Expatriates Forums in Bulgaria

New to site, uk mechanic and family in skarliza, yambol

conna97 — Tue Oct 06, 2009 7:34 am

Author: conna97

Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 7:34 am

welcome to bulgaria myself and two boys moved here around a year and a half ago. we love it here the kids are in the local school the only brit kids and thay think its great. my youngest has learing problems but he has come on realy well in the bulgarian school even his english has improved. hope you all find it the same feel free to call in to our place here in nedyalsko.
paul wilkinson
nedyalsko cat and dog kennels

dog kennels bulgaria

conna97 — Sat Sep 19, 2009 7:53 pm

Author: conna97

Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 7:53 pm

we have snug indoor kennels in nedyalsko 28 km from yambol
mouseman61@msn.(oM or call paul 0899221787

Four years and counting now censorship

slivatree — Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:20 pm

Author: slivatree

Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:20 pm

I 've been living and working in Bulgaria for four years noiw and haven't looked back. I write about my experiences here but recently have been a target of censorship. Anyone else had this problem about writing about life in Bulgaria?

Bulgarian lessons

didashki — Wed May 27, 2009 10:11 am

Author: didashki

Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 10:11 am

Hi, I am teaching Bulgarian. If anyone is interested, please send me a personal message.

Boarding kennels in Veliko Turnovo

Claire Baker — Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:35 am

Author: Claire Baker

Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:35 am

I would like to announce that Herbie's Boarding kennels will be open for business from the end of April 2009.
Herbie's boarding kennels is a brand new, purpose built kennels situated in the Veliko Turnovo region in the beautiful village of Koevtsi.
Owned and managed by an English qualified veterinary nurse with over seven years veterinary experience and also holding recognised certificates in canine psychology and animal care.
Herbie's boarding kennels is a small establishment comprising of only 6 kennels which ensures that your pet will receive the daily care and attention that he or she requires.
Some establishments choose to use wood burning or air conditioning systems as a means of heating their building, however, at Herbie's kennels we only use the latest in infra red, dull imitter heat lamps which provide a gentle but penetrating warmth for your pet, but without raising the ambient temperature, keeping the risk of cross-infection to an absoloute minimum.
Smoke alarms and fire fighting equipment on site.
24 hour veterinary cover in place.
Pets in need of special diets or in need of daily medication can be catered for.
Delivery and collection service available.
For enquiries and bookings please contact Claire on 0887055645
email: herbiefrog@hotmail.co.uk

BBC, ITV and Ch4 in Bulgaria

Suzi Williams — Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:09 pm

Author: Suzi Williams

Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:09 pm

UK TELLY TOOLBAR- TRY NOW! All you need is a computer, internet connection and that’s it!
NOVEMBER 2008-
www(dot)uktelly(dot)tv

The UK Telly Toolbar enables you to view UK television anywhere in the world via your PC. So if you’ve about to go on holiday or travel for business and you’re panicking about missing your favorite UK TV programs, worry no more!
Many of your favorite UK TV programs are already available either live or on demand via the internet but only if you are watching in the UK. Our revolutionary UK Telly Toolbar lets your computer appear to be in the UK even when you travel abroad…its amazing!
Eastenders in Ecuador?
Strictly Come Dancing in Sydney?
Hollyoaks in Hawaii??

Now its all possible with our UK Telly Toolbar!
UK Telly Toolbar supports BBC iPlayer, ITV video player, Channel 4 on Demand, Channel 5 Demand and Skyplayer*
Once you download our UK Telly Toolbar on your PC or laptop you will have immediate and unlimited access to movies, live sports events as well as many of your favorite UK TV programs.
So whether you’re on the move or simply have no access to the Astra 2 (28.2º) satellite footprint….UK Telly Toolbar is for you!

Access to all of your favorite UK TV channels will now be completely free and you can even subscribe to extra channels only before available if you are watching online in the UK such as Film Four and Sky Sports and Movies*

All you need is a computer, internet connection and that’s it! No additional hardware, no receivers, no dishes…..you watch UK TV just as if you were in the comfort of your own home.

SUBSCRIBING TO UK TELLY TOOLBAR COULDN’T BE EASIER!

We know you’re going to love our UK Telly Toolbar so we are delighted to offer you a 24hr FREE trial before subscribing to our service.
We don’t ask for any payment details up front as we’re that confident you’ll be so pleased with our UK Telly Toolbar you’ll be back to subscribe soon after your FREE trial ends!
You can buy online using our secure sales system. Our online subscription process is quick, simple and safe. Try UKTelly Toolbar NOW!!

