A Slavic state, Bulgaria achieved independence in 1908 after 500 years of Ottoman rule. Bulgaria fought on the losing side in both World Wars. After World War II it fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. Communist domination ended in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, and Bulgaria began the contentious process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy. In addition to the problems of structural economic reform, particularly privatization, Bulgaria faces the serious issues of keeping inflation under control and unemployment, combatting corruption, and curbing black-market and mafia-style crime.
1)Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
2)Population: 8,194,772 (July 1999 est.)
3)Ethnic groups: Bulgarian 85%, Turk 9%, other 6%
4)Religions:
Bulgarian Orthodox 85%,
Muslim 13%,
Jewish 0.8%,
Roman Catholic 0.5%,
Uniate Catholic 0.2%,
Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 0.5%
5)Languages: Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown
6)Data code: BU
7)Government type: republic
8)Capital: Sofia
9)Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (oblasti, singularóoblast); Burgas, Grad Sofiya, Khaskovo, Lovech, Montana, Plovdiv, Ruse, Sofiya, Varna
10)Independence: 22 September 1908 (from Ottoman Empire)
11)National holiday: Independence Day, 3 March (1878)
12)Constitution: adopted 12 July 1991
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