| Economy - overview: | Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter the European Union, 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 and the negotiation of an IMF standby agreement. Low inflation and steady progress on structural reforms improved the business environment; Bulgaria has averaged 4% 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 organized crime remain the largest challenges for Bulgaria. |
| GDP - per capita | $9,000 (2005 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate (%) | 5.4% (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley, sunflowers, sugar beets |
| GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 10.1%, industry: 30.2%, services: 59.7% (2005 est.) |
| Industries | electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined petroleum, nuclear fuel |
| Economic aid - recipient | $300 million (2000 est.) |
| Debt - external | $15.46 billion (2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line (%) | 13.4% (2002 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 11%, industry 32.7%, services 56.3% (3rd quarter 2004 est.) |
Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