For more information or to add your comments visit our blog on uktellytoolbar(dot)blogspot(dot)com or email us at uktellytv@googlemail(dot)com

very short skirts in Bulgaria...good or bad ?

jasmine007 — Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:09 pm

Author: jasmine007

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:09 pm

Perhaps many women simply do not have shapely enough legs that can carry off the wearing of a very short skirt gracefully.
Legs have to be more than shapely they also have to be attractive. Nylon stockings make legs more attractive but this is evidently a personal choice .

Not only are our legs not elegant or sexy enough to show off in a very short skirt but our posture isn't observed enough to NOT show off more than we intended. How many times have your eyes been drawn to the sudden hiking of a skirt thigh high? More times than many men would like their wives or partners to know about anyway, I'll bet.
The sudden hiking of a skirt thigh high can be improved upon if the woman is wearing pantyhose nylon stockings. At least these look a bit sexier than the sudden appearance of fish-belly white thighs.

>>>>>But from this woman's perspective, another of the disadvantages of wearing a very short skirt is **********the breeze factor*******. Don't laugh, but getting a sudden gust of cold wind up bare legs is cold and disconcerting, to be polite.<<<<<<<<<

Very short Skirts leave a lot of bare leg open to the elements and this is very disadvantageous as far as most women are concerned.

How Women Can Look Good Inside of the Gym ?

jasmine007 — Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:08 pm

Author: jasmine007

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:08 pm

Hello friends

The following tips are are for those gorgeous girls and mature women who spend their quality time in Gym to look the same outside of the Gym as well ?
Have Fun ....

1. Throw out your bodysuits and leg warmers

Avoid oversized shirts and shorts. While these items might feel comfortable they tend to make you look unkept and can be hazardous if they get caught in an exercise machine. If you want to look your absolute best, choose outfits that fit your body well and are in colors that flatter you.

2. Choose clothing that is made for exercise
The t-shirt and jeans that you wear are not be suitable for the gym. Workout clothes are designed to keep sweat and moisture away from the body. Cotton t-shirts, while breathable, can keep moisture close to the skin. Jeans similarly trap moisture next to the body and are also too restricting. Instead, shop for fitness wear that is made to be quick drying and moisture wicking. Look for items with polyester, spandex, and mesh ventilation panels.

3. Wear a good sports bra

An important part of looking good in the gym is wearing a good sports bra. Working out can include alot of jumping and running, activities that can cause breast jiggle and discomfort. If you are heavy breasted, look for sports bras with wide straps that provide good support. Make sure they are made of breathable fabrics to avoid chafing.

4. Wear footwear appropriate for your workout
Look for shoes that are appropriate for your exercise routine. Exercise footwear is designed to be activity specific. If you are a runner, look for a good running shoe. If you are an aerobics fanatic, pick a sneaker that is made for aerobic workouts. Picking the right shoe for your activity will guarantee you get the support you need and help you avoid injury.

5. Avoid wearing jewelry

As a general rule, your jewelry should not be a part of your workout ensemble. While you might want to keep your wedding band on, wearing too many rings can make it difficult to grab weights or handles on exercise machines.

Follow these simple tips and you will not only look good inside and out of the gym, but you will enjoy a successful workout too.

Cherkovo Sunday Market and Car Boot Sale

cherkovo — Sun Sep 14, 2008 5:53 pm

Author: cherkovo

Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 5:53 pm

Hi All,

Complimenting the success of the Car Boot Sale in Malomir (Маломир), we, a small group of ex-pats in Cherkovo (Черково) near Karnobat (Карнобат), are trying to support our village by holding a Sunday market and car boot sale every two weeks alternately with the Malomir event, all proceeds being donated to village good causes. Our first is as follows:

Cherkovo
Market

Sunday 21st September
In the Village Square 10am -2pm

Car Boot Sale - English ‘Cream’ Teas – Stalls - Fresh Produce

Buyers and Sellers Welcome

We are here: They won't let us post a link so just pm for location & directions.

If you have any queries feel free to pm us. We look forward to meeting you.

HELP! NOT SO MUCH RULING THE WAVES AS SINKING BENEATH THEM!

