The more that you know about Bulgaria, the more you will understand about investment potential in this country. Following are key facts and figures about Bulgaria:

Demographics

• The current population of Bulgaria is 7,385,367 (July 2006 est.)
  
• Population growth rate: -0.86%
  
• Life expectancy:72.3 years
  
• Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4%
  
• Languages: Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8%
  
• Ethnic groups: Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)
  
• Literacy: total population: 98.6%

Geography

Bulgaria is bordered by the Black Sea to the east, by Romania to the north, by Serbia and Macedonia to the west, by Greece to the south, and by European Turkey to the southeast. The capital city of Bulgaria is Sofia. Bulgaria has an area of 110,910 square kilometers and over 354 kilometers of coastline. The terrain in the interior of Bulgaria is mainly lowlands in the southeast and north, with mountains to the east.

Economic

• Unemployment rate: 14.3% (2003)
  
• Local currency used: Bulgarian Lev (with a fixed exchange rate with Euro)
  
• GDP per capita: $7600 (2003 est.)
  
• Real GDP growth: 6.6% (2004 est.)
  
• Population below poverty line: 13.4% (2002 est.)

Political

Bulgaria has what is called a “parliamentary democracy”. It established independence from the Ottoman Empire on September 22nd, 1908. The legal system of Bulgaria is based on both criminal and civil law, which is in turn based on Roman law.