Bulgaria

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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 Ottoman Turks overran the country. 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, the EU in 2007, and the Schengen Area for air and sea travel in 2024.

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Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey

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43 00 N, 25 00 E

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Europe

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almost identical in size to Virginia; slightly larger than Tennessee

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354 km

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temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

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mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

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bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

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929 sq km (2016)

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Dunav (Danube) (shared with Germany [s], Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania [m]) - 2,888 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

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a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations

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earthquakes; landslides

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strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

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Bulgarian 78.5%, Turkish 7.8%, Roma 4.1%, other 1.2%, unspecified 9.4% (2021 est.)

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<strong>note:</strong> Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 9–11% of Bulgaria's population

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Christian 64.7%, Muslim 9.8%, other 0.1%, none 4.7%, unspecified 20.7% (2021 est.)

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-0.66% (2025 est.)

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7.88 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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14.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger populations

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1.288 million SOFIA (capital) (2023)

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26.4 years (2020 est.)

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6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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1.52 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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0.74 (2025 est.)

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4.33 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

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7.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

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25% (2016)

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1.6% (2014)

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56.6% (2023 est.)

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air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes

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temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

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18.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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21.3 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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parliamentary republic

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28 provinces (<em>oblasti</em>, singular - <em>oblast</em>); Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Haskovo, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia, Sofia-Grad (Sofia City), Stara Zagora, Targovishte, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

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civil law

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accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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18 years of age; universal

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BSP for Bulgaria (electoral alliance of BSP, PKT, Ecoglasnost)<br>Bulgarian Rise or BV<br>Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP<br>Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB (alliance with SDS) <br>Democratic Bulgaria or DB (electoral alliance of Yes! Bulgaria, DSB, and The Greens) <br>Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB<br>Ecoglasnost<br>Green Movement or The Greens <br>Movement for Rights and Freedoms or DPS<br>Political Club Thrace or PKT<br>Revival<br>Stand Up.BG or IS.BG<br>There is Such a People or ITN<br>Union of Democratic Forces or SDS (alliance with GERB) <br>Yes! Bulgaria <br>We Continue the Change or PP <br>We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria or PP-DB (electoral alliance of PP, DB, Yes! Bulgaria)

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Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOOSA,&nbsp; UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

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3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman Empire)

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Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

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<strong>description:</strong> three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> white stands for peace, love, and freedom; green for the country's agricultural wealth; red for the independence struggle and military courage<br><br><strong>history:</strong> originally adopted in 1879 as a modified version of the Russian tricolor flag, using green instead of blue; the communist coat of arms was added to the flag in various forms between 1948 and 1990, when it was removed after the communist government collapsed

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lion

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white, green, red

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Bulgaria&rsquo;s coat of arms in the national colors of white, green, and red was adopted in 1997; the three lions are a national symbol for strength, courage, and leadership that was used during the country&rsquo;s liberation movement in the 1870s and the kingdom period in the early 20th century; above the shield is the crown of Bulgaria (originally the crown of the medieval Bulgarian tsars) with a gold cross on top; a white scroll over the oak branches bears the Bulgarian national motto, &ldquo;United we stand strong&rdquo;

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<p>upper-middle-income EU economy; currency pegged to the euro, with eurozone accession pending; declining energy prices helping lower inflation rate; EU structural funds contributing to investment recovery; skilled labor shortage driven by emigration and aging population</p>

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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$112.212 billion (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

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wheat, maize, sunflower seeds, barley, milk, rapeseed, grapes, potatoes, triticale, tomatoes (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, automotive parts, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel; outsourcing centers

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1.9% (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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3.124 million (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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20.6% (2022 est.)