SuperGadger — Fri Sep 05, 2008 3:04 pm

Author: SuperGadger

Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 3:04 pm

Hello to you all in Bulgaria.. Well, as I'm sure you'll have heard, this year, just about everything about UK living has plummeted straight ‘round the ‘U’ bend. Dependent upon type, food costs are anything from 8% to 40% up on those of 2007, petrol has become a luxury item, our politics and the idiots involved are nothing short of ludicrous, and the weather ..what can I say? ..Throughout the UK., August 2008 saw the highest levels of precipitation ever recorded, (approx 150 years,) and to accompany this, gale force winds. Additionally, the meteorologists are telling us, not only are we lumbered with a continuation of this, Climate Change will almost certainly render future UK “Summers” to be similarly cancelled. Official now, also, the UK is in recession and economists are agreeing the UK., with its economic ‘Housing’ dependency, is in for a far worse time than any of our sister EU countries.

My lovely mum, (the last person about whom I cared,) died aged 86 on Jan 18th this year and I’ve now got a few inheritance quid in the bank. It’s now my intention to depart the UK and set myself up in Bulgaria. Not as an investment, not as a holiday home, but somewhere where I can renovate a small house, become accepted by my neighbours, grow my own veg ., and live frugally on the interest of my invested inheritance. I’m friendly enough, but a bit of a recluse and the prospect of starting a new life well away from the exponentially depressive state of the UK is just about all that’s keeping me sane.

So, not one iota of good news to bring you from your homeland but, instead, a serious request: In “Spring” of 2009, (we didn’t have one this year, and I’m not exaggerating,) I plan to spend 2 to 3 months in Bulgaria. To do this, I’m seeking an Expat or an English speaking Bulgarian person/family with whom I can stay B&B style. I could stay in a hotel, but apart from the costs, living with people in their own place will provide me with a far greater insight in regard to ‘real’ life in Bulgaria. I’ll be driving myself to Bulgaria and during my visit, I’ll be seeking an area and eventually a property to buy, renovate and move into.

If anyone can either offer me accommodation or supply me with contact details of someone who can, you’ll be ever in my debt. If I had some idea of accommodation costs this would be an added bonus.

My good wishes to you all and, should you ever feel homesick, a word to the wise: It might once have been ..but nowadays, Great Britain ..isn’t. Laurie.

Hello all from Haskovo

mattjeffes — Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:49 pm

Author: mattjeffes

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:49 pm

Dear Expats,
I must make this very clear I am not trying to sell here , just help.
My name is Matt Jeffes . I am originally from Kent in the U.K and have lived here now for 1 year and love it. I am 34 years of age and would like to offer help to all those living , or intending to live here. With my work I am the person to speak to for Cars, Houses and even places to stay for friends or family members who may intend on moving here in the future.
I work for a New Car Dealership in Haskovo selling Opel and Chevrolet, we have full service facilities for all makes of vehicles and a wide range of tyres and accessories for many vehicles.
I also run, with my family a Caravan and Camping Park in Biser , in the Haskovo region.
We as a family have been in Bulgaria on and off for almost 4 years and have a great many useful friends in the legal profession , and have a great many Bulgarian friends that are looking for buyers on their houses.
So whether you are looking for a new car, servicing of your existing vehicle, buying a house in the country or have friends who are avid campers the please email me. There is no catch , We do not expect a commission, we do not run an estate agency. We have gotten used to people coming here with various stories (good and bad) about Housing, Places to Stay with Caravans and Servicing of Vehicles that we want to help.

We look forward to hearing from you . And hey if you are already in the Haskovo region and just want to get together then email me at the above address.

BULGARIA COUNTRY PROFILE / BULGARIA COUNTRY GUIDE

Bulgaria Info — Wed May 16, 2007 5:06 am

Author: Bulgaria Info

Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 5:06 am

BULGARIA COUNTRY PROFILE

Introduction

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 country was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of Bulgaria became independent 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 and the EU in 2007.

Geography

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

Geographic coordinates:
43 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 110,910 sq km
land: 110,550 sq km
water: 360 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
total: 1,808 km
border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia and Montenegro 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Coastline:
354 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:
mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Natural resources:
bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 40.02%
permanent crops: 1.92%
other: 58.06% (2001)

Irrigated land:
8,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
earthquakes, landslides

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

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

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

People

Population:
7,450,349 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.1% (male 539,005/female 512,762)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,516,368/female 2,599,524)
65 years and over: 17.2% (male 531,008/female 751,682) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 40.66 years
male: 38.59 years
female: 42.66 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
-0.89% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
9.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
14.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
-4.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 20.55 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 24.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 16.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.03 years
male: 68.41 years
female: 75.87 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% - note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
346 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bulgarian(s)
adjective: Bulgarian

Ethnic groups:
Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)

