Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Avis T. BOHLEN
embassy: 1 Saborna Street, Sofia
mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, Department of State,
Washington, DC 20521-5740

Flag description: 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)

Economy

Economy--overview: In April 1997, the current ruling Union of
Democratic Forces (UDF) government won pre-term parliamentary
elections and introduced an IMF currency board system which
succeeded in stabilizing the economy. The triple digit inflation of
1996 and 1997 has given way to an official consumer price increase
of 1% in 1998. Following declines in GDP in both 1996 and 1997, the
economy grew an officially estimated 4% in 1998. In September 1998,
the IMF approved a three-year Extended Fund Facility, which provides
credits worth approximately $864 million, designed to support
Bulgaria's reform efforts. The government's structural reform
program includes: (a) privatization and, where appropriate,
liquidation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs); (b) liberalization of
agricultural policies, including creating conditions for the
development of a land market; (c) reform of the country's social
insurance programs; and, (d) reforms to strengthen contract
enforcement and fight crime and corruption.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$33.6 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 4% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$4,100 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 26%
industry: 29%
services: 45% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.3%
highest 10%: 24.7% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (1998 est.)

Labor force: 3.57 million (1996 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 12.2% (1998 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $4.1 billion
expenditures: $3.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1998 est.)

Industries: machine building and metal working, food processing,
chemicals, textiles, construction materials, ferrous and nonf