Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Thailand (2005) - Bulgaria (2004) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Thailand (2005) - Bulgaria (2004)

Compare Thailand (2005) z Bulgaria (2004)

 Thailand (2005)Bulgaria (2004)
 ThailandBulgaria
Administrative divisions 76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon 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: 23.9% (male 7,988,529/female 7,633,405)


15-64 years: 68.6% (male 22,195,625/female 22,731,767)


65 years and over: 7.5% (male 2,251,112/female 2,643,933) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 14.4% (male 553,801; female 526,856)


15-64 years: 68.5% (male 2,533,784; female 2,615,968)


65 years and over: 17.1% (male 535,954; female 751,610) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets
Airports 109 (2004 est.) 212 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 65


over 3,047 m: 7


2,438 to 3,047 m: 10


1,524 to 2,437 m: 23


914 to 1,523 m: 19


under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)
total: 128


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: 92 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 44


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 15


under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.)
total: 85


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)
Area total: 514,000 sq km


land: 511,770 sq km


water: 2,230 sq km
total: 110,910 sq km


land: 110,550 sq km


water: 360 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming slightly larger than Tennessee
Background A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing armed violence in its three Muslim-majority southernmost provinces. 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 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. Today, reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual integration into the EU. The country joined NATO in 2004.
Birth rate 15.7 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 9.65 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $30.86 billion


expenditures: $31.94 billion, including capital expenditures of $5 billion (2004 est.)
revenues: $8.121 billion


expenditures: $8.121 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Capital Bangkok Sofia
Climate tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Coastline 3,219 km 354 km
Constitution new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997 adopted 12 July 1991
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand


conventional short form: Thailand


former: Siam
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria


conventional short form: Bulgaria
Currency - lev (BGL)
Death rate 7.02 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 14.25 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $50.59 billion (2004 est.) $12.05 billion (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE


embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok


mailing address: APO AP 96546


telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000


FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131


consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai
chief of mission: Ambassador James William PARDEW


embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407


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


telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100


FAX: [359] (2) 937-5230
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: KASIT Piromya


chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007-3681


telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600


FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611


consulate(s) general: Chicago, 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): New York
Disputes - international separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; Laos and Thailand pledge to complete demarcation of their boundary in 2005; despite continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain with Burma over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary with missing boundary markers; Cambodia claims Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory and obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; ethnic Karens from Burma flee into Thailand to escape fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops resulting in Thailand sheltering about 118,000 Burmese refugees in 2004; Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese hydroelectric dam construction on the Salween River near the border; environmentalists in Burma and Thailand remain concerned about China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province none
Economic aid - recipient $72 million (2002) $300 million (2000 est.)
Economy - overview Thailand has a well developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and welcomes foreign investment. Thailand has fully recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis and was one of East Asia's best performers in 2002-04. Increased consumption and investment spending and strong export growth pushed GDP growth up to 6.9% in 2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global economy. The highly popular government's expansionist policy, including major support of village economic development, has raised concerns about fiscal discipline and the health of financial institutions. Bangkok has pursued preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners in an effort to boost exports and maintain high growth, and in 2004 began negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with the US. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took 8,500 lives in Thailand and caused massive destruction of property in the southern provinces of Krabi, Phangnga, and Phuket. 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.
Electricity - consumption 106.1 billion kWh (2003) 32.52 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 188 million kWh (2002) 6.79 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 600 million kWh (2002) 830 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 118.9 billion kWh (2003) 41.38 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m


highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m


highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting 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, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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 Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11% Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001)
Exchange rates baht per US dollar - 40.222 (2004), 41.485 (2003), 42.96 (2002), 44.432 (2001), 40.112 (2000) leva per US dollar - 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002), 2.1847 (2001), 2.1233 (2000), 1.8364 (1999)


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
Executive branch chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)


head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since 9 February 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers CHITCHAI Wannasathi (since 11 March 2005), PHINIT Charusombat (since 6 October 2004), SOMKHIT Chatusiphithak (since 11 March 2005), SURAKIAT Sathianthai (since 11 March 2005); SURIYA Chungrungruankit (since 3 August 2005), SUWAT Liptapanlop (since 3 August 2005), WISANU Kruangam (since 8 November 2003)


cabinet: Council of Ministers


note: there is also a Privy Council


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister is designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following national elections for the House of Representatives, the leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the king
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), Lidiya SHULEVA (since 24 July 2001), and Plamen PANAYOTOV (since 17 July 2003)


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 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 and elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly


election results: Georgi PURVANOV elected president; percent of vote - Georgi PURVANOV 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%
Exports NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels
Exports - partners US 15.9%, Japan 13.9%, China 7.3%, Singapore 7.2%, Malaysia 5.4%, Hong Kong 5.1% (2004) Italy 14.1%, Germany 10.9%, Greece 10.5%, Turkey 9.2%, France 5.1%, US 4.5% (2003)
Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September calendar year
Flag description five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red 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)
GDP - purchasing power parity - $57.13 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 9%


industry: 44.3%


services: 46.7% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 11.4%


industry: 30%


services: 58.6% (2003)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,100 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $7,600 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.1% (2004 est.) 4.3% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 15 00 N, 100 00 E 43 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
Heliports 3 (2004 est.) 1 (2003 est.)
Highways total: 57,403 km


paved: 56,542 km


unpaved: 861 km (2000 est.)
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%: 2.8%


highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)
lowest 10%: 4.5%


highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)
Illicit drugs a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit transit point for heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in amphetamine production for regional consumption; increasing indigenous abuse of methamphetamine 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 NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels fuels, minerals, and raw materials; machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; food, textiles
Imports - partners Japan 23.6%, China 8.6%, US 7.6%, Malaysia 5.8%, Singapore 4.4%, Taiwan 4.1% (2004) Germany 14.4%, Russia 12.6%, Italy 10.3%, Greece 6.7%, Turkey 6.2%, France 5.7% (2003)
Independence 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized) 3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)
Industrial production growth rate 8.5% (2004 est.) 6.3% (2003 est.)
Industries tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry, electric appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, world's second-largest tungsten producer, and third-largest tin producer electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel
Infant mortality rate total: 20.48 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.83 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 19.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 21.31 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 25.15 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 17.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.8% (2004 est.) 2.3% (2003 est.)
International organization participation APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Irrigated land 47,490 sq km (1998 est.) 8,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch) 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 36.43 million (November 2004 est.) 3.333 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 49%, industry 14%, services 37% (2000 est.) agriculture 26%, industry 31%, services 43% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries total: 4,863 km


border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km
total: 1,808 km


border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia and Montenegro 318 km, Turkey 240 km
Land use arable land: 29.36%


permanent crops: 6.46%


other: 64.18% (2001)
arable land: 40.02%


permanent crops: 1.92%


other: 58.06% (2001)
Languages Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown
Legal system based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and 22 July 2000 (next to be held by March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 6 February 2005 (next to be held in February 2009)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TRT 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2
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%, UDF 18.18%, CfB 17.15%, MRF 7.45%; seats by party - NMS2 120, UDF 51, CfB 48, MRF 21; note - seating as of January 2005 - NMS2 98, CfB 49, UtDF 28, MRF 20, UDF 14, New Time 13, BANU 11, independents 7
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.95 years


male: 69.65 years


female: 74.37 years (2005 est.)
total population: 71.75 years


male: 68.14 years


female: 75.59 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 92.6%


male: 94.9%


female: 90.5% (2002)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98.6%


male: 99.1%


female: 98.2% (2003 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Map references Southeast Asia Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 386 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,038,597 GRT/3,104,712 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 57, cargo 142, chemical tanker 12, combination ore/oil 1, container 21, liquefied gas 25, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 89, refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 55 (Indonesia 1, Japan 3, Norway 45, Singapore 6)


registered in other countries: 35 (2005)
total: 60 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 757,972 GRT/1,115,238 DWT


by type: bulk 37, cargo 7, chemical tanker 4, container 2, petroleum tanker 3, rail car carrier 2, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 1


registered in other countries: 45 (2004 est.)
Military branches Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces
Military expenditures - dollar figure $1.775 billion (FY00) $356 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.8% (2003) 2.6% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,829,203 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,530,657 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 52,811 (2004 est.)
National holiday Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927) Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)
Nationality noun: Thai (singular and plural)


adjective: Thai
noun: Bulgarian(s)


adjective: Bulgarian
Natural hazards land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts earthquakes, landslides
Natural resources tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -4.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines gas 3,112 km; refined products 265 km (2004) gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa]; People's Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK Laothamatas]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN SILPA-ARCHA]; Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat] Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia MOZER]; 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]; 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 [Nadezhda MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition of center-right parties dominated by DSB)
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 65,444,371


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)
7,517,973 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 10% (2004 est.) 13.4% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate 0.87% (2005 est.) -0.92% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin
Radio broadcast stations AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999) AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)
Railways total: 4,071 km


narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (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 (2003)
Religions Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census) Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Roman Catholic 1.7%, Jewish 0.1%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 3.4% (1998)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 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: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok; WTO requirement for privatization of telecom sector is planned to be complete by 2006


domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines


international: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); landing country for APCN submarine cable
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 6,617,400 (2003) 2,868,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 26.5 million (2005) 2,597,500 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997) 39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
Total fertility rate 1.88 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.37 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 1.5% (November 2004 est.) 14.3% (2003)
Waterways 4,000 km


note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2003)
470 km (2004)
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.