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Compare Korea, North (2002) - Bulgaria (2007)

Compare Korea, North (2002) z Bulgaria (2007)

 Korea, North (2002)Bulgaria (2007)
 Korea, NorthBulgaria
Administrative divisions 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 special cities* (si, singular and plural); Chagang-do (Chagang Province), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong Province), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong Province), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae Province), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae Province), Kaesong-si* (Kaesong City), Kangwon-do (Kangwon Province), Najin Sonbong-si*, Namp'o-si* (Namp'o City), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan Province), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan Province), P'yongyang-si* (Pyongyang City), Yanggang-do (Yanggang Province) 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: 25.4% (male 2,888,478; female 2,747,133)


15-64 years: 67.4% (male 7,380,183; female 7,612,275)


65 years and over: 7.2% (male 527,256; female 1,068,870) (2002 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 rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock
Airports 87 (2001) 214 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 39


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 26


1,524 to 2,437 m: 8


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total: 131


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 18


1,524 to 2,437 m: 15


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 95 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 48


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 24


914 to 1,523 m: 13


under 914 m: 8 (2002)
total: 83


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 72 (2007)
Area total: 120,540 sq km


land: 120,410 sq km


water: 130 sq km
total: 110,910 sq km


land: 110,550 sq km


water: 360 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Mississippi slightly larger than Tennessee
Background Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Communist domination and the southern portion becoming Western oriented. KIM Chong-il has ruled North Korea since his father and the country's founder, president KIM Il-song, died in 1994. After decades of mismanagement, the North relies heavily on international food aid to feed its population, while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of about 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development and research into nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community. In December 2002, North Korea repudiated a 1994 agreement that shut down its nuclear reactors and expelled UN monitors, further raising fears it would produce nuclear weapons. 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 17.95 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 9.62 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
revenues: $12.86 billion


expenditures: $11.73 billion (2006 est.)
Capital Pyongyang 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 temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Coastline 2,495 km 354 km
Constitution adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992 and September 1998 adopted 12 July 1991
Country name conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea


conventional short form: North Korea


local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk


local short form: none


note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to their country


abbreviation: DPRK
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria


conventional short form: Bulgaria


local long form: Republika Balgariya


local short form: Balgariya
Currency North Korean won (KPW) -
Death rate 6.96 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 14.28 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $12 billion (1996 est.) $26.63 billion (2006 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US none (Swedish Embassy in P'yongyang represents the US as consular protecting power) 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 none; note - North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA


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


telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174


FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Disputes - international 33-km section of boundary with China in the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite; Demarcation Line with South Korea none
Economic aid - recipient $NA; note - nearly $300 million in food aid alone from US, South Korea, Japan, and EU in 2001 plus much additional aid from the UN and non-governmental organizations $742 million (2005-06 est.)
Economy - overview North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned and isolated economies, faces desperate economic conditions. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and spare parts shortages. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel. Despite a good harvest in 2001, the nation faces its ninth year of food shortages because of a lack of arable land; collective farming; weather-related problems, including major drought in 2000; and chronic shortages of fertilizer and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries have allowed the regime to escape mass starvation since 1995-96, but the population remains vulnerable to prolonged malnutrition and deteriorating living conditions. Large-scale military spending eats up resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Recently, the regime has placed emphasis on earning hard currency, developing information technology, addressing power shortages, and attracting foreign aid, but in no way at the expense of relinquishing central control over key national assets or undergoing widespread market-oriented reforms. In 2002, heightened political tensions with key donor countries and general donor fatigue have held down the flow of desperately needed food aid and threaten fuel aid as well. Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, 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. Minerals, including coal, copper, and zinc, play an important role in industry. In 1997, macroeconomic stability was reinforced by the imposition of a fixed exchange rate of the lev against the German D-mark - the currency is now fixed against the euro - and the negotiation of an IMF standby agreement. Low inflation and steady progress on structural reforms improved the business environment; Bulgaria has averaged 5.1% growth since 2000 and has begun to attract significant amounts of foreign direct investment. Corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of organized crime remain the largest challenges for Bulgaria.
Electricity - consumption 31.062 billion kWh (2000) 37.4 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 7.8 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2006)
Electricity - production 33.4 billion kWh (2000) 45.7 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 33%


hydro: 67%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m


highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m


highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Environment - current issues water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water-borne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation 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: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Law of the Sea
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 racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)
Exchange rates official: North Korean won per US dollar - 2.15 (December 2001), 2.15 (May 1994), 2.13 (May 1992), 2.14 (September 1991), 2.1 (January 1990); market: North Korean won per US dollar - 200 (December 2001) leva per US dollar - 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state: KIM Chong-il (since NA July 1994); note - in September 1998, KIM Chong-il was reelected Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a position accorded the nation's "highest administrative authority"; KIM Yong-nam was named President of the Supreme People's Assembly Presidium and given the responsibility of representing the state and receiving diplomatic credentials


