BULGARIA - Country Profile

GENERAL DATA

LOCATION:	Located on the Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria extends from the western shore of the Black Sea to Serbia and Macedonia in the west. In the north, the Danube River forms the greater part of Bulgaria's common border with Romania. Greece and European Turkey lie to the south and southeast of Bulgaria.
AREA:	110 987 sq. km. (44 365 sq. mi.).
POPULATION:	7.8 million
CAPITAL:	Sofia (pop. 1.2 million).
MAIN CITIES:	Plovdiv (380 000), Varna (300 000), Bourgas (190 000), and Rousse (190 000).
CLIMATE:	On the fringe of the humid continental climate zone. The weather varies considerably from year to year, as do the several climatic subzones within the country. Summer temperatures average about 24 C (75 F); winter temperatures average around 0 C (32 F). Annual precipitation averages 63 centimeters (25 in.).
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:	Bulgarian.
LEGAL SYSTEM:	Parliamentary Republic.
HEAD OF STATE:	George Parvanov - President (since 22 January 2002).
PRIME MINISTER:	Simeon Borisov Sakskoburggotski (NDSV) (since 24 July 2001).
ETHNIC GROUPS:	Bulgarians 87.8%, Turks 8.5%, Roma 2.6%, other 1.1%
RELIGIONS:	Christian Orthodox 85%, Muslim 13%, Jewish 0.8%, Catholic 0.7%, and other 0.5%
ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION:	28 districts.
TRANSPORT:	The railway transport is of great significance for the country. The total length of the railway network is 7 353 km, and of the road network is 31 404 km. The sea and river (along the Danube river) fleet take an active part in the trade of the country. The major sea ports are Varna and Bourgas, and the main Danube ports are Rousse, Lom, Svishtov, Vidin. There is a ferry-boat connection between Vidin and Kalafat (Romania). The main airports are: Sofia Airport, Bourgas Airport, Varna Airport, Plovdiv Airport.
CURRENCY:	Lev (BGN).
WEIGHT AND MEASURS:	Metric system

NATIONAL HOLIDAY:	3 March	The Day of the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman Rule (1878).
OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS:	1 January	New Year`s Day
	1 May	Labour Day
	6 May	Day of the Bulgarian Army
	24 May	Day of Cirillic Alphabet, Bulgarian Enlightment and Culture
	6 September	The Union of Eastern Rumelia and the Bulgarian Principality
	22 September	Independence Day
	1 November	Leaders of the Bulgarian National Revival Day
	24 - 26 December	Christmas, Easter

ECONOMIC PROFILE - The Economy in 2004

Notes: Main Source of Information: National Statistical Institute, Council of Ministers