ds

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

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

Bulgaria People

Population: 7,707,495 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 15.11% (male 597,765; female 567,030)

15-64 years: 68.17% (male 2,588,805; female 2,665,736)

65 years and over: 16.72% (male 543,665; female 744,494) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: -1.14% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 8.06 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 14.53 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: 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: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.2 years

male: 67.72 years

female: 74.89 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.13 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bulgarian(s)

adjective: Bulgarian

Ethnic groups: Bulgarian 83%, Turk 8.5%, Roma 2.6%, Macedonian,
Armenian, Tatar, Gagauz, Circassian, others (1998)

Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 83.5%, Muslim 13%, Roman Catholic
1.5%, Uniate Catholic 0.2%, Jewish 0.8%, Protestant,
Gregorian-Armenian, and other 1% (1998)

Languages: Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to
ethnic breakdown

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98%

male: 99%

female: 98% (1999)

Bulgaria Government

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria

conventional short form: Bulgaria

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Sofia

Administrative divisions: 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

Independence: 3 March 1878 (from Ott