head of government: Premier HONG Song-nam (since 5 September 1998); Vice Premiers CHO Ch'ang-tok (since NA), KWAK Pom-ki (since NA), Sin IL-nam (since NA April 2002)


cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister of People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the Supreme People's Assembly


elections: premier elected by the Supreme People's Assembly; election last held NA September 1998 (next to be held NA)


election results: HONG Song-nam elected premier; percent of Supreme People's Assembly vote - NA%
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 PURVANOV reelected president; percent of vote - Georgi PURVANOV 77.3%, Volen SIDEROV 22.7%; Sergei STANISHEV elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67
Exports $826 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) 51,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including armaments); textiles and fishery products clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
Exports - partners Japan 36.3%, South Korea 21.5%, China 5.2% (2000) Turkey 12%, Italy 10.4%, Germany 10%, Greece 8.2%, Belgium 6.8%, France 4.3% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; note - the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe, has been removed
GDP purchasing power parity - $22 billion (2002 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 30%


industry: 32%


services: 37% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 8.5%


industry: 31.5%


services: 60% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2002 est.) 6.1% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 40 00 N, 127 00 E 43 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
Heliports - 4 (2007)
Highways total: 31,200 km


paved: 1,997 km


unpaved: 29,203 km (1996)
-
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 $1.874 billion c.i.f. (2001 est.) 138,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment; textiles, grain machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials
Imports - partners China 26.7%, South Korea 16.2%, Japan 12.3% (2000) Germany 15%, Italy 10.6%, Turkey 7.2%, Greece 6.3%, China 5%, France 4.9%, Romania 4.5% (2006)
Independence 15 August 1945 (from Japan) 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 11.3% (Third Quarter)
Industries military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
Infant mortality rate 22.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 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) NA% 7.3% (2006 est.)
International organization participation ARF (dialogue partner), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 14,600 sq km (1998 est.) 5,880 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly) 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 9.6 million 3.416 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64% agriculture: 8.5%


industry: 33.6%


services: 57.9% (2nd qtr. 2006 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,673 km


border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 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: 14.12%


permanent crops: 2.49%


other: 83.39% (1998 est.)
arable land: 29.94%


permanent crops: 1.9%


other: 68.16% (2005)
Languages Korean Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Legal system based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 26 July 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - the KWP approves a single list of candidates who are elected without opposition; minor parties hold a few seats
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
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.3 years


male: 68.31 years


female: 74.44 years (2002 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 Korean


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (1990 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.2%


male: 98.7%


female: 97.7% (2001 census)
Location Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Map references Asia Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


note: military boundary line 50 NM in the Sea of Japan and the exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign vessels and aircraft without permission are banned
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 122 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 738,886 GRT/1,037,506 DWT


ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 102, combination bulk 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated cargo 3, short-sea passenger 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 1, Greece 2, Pakistan 1, Singapore 1 (2002 est.)
total: 71 ships (1000 GRT or over) 833,153 GRT/1,194,660 DWT


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


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


registered in other countries: 39 (Comoros 1, Malta 15, Mongolia 2, Panama 1, Slovakia 7, St Vincent and The Grenadines 13) (2007)
Military branches Korean People's Army (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Civil Security Forces Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Bulgarski Voennovazdyshni Sily, BVVS) (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $5,124.1 million (FY01) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 31.3% (FY01) 2.6% (2005 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 6,032,376 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 3,619,535 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 179,136 (2002 est.) -
National holiday Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9 September (1948) Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
Nationality noun: Korean(s)


adjective: Korean
noun: Bulgarian(s)


adjective: Bulgarian
Natural hazards late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall earthquakes, landslides
Natural resources coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 37 km; petroleum product 180 km gas 2,505 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders Chondoist Chongu Party [YU Mi-yong, chairwoman]; Korean Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong-tae, chairman]; major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Chong-il, General Secretary] 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 People's Union or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and BANU); Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; 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 Simeon II or NMS2 [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 NA Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas
Population 22,224,195 (July 2002 est.) 7,322,858 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 14.1% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate 1.1% (2002 est.) -0.837% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan -
Radio broadcast stations AM 16, FM 14, shortwave 12 (1999) AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios 3.36 million (1997) -
Railways total: 5,000 km


standard gauge: 4,095 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified; 159 km double-tracked)


narrow gauge: 665 km 0.762-m gauge


dual gauge: 240 km 1.435-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails provide two gauges) (1996)
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 traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)


note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom
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: 1.05 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 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 17 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other international connections through Moscow and Beijing
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 1.1 million (1997) 2.399 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 8.253 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 38 (1999) 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Total fertility rate 2.22 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.39 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 9.6% (2006 est.)
Waterways 2,253 km


note: mostly navigable by small craft only
470 km (2007)
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