Bulgaria | Facts & Information

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

Infoplease has everything you need to know about Bulgaria. Check out our country profile, full of essential information about Bulgaria's geography, history, government, economy, population, culture, religion and languages. If that's not enough, click over to our collection of world maps and flags.

Facts & Figures

  • Republic of Bulgaria

    President: Rosen Plevneliev (2012)

    Prime Minister: Boyko Borisov (2014)

    Land area: 42,683 sq mi (110,549 sq km); total area: 42,823 sq mi (110,910 sq km )

    Population (2014 est.): 6,924,716 (growth rate: –0.83%); birth rate: 8.92/1000; infant mortality rate: 15.08/1000; life expectancy: 74.33

    Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Sofia, 1.174 million

    Monetary unit: Lev

    Current Government Officials

    Languages: Bulgarian (official) 76.8%, Turkish 8.2%, Roma 3.8%, other 0.7%, unspecified 10.5% (2011 est.)

    Ethnicity/race: Bulgarian 76.9%, Turkish 8%, Roma 4.4%, other 0.7% (including Russian, Armenian, and Vlach), other (unknown) 10% (2011 est.)

    National Holiday: Liberation Day, March 3

    Religions: Eastern Orthodox 59.4%, Muslim 7.8%, other (including Catholic, Protestant, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox, and Jewish) 1.7%, none 3.7%, unspecified 27.4% (2011 est.)

    Literacy rate: 98.4% (2011 est.)

    Economic summary: GDP/PPP $104.6 billion (2013 est.); per capita $14,400. Real growth rate: 0.5%. Inflation: 1.5%. Unemployment: 11.6%. Arable land: 29.28%. Agriculture: vegetables, fruits, tobacco, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets; livestock. Labor force: 2.551 million; agriculture 7.1%, industry 35.2%, 57.7% (2009 est.). Industries: electricity, gas, water; food, beverages, tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel. Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land. Exports: $27.9 billion (2013 est.): clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels. Imports: $32.88 billion (2013 est.): machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials. Major trading partners: Russia, Germany, Italy, Romania, Greece, Turkey, Spain, France (2012)

    Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 2.253 million (2012); mobile cellular: 10.78 million (2012). Broadcast media: Four national terrestrial television 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 broadcasting, especially in urban areas (2010). Internet hosts: 976,277 (20120). Internet users: 3.395 million (2009).

    Transportation: Railways: total: 4,152 km (22011009). Roadways: total: 19,512 km; paved: 19,235 km (includes 458 km of expressways); unpaved 277 km (2011). Waterways: 470 km (2009). Ports and terminals: Burgas, Varna. Airports: 68 (2013).

    International disputes: none.

    Major sources and definitions

See also: