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Compare Qatar (2008) - Bulgaria (2008)

Compare Qatar (2008) z Bulgaria (2008)

 Qatar (2008)Bulgaria (2008)
 QatarBulgaria
Administrative divisions 10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal 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: 23.1% (male 106,853/female 102,713)


15-64 years: 72.9% (male 455,631/female 206,099)


65 years and over: 4% (male 26,689/female 9,244) (2007 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 fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock
Airports 5 (2007) 214 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
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: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
total: 83


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 72 (2007)
Area total: 11,437 sq km


land: 11,437 sq km


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


land: 110,550 sq km


water: 360 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Connecticut slightly larger than Tennessee
Background Ruled by the al-Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the Amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, overthrew him in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. 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 15.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 9.62 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $23.5 billion


expenditures: $19.61 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $16.62 billion


expenditures: $15.18 billion (2007 est.)
Capital name: Doha


geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E


time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 563 km 354 km
Constitution ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the Amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005 adopted 12 July 1991
Country name conventional long form: State of Qatar


conventional short form: Qatar


local long form: Dawlat Qatar


local short form: Qatar


note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria


conventional short form: Bulgaria


local long form: Republika Balgariya


local short form: Balgariya
Death rate 4.82 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 14.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $31.07 billion (31 December 2007 est.) $29.29 billion (30 June 2007)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); charge d'Affaires Michael A. RATNEY


embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha


mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha


telephone: [974] 488 4298


FAX: [974] 488 4176
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 Ali Fahad al-Shahwany al-HAJRID


chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037


telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603


FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061


consulate(s) general: Houston
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 $2.18 million (2004) $742 million (2005-06 est.)
Economy - overview Qatar is in the midst of an economic boom supported by its expanding production of natural gas and oil. Economic policy is focused on development of Qatar's nonassociated natural gas reserves and increasing private and foreign investment in non-energy sectors. Oil and gas account for more than 60% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have made Qatar one of the world's faster growing and higher per-capita income countries - equal to the EU in 2007 per-capita income. Sustained high oil prices and increased natural gas exports in recent years have helped build Qatar's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Proved oil reserves of more than 15 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 22 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas are roughly 25 trillion cubic meters, about 15% of the world total and third largest in the world. Qatar has permitted substantial foreign investment in the development of its gas fields during the last decade and became the world's top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in 2007. 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 12.52 billion kWh (2005) 37.4 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 7.8 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2006)
Electricity - production 13.54 billion kWh (2005) 45.7 billion kWh (2006)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m


highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Environment - current issues limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


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 Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14% Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)
Exchange rates Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2007), 3.64 (2006), 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003) leva per US dollar - 1.4366 (2007), 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003)
Executive branch chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as heir apparent, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Heir Apparent TAMIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, fourth son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces


head of government: Prime Minister HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani (since 3 April 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATIYAH (since 3 April 2007)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary


note: in April 2007, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has limited consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999
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 960,600 bbl/day (2004) 51,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
Exports - partners Japan 40.2%, South Korea 16.4%, Singapore 6.5%, Thailand 4.1% (2006) Turkey 12%, Italy 10.4%, Germany 10%, Greece 8.2%, Belgium 6.8%, France 4.3% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side 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 - composition by sector agriculture: 0.1%


industry: 73.5%


services: 26.4% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 8.1%


industry: 31.3%


services: 60.7% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 7.8% (2007 est.) 6.1% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 25 30 N, 51 15 E 43 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
Heliports 1 (2007) 4 (2007)
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 0 bbl/day (2004) 138,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials
Imports - partners France 13.3%, Japan 10.2%, US 9.3%, Italy 8.9%, Germany 7.9%, UK 6.2%, Saudi Arabia 5.7%, South Korea 4.7% (2006) Germany 15%, Italy 10.6%, Turkey 7.2%, Greece 6.3%, China 5%, France 4.9%, Romania 4.5% (2006)
Independence 3 September 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 8% (2007 est.) 5.5% (2007 est.)
Industries crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
Infant mortality rate total: 17.46 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 20.6 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 14.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 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) 12% (2007 est.) 7.8% (2007 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO 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
Irrigated land 130 sq km (2002) 5,880 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation; an Administrative Court and a Constitutional Court were established in 2007; note - all judges are appointed by Amiri Decree based on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council for renewable three-year terms 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 638,000 (2007 est.) 3.44 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture: 8.5%


industry: 33.6%


services: 57.9% (2nd qtr. 2006 est.)
Land boundaries total: 60 km


border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 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: 1.64%


permanent crops: 0.27%


other: 98.09% (2005)
arable land: 29.94%


permanent crops: 1.9%


other: 68.16% (2005)
Languages Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Legal system based on Islamic and civil law codes; discretionary system of law controlled by the Amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed)


note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every year since the new constitution came into force on 9 June 2005; the constitution provides for a new 45-member Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the Amir would appoint the remaining members; preparations are underway to conduct elections to the Majlis al-Shura
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: 74.14 years


male: 71.6 years


female: 76.82 years (2007 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%


male: 89.1%


female: 88.6% (2004 census)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.2%


male: 98.7%


female: 97.7% (2001 census)
Location Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Map references Middle East Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 20 ships (1000 GRT or over) 574,969 GRT/856,057 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 7 (Kuwait 7)


registered in other countries: 3 (Liberia 2, Panama 1) (2007)
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 Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF) (2007) Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2008)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 10% (2005 est.) 2.6% (2005 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 3 September (1971); also observed is National Day, 18 December Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
Nationality noun: Qatari(s)


adjective: Qatari
noun: Bulgarian(s)


adjective: Bulgarian
Natural hazards haze, dust storms, sandstorms common earthquakes, landslides
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, fish bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Net migration rate 13.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines condensate 322 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,970 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 741 km (2007) gas 2,500 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders none 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 none Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas
Population 907,229 (July 2007 est.) 7,322,858 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 14.1% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate 2.386% (2007 est.) -0.837% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)
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 (2006)
Religions Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census) Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 2.211 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 2.887 male(s)/female


total population: 1.852 male(s)/female (2007 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 centered in Doha


domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone density is roughly 130 telephones per 100 persons


international: country code - 974; landing point for the Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) submarine cable network that provides links to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
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 228,300 (2006) 2.399 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 919,800 (2006) 8.253 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2001) 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Total fertility rate 2.75 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.39 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 0.7% (2007 est.) 8% (2007 est.)
Waterways - 470 km (2007)
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