Religions:
Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)

Languages:
Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
conventional short form: Bulgaria

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Sofia
geographic coordinates: 42 41 N, 23 19 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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

National holiday:
Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Constitution:
adopted 12 July 1991

Legal system:
civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January 2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Sergei STANISHEV (since 16 August 2005); Deputy Prime Minister Ivaylo KALFIN (since 16 August 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 11 and 18 November 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); chairman of the Council of Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president and elected by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime minister and elected by the National Assembly
election results: Georgi PURVANOV elected president; percent of vote - Georgi PURVANOV 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%; Sergei STANISHEV elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67

Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held June 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%, MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%; seats by party - CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, ATAKA 21, UDF 20, DSB 17, BPU 13

Judicial branch:
Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation; Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members; responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)

Political parties and leaders:
Attack National Union [Volen Siderov]; ATAKA (Attack Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by the Attack National Union); Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia MOZER]; Bulgarian People's Union or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and BANU); Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation or IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic Forces or UDF [Nadezhda MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition of centre-right parties dominated by UDF)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB; Podkrepa Labour Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas

International organisation participation:
ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA
chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174
FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
consulate(s): Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador John Ross BEYRLE
embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407
mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, 5740 Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
FAX: [359] (2) 937-5230

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; note - the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe, has been removed

Economy

Overview:
Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the EU on 1 January 2007, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong growth since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of the then socialist government. As a result, the government became committed to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning. Minerals, including coal, copper, and zinc, play an important role in industry. In 1997, macroeconomic stability was reinforced by the imposition of a fixed exchange rate of the lev against the German D-mark - the currency is now fixed against the euro - and the negotiation of an IMF standby agreement. Low inflation and steady progress on structural reforms improved the business environment; Bulgaria has averaged 5.1% growth since 2000 and has begun to attract significant amounts of foreign direct investment. Corruption in the public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of organised crime remain the largest challenges for Bulgaria.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $61.63 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 11.5%
industry: 30.1%
services: 58.4% (2004 est.)

Labour force:
3.398 million (2004 est.)

Labour force - by occupation:
agriculture 11%, industry 32.7%, services 56.3% (3rd quarter 2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
12.7% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
13.4% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 4.5%
highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
26.4 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
18.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $9.67 billion
expenditures: $9.619 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Public debt:
41.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets

Industries:
electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel

Industrial production growth rate:
5.2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
43.07 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - consumption:
32.71 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
8.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
960 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
603 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
94,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA

Oil - imports:
NA

Oil - proved reserves:
8.1 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
4 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
5.804 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
5.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
3.724 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
$682.9 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
$9.134 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels

Exports - partners:
Italy 13.2%, Germany 11.5%, Turkey 9.7%, Belgium 6.4%, Greece 6.1%, US 5.6%, France 5.1% (2004)

Imports:
$12.23 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials

Imports - partners:
Germany 15.7%, Italy 10.9%, Russia 9%, Greece 8%, Turkey 7.5%, France 4.7%, Austria 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$7.526 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
$16.1 billion (November 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$300 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
lev (BGL)

Exchange rates:
leva per US dollar - 1.5576 (2006), 1.5741 (2005), 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002), 2.1847 (2001), 2.1233 (2000)
note: on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated; the post-5 July 1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 lev

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
2.483 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.245 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: extensive but antiquated
domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential; telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern digital cable trunk line now connects switching centres in most of the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio relay
international: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2 Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Internet country code:
.bg

Internet hosts:
184,975 (2006)

Internet users:
2.2 million (2005)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 4,294 km
standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 44,033 km
paved: 43,593 km (includes 333 km of expressways)
unpaved: 440 km (2004)

Waterways:
470 km (2004)

Pipelines:
gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2004)

Ports and harbours:
Burgas, Varna

Merchant marine:
total: 75 ships (1000 GRT or over) 872,653 GRT/1,294,877 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 40, cargo 17, chemical tanker 4, container 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 4
foreign-owned: 2 (Germany 1, Russia 1)
registered in other countries: 41 (Cambodia 1, Comoros 1, Malta 13, Panama 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 17, Slovakia 7, unknown 1) (2006)

Airports:
217 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 132
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 96 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 85
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 72 (2006)

Heliports: 4 (2006)

Military

Military branches:
Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces

Military manpower - military age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 9 months (2004)

Military manpower - availability:
males age 18-49: 1,661,211 (2005 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 1,302,037 (2005 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 51,023 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$356 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
2.6% (2005)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions