%, NPSU 2.4%, PFP 0.3%, others 1.6%, independents 4%; seats by party - KMT 81, DPP 27, NPSU 3, PFP 1, independent 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.8 years


male: 68.26 years


female: 75.56 years (2003 est.)
total population: 77.56 years


male: 74.65 years


female: 80.74 years (2007 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: 96.1%


male: NA%


female: NA% (2003)
Location Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China
Map references Europe Southeast Asia
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 24 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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: 102 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,537,256 GRT/4,203,423 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 20, chemical tanker 2, container 21, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 2


foreign-owned: 4 (Canada 3, France 1)


registered in other countries: 489 (Bahamas 1, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 1, Honduras 2, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Italy 11, Liberia 82, Panama 306, Singapore 60, Thailand 1, UK 11, unknown 3) (2007)
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, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command
Military expenditures - dollar figure $356 million (FY02) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.7% (FY02) 2.2% (2006; to increase to 2.85% in 2007)
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) Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
Nationality noun: Bulgarian(s)


adjective: Bulgarian
noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)


note: example - he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan


adjective: Taiwan
Natural hazards earthquakes, landslides earthquakes and typhoons
Natural resources bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Net migration rate -4.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2003) condensate 25 km; gas 661 km (2007)
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) Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Frank HSIEH or HSIEH Chang-ting] (acting); Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Po-hsiung]; Non-Partisan Solidarity Union or NPSU [CHANG Po-ya]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG]
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 Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental groups


note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that the island currently enjoys sovereign independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; public opinion polls consistently show a substantial majority of Taiwan people supports maintaining Taiwan's status quo for the foreseeable future; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building
Population 7,537,929 (July 2003 est.) 22,858,872 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 12.6% (2001 est.) 0.95% (2007 est.)
Population growth rate -1.09% (2003 est.) 0.304% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin -
Radio broadcast stations AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001) AM 140, FM 229, shortwave 49
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: 1,588 km


standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 1,093 km 1.067-m gauge


note: 150 km .762-m gauge (belonging primarily to Taiwan Sugar Corporation and Taiwan Forestry Bureau; some to other entities) (2007)
Religions Bulgarian Orthodox 83.8%, Muslim 12.1%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, Jewish 0.1%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 2.3% (1998) mixture of Buddhist and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
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: 1.09 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.083 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.967 male(s)/female


total population: 1.026 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 20 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: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need


domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized


international: country code - 886; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; 2 satellite earth stations
Telephones - main lines in use 3,186,731 (2001) 14.497 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.054 million (2001) 23.249 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001) 76 (46 digital and 30 analog)
Terrain mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Total fertility rate 1.13 children born/woman (2003 est.) 1.12 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 18% (2002 est.) 3.9% (2007)
Waterways 470 km (1987) -
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