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<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

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<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

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<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

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<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

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<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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<b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP

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20.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

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<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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Germany 14%, Romania 11%, Italy 8%, Greece 6%, Turkey 5% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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refined petroleum, garments, refined copper, wheat, natural gas (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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Germany 12%, Turkey 8%, Romania 8%, Russia 7%, Italy 6% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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crude petroleum, copper ore, cars, packaged medicine, electricity (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

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4 national terrestrial TV stations with 1 state-owned and 3 privately owned; a vast array of TV stations are available from cable and satellite TV providers; state-owned national radio broadcasts over 3 networks; large number of private radio stations, especially in urban areas

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.bg

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LZ

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107 (2025)

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8 (2025)

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Bulgarian Armed Forces (aka Bulgarian Army): Land Forces, Air Force, Navy<br><br>Ministry of Interior: General Directorate National Police (GDNP), General Directorate Border Police (GDBP), Special Unit for Combating Terrorism (SOBT) (2025)

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<strong>note:</strong> the GDNP includes the Gendarmerie, a special police force with military status deployed to secure important facilities, buildings and infrastructure, respond to riots, and counter militant threats

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approximately 28,000 active duty Armed Forces  (2025)

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<strong>note:</strong> in 2021, Bulgaria released a 10-year defense plan which called for an active military strength of 43,000

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the military's inventory consists largely of Soviet-era armaments, although in recent years Bulgaria has procured some more modern Western weapons systems in an effort to modernize and achieve NATO interoperability (2025)

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18 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (2025)

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<strong>note:</strong> in 2020, Bulgaria announced a program to allow every citizen up to the age of 40 to join the armed forces for 6 months of military service in the voluntary reserve

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160 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2025)

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the Bulgarian military is responsible for guaranteeing Bulgaria’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, providing support to international peace and security missions, and contributing to national security in peacetime, including such missions as responding to disasters or assisting with border security; the military trains regularly including in multinational exercises with regional partners and with NATO since Bulgaria joined the organization in 2004; it also participates in overseas peacekeeping and other security missions under the EU, NATO, and the UN; in 2022, Bulgaria established and began leading a NATO multinational battlegroup as part of an effort to boost NATO defenses in Eastern Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; in 2021, Bulgaria approved a 10-year defense development program, which included calls for equipment upgrades and procurements, boosts in manpower, organizational reforms, and greater focus on such areas as cyber defense, communications, logistics support, and research and development<br><br>the Bulgarian military has participated in several significant conflicts since its establishment in 1878, including the Serbo-Bulgarian War (1885), the First Balkan War (1912-13), the Second Balkan War (1913), World War I (1915-1918), and World War II (1941-45); during the Cold War it was one of the Warsaw Pact’s largest militaries with over 150,000 personnel and more than 200 Soviet-made combat aircraft (2025)

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Space Research and Technology Institute - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (SRTI-BAS; formed in 1987 but originated from the Central Laboratory for Space Research and the Bulgarian Aerospace Agency, which was established in 1969) (2025)

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has a long history of space-related activities going back to the 1960s; develops, produces, and operates satellites; researches, develops, and produces other space technologies, including those related to astrophysics, remote sensing, data exploitation, optics, and electronics; has specialized in producing scientific instruments for space research; has more than 20 research institutes; Cooperating State of the ESA since 2015; works with a variety of foreign space agencies and commercial entities, including those of the ESA, EU, individual ESA and EU member states, India, Japan, Russia, and the US (2025)

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1960s-1990s - participated in the Soviet Interkosmos program, which included the first Bulgarian in space (1979), first domestically produced scientific satellite launched on a Soviet rocket (1981), and participation in the Soviet VEGA project (1985)<br><br>2017 - first communications satellite (BulgariaSat-1) built and launched by US <br><br>2019 - first domestically built data/educational cube satellite (EnduroSat-1) launched by US<br><br>2023 - signed the US-led Artemis Accords outlining principles for cooperation in space exploration<br><br>2025 - domestically produced, multispectral remote sensing satellite (Balkan-1) launched by US as part of EU's Copernicus Earth observation program

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Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force

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<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide