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Compare Saudi Arabia (2005) - Bulgaria (2006)

Compare Saudi Arabia (2005) z Bulgaria (2006)

 Saudi Arabia (2005)Bulgaria (2006)
 Saudi ArabiaBulgaria
Administrative divisions 13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk 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: 38.2% (male 5,149,960/female 4,952,138)


15-64 years: 59.4% (male 8,992,348/female 6,698,633)


65 years and over: 2.4% (male 334,694/female 289,826) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 13.9% (male 527,881/female 502,334)


15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,496,054/female 2,579,680)


65 years and over: 17.3% (male 527,027/female 752,391) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock
Airports 201 (2004 est.) 217 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 72


over 3,047 m: 32


2,438 to 3,047 m: 13


1,524 to 2,437 m: 23


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total: 132


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 19


1,524 to 2,437 m: 15


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 96 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 129


over 3047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 72


914 to 1,523 m: 39


under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)
total: 85


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 72 (2006)
Area total: 1,960,582 sq km


land: 1,960,582 sq km


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


land: 110,550 sq km


water: 360 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US slightly larger than Tennessee
Background In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian Peninsula. A son of ABD AL-AZIZ rules the country today, and the country's Basic Law stipulates that the throne shall remain in the hands of the aging sons and grandsons of the kingdom's founder. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after Operation Desert Storm remained a source of tension between the royal family and the public until the US military's near-complete withdrawal to neighboring Qatar in 2003. The first major terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia in several years, which occurred in May and November 2003, prompted renewed efforts on the part of the Saudi government to counter domestic terrorism and extremism, which also coincided with a slight upsurge in media freedom and announcement of government plans to phase in partial political representation. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing governmental concerns. 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 is slated to join the EU in 2007.
Birth rate 29.56 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 9.65 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $104.8 billion


expenditures: $78.66 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $11.18 billion


expenditures: $10.9 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Capital Riyadh 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 harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Coastline 2,640 km 354 km
Constitution governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993 adopted 12 July 1991
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia


conventional short form: Saudi Arabia


local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah


local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria


conventional short form: Bulgaria


local long form: Republika Balgariya


local short form: Balgariya
Death rate 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 14.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $34.35 billion (2004 est.) $15.32 billion (2005 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador James Curtis OBERWETTER


embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh


mailing address: American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693


telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800


FAX: [966] (1) 488-3989


consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)
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 Turki al-Faysal bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud


chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037


telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800


consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and 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 despite resistance from nomadic groups, the demarcation of the Saudi Arabia-Yemen boundary established under the 2000 Jeddah Treaty is almost complete; Yemen protests Saudi erection of a concrete-filled pipe as a security barrier in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities in sections of the boundary; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran; because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment of the boundary with the UAE is still unknown none
Economic aid - donor pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon; since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development in Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans to Iraq -
Economic aid - recipient - $475 million per year in EU pre-accession aid (2004-06)
Economy - overview This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia possesses 25% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly five and a half million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. The government in 1999 announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies, which follows the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. The government is encouraging private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. Priorities for government spending in the short term include additional funds for education and for the water and sewage systems. Economic reforms proceed cautiously because of deep-rooted political and social conservatism. Bulgaria, a former communist country soon 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. 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 4% 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 128.5 billion kWh (2002) 25.1 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 6.8 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 1.3 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 138.2 billion kWh (2002) 45 billion kWh (2004)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m


highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Environment - current issues desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills 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


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-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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94
Ethnic groups Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10% Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)
Exchange rates Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2004), 3.745 (2003), 3.745 (2002), 3.745 (2001), 3.745 (2000) leva per US dollar - 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002), 2.1847 (2001)
Executive branch chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January 1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January 1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and includes many royal family members


elections: note - in October 2003, Council of Ministers announced its intent to introduce elections for half of the members of local and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period of four to five years; in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs initiated voter registration for partial municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April 2005
chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (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 7.92 million bbl/day (2003) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities petroleum and petroleum products 90% clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
Exports - partners US 18.2%, Japan 14.9%, South Korea 9.5%, China 6.1%, Taiwan 4.5%, Singapore 4.1% (2004) Italy 12%, Turkey 10.5%, Germany 9.8%, Greece 9.5%, France 4.6% (2005)
Fiscal year 1 March - 28 February calendar year
Flag description green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932 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: 4.2%


industry: 67.2%


services: 28.6% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 9.3%


industry: 30.4%


services: 60.3% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2004 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2004 est.) 5.5% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 25 00 N, 45 00 E 43 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
Heliports 5 (2004 est.) 4 (2006)
Highways total: 152,044 km


paved: 45,461 km


unpaved: 106,583 km (2000)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 2.4%


highest 10%: 23.7% (2001)
Illicit drugs death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin, cocaine, and hashish; not a major money-laundering center, improving anti-money-laundering legislation 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 (2003) 85,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials
Imports - partners US 15.3%, Japan 9.8%, Germany 8.1%, China 6.6%, UK 5.7% (2004) Russia 15.6%, Germany 13.6%, Italy 9%, Turkey 6.1%, Greece 5%, France 4.7% (2005)
Independence 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom) 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
Industrial production growth rate 2.8% (2004 est.) 7.9% (2005)
Industries crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
Infant mortality rate total: 13.24 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 15.19 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 19.85 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 23.52 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.8% (2004 est.) 5% (2005)
International organization participation ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer) ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Irrigated land 16,200 sq km (1998 est.) 5,880 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Council of Justice 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 6.62 million


note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2004 est.)
3.34 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.) agriculture: 11%


industry: 32.7%


services: 56.3% (3rd qtr. 2004 est.)
Land boundaries total: 4,431 km


border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 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: 1.67%


permanent crops: 0.09%


other: 98.24% (2001)
arable land: 29.94%


permanent crops: 1.9%


other: 68.16% (2005)
Languages Arabic Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Legal system based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms) 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 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%; 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: 75.46 years


male: 73.46 years


female: 77.55 years (2005 est.)
total population: 72.3 years


male: 68.68 years


female: 76.13 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 78.8%


male: 84.7%


female: 70.8% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.6%


male: 99.1%


female: 98.2% (2003 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Map references Middle East Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 18 nm


continental shelf: not specified
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,306,706 GRT/1,963,191 DWT


by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 12, container 4, passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 9


foreign-owned: 14 (Egypt 2, Hong Kong 1, Kuwait 5, Singapore 1, Sudan 1, UAE 1, United Kingdom 3)


registered in other countries: 54 (2005)
total: 75 ships (1000 GRT or over) 872,653 GRT/1,294,877 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 17, chemical tanker 4, container 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4


foreign-owned: 2 (Germany 1, Russia 1)


registered in other countries: 41 (Cambodia 1, Comoros 1, Malta 13, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17, Slovakia 7, unknown 1) (2006)
Military branches Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary) Bulgarian Armed Forces: Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Force (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $18 billion (2002) $356 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 10% (2002) 2.6% (2003)
National holiday Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932) Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
Nationality noun: Saudi(s)


adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian
noun: Bulgarian(s)


adjective: Bulgarian
Natural hazards frequent sand and dust storms earthquakes, landslides
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Net migration rate -3.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines condensate 212 km; gas 1,780 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,191 km; oil 5,068 km; refined products 1,162 km (2004) gas 2,505 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2006)
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 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 none Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas
Population 26,417,599


note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)
7,385,367 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA Below $2.15 per day (PPP) 4% (2003)
Population growth rate 2.31% (2005 est.) -0.86% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Jiddah, Yanbu' al Sinaiyah -
Radio broadcast stations AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)
Railways total: 1,392 km


standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2004)
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 (2005)
Religions Muslim 100% 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: 1.34 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female


total population: 1.21 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


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


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


total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage adult male citizens age 21 or older


note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April 2005
18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: modern system


domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems


international: country code - 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
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: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)
Telephones - main lines in use 3,502,600 (2003) 2,483,500 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 7,238,200 (2003) 6.245 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations 117 (1997) 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain mostly uninhabited, sandy desert mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Total fertility rate 4.05 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.38 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 25% (unofficial estimate) (2004 est.) 9.9% (2005)
Waterways - 470 km (2006